This writing is meant to help other tourists when making a trip to Greece. Bus systems etc. can be quite confusing for us as foreigners. We went to Greece for 15 days, and visited all villages/sights using public transport. Be aware that the Greeks have their own alphabet, so be prepared. Note that it can be rather hot in Greece, so make sure to carry enough water with you. Another general remark; you cannot pay by card everywhere.
Athens (Αθήνα)
On a Monday we went to Athens by plane. We used the metro to get to the city centre. At the airport follow the signs “train”. Buy your ticket at the railway station over there; it will cost about 10 euros per person (p.p.) to get to the city centre. Duration: +/-50 min. This metro map will help you: https://www.visitmeteora.travel/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/athens-metro-map.jpg
Take the blue line from the airport. Obviously, the metro station of your choice depends on where your hotel is located. I guess Monastiraki is the nearest stop to the ancient sights.
We went to Monastiraki square, and from there we visited all ancient sights (Library of Hadrien, Temple of Hephaistos, the agora of Athens etc.) up to the Akropolis.
On Tuesday we went up the mountain to the monument of Philopappos (via the ancient wall of Pnyx, and the Socrates prison). From there, you’ll have a great view at the Akropolis, and the city of Athens. Thereafter, we went to the national parc of Athens, where you can see the gate of Hadrianus, the temple of Zeus, and the Olympic stadion. (There are some supermarkets located on Athinas street).
Nafplio/Nauplion (Ναύπλιο)
On a Wednesday, we went to Naflpio by bus. It’s a very nice village to visit.
Be aware that there are two bus terminals in Athens (the company is called KTEL or KTEΛ). One is at Kifissou street (bus terminal A), the other one is at Liosion street (bus terminal B). This website will help you choosing the correct terminal for your place to visit:
- https://www.athensguide.com/practicalinfo/busschedulesA.htm
- https://www.athensguide.com/practicalinfo/busschedulesB.htm
- http://www.ktelargolida.gr/?module=default&pages_id=9&lang=en
For Nafplio you’ll have to go to terminal A at Kifissou street. Taxis in Athens are quite expensive, so we took a walk (for us it was about 3km). From the city centre, walk to Leof. Konstantinoupoleos and follow Kimonos street. Cross Palamidiou street and follow Platonos street. After some walking you’ll see a petrol station on your left hand side. Walk a bit further until you encounter a Y-junction. Take Kratilou street. You will see a parc on both sides of the road. Follow this road. It will change name to Drakontos street. You’ll see a busses parking on your right hand side, walk a bit further until you see a parking lot and some taxis driving over there. Walk onto the parking lot, and you’ll see a building on your left hand side, which is the KTEL terminal. (Apparently there are also busses driving from the city centre towards the KTEL terminal, but we didn’t know this back than).
For some cities/villages, you can buy your tickets inside the building. For Nafplio you’ll have to be outside. Ask for the number where the bus for Nafplio leaves at the information desk inside the building (I forgot the number). It is all the way left on the outside of the building. Buy your tickets at the office over there. This office opens like 3 quarters before the bus leaves. Be there on time, like half an hour before the bus leaves, to buy your ticket. You’ll get a seat number on your ticket. A one way ticket will cost 11.50 euro. You can already buy your return ticket, but be aware; we had to check in our ticket in Nafplio, because the return ticket didn’t have a time and seat yet. Duration: +/-2 hrs.
The bus will stop in Nafplio (and leaves) at Andrea Siggrou street. From there, we walked through the city centre towards the harbour. You’ll have a nice view at a small castle on an island near the harbour. We walked along the beach up to the ruins and tower on the top of the mountain in the village. On the other mountain you’ll see the fortress Palamidi, which is also very beautiful.
Kalambaka/Meteora (Καλαμπάκα/Μετέωρα)
On Thursday, we went to Kalambaka by train (the railway company is called OSE). The train leaves from the Athens railway station, i.e. Larissis station, at Theodore Diligiannis street, near Filadelfias street. We booked our tickets upfront; you’ll get an e-ticket with a seat number. This website will help you booking the ticket:
https://www.visitmeteora.travel/how-to-book-train-tickets-in-greece-online-an-illustrated-guide/
The website of OSE states that there is a discount for people below 24 years old, but also for people below 26 years old. I e-mailed the company, and they told me the discount is only for people below the age of 24 years old. A one way ticket for one adult will cost you 16.50 euro. Duration: +/-4hrs 40min, and Kalambaka is the end station.
In my opinion, Meteora is definitely worth visiting. There are 7 monasteries which you can still visit, and there are some ruins of monasteries. Be aware; wear suitable clothes, i.e. no naked shoulders and knees. Men have to wear long trousers, no shorts. Women have to wear a dress, no jeans.
We did everything on foot. I think you can see much more of the environment while walking. We saw turtles, and even a snake. It was quite an experience. For the hikers, this map will help you a lot:
http://www.visitmeteora.travel/meteoramap2017.pdf
At the hotel, ask for the opening hours of the monastery you like to visit. They do not have the same opening hours, and most of them are closed one or more days a week. Apparently, the monastery of Ypappanti changes their opening times quite often. When we were over there the opening hours were Monday-Friday 09.00-14.00hr.
From Kalambaka you can walk to Kastraki. Walk up to Patriarchou Dimitriou street. At the junction, you can take Meteoron street, which is more safe to walk on. You’ll see a restaurant on your right hand side. Next, you’ll see a road on your right hand side going steep up the hill. There are some signs of hotels. Take this road to Marmaro rock. When you are on this road, there’s another road having a gate and going even steeper. This road will take you to two hermitages and the chapel of Panagia. Obviously, the hermitages are closed for visitors. Back on the road towards Marmaro rock, you’ll reach the village of Kastraki. You can walk all the way right, up to the chapel of Nikolaos and the Andrachti rock. I think this is not very interesting to visit. Back in Kastraki, you can walk around the rock/mountain Agion Pnevma. You can see a ruin of a monastery on your right hand side. There are lots of flags over there. Continue following this road. The path will continue unhardened. At the end, it will encounter the main road (marked red on the map). Cross the main road, and you will see a path continuing up the mountain. On the map is a sign of a Drakosonia cave, but we didn’t see this one. When following the path, it will have a junction near a bench. When you take a right you will go to the monastery of Varlaam (3 euro p.p.), taking a left you will go to the monastery of Meteora.
From the parking lot at the monastery of Meteora you can take a walk towards the monastery of Yppapanti. This path is quite tough, and the beginning is not easy to find. On your left hand side you’ll see some minimarkets. Just after these shops, there is a small path going up the mountain. Take this path. It will take you about 30 min to reach Ypappanti. There are quite some junctions along this path, but the path is marked with stacks of stones ;) So follow the stacks of stones. When you see the ruin of the monastery of Demetrios, you are almost there, because Ypappanti is on the other side of the same mountain.
