Magical Delphi & Meteora Monasteries — Self-Launched
2 days · Greece
Click Tours charges £280
No-markup version: ~£138 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of the classic two-day Delphi and Meteora run from Athens. Instead of a 45-seat coach and a fixed hotel block, you take public KTEL intercity buses (or a shared regional coach), stay in a simple guesthouse in Kalambaka beneath the Meteora rock formations, and book your own Delphi site ticket plus Meteora monastery entries at the gate. You get more time at Delphi's museum, the freedom to pick which monasteries to visit, and you can add a sunset viewpoint or a hike that coach tours skip. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller rates in GBP, based on travelling in a pair or dorm-share; solo travellers pay a little more for private rooms.
Day-by-day
Athens → Delphi → Kalambaka
Delphi & Kalambaka
Leave Athens early from KTEL Liosion bus terminal (Metro to Attiki, then a short walk) on the 07:30-ish KTEL Fokidas bus to Delphi — around 3 hours, roughly €18–20 each way, book online or at the booth. Drop your bag in the terminal lockers or at a café, then walk 10 minutes up to the Delphi Archaeological Site and Museum. Entry is about €12 combined (free on certain first-Sundays/off-season dates — check the site calendar). Give yourself 2.5–3 hours: the Sanctuary of Apollo, the Treasury of the Athenians, the stadium, then the museum's Charioteer. Lunch in modern Delphi village or in Arachova if you're routing via there. Mid-afternoon, take the KTEL bus back down to Livadeia or Amphissa and connect onward to Trikala/Kalambaka (KTEL Trikalon; total Delphi→Kalambaka roughly 4–5 hours, ~€18–22). Alternatively, book a seat on one of the daily Athens→Kalambaka KTEL Trikalon coaches (dep. Athens ~07:30 and ~15:30, ~€30, 4.5–5 hrs) and do Delphi as a separate day trip from Athens the day before if you'd rather not chain connections. Overnight in Kalambaka: guesthouses and family hotels 5–10 minutes from the bus station run €25–40 for a double (≈£11–17pp), or dorms in the hostels around Kastraki from £10pp. Dinner of grilled lamb, fava and local wine €10–13.
🚌KTEL Fokidas bus Athens→Delphi (~€18–20), KTEL connection Delphi/Livadeia→Kalambaka (~€18–22), or direct KTEL Trikalon Athens→Kalambaka (~€30)
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Kalambaka/Kastraki (double room £22–34, dorm from £10pp)
- →Delphi Archaeological Site & Museum (self-guided, ~€12 entry)
- →Arachova village stop
- →Evening walk in Kalambaka old town
Meteora Monasteries → Thermopylae → Athens
Meteora & Athens
Start early — the monasteries open around 09:00 (09:30 in winter; each has one closed day per week, so check the posted rota: Great Meteoron closed Tuesdays, Varlaam Fridays, etc.). Take the local KTEL Trikalon shuttle from Kalambaka up to the rocks (€1.60–2 each way, frequent in season; otherwise a taxi is about €8–10 one way). Pay entry at each monastery individually — €3 per monastery, so roughly €6–9 for two or three. St Stephen's and Roussanou are the easiest short walks; Great Meteoron and Varlaam need the stairs. Budget 3.5–4 hours including the Psaropetra and Adrachti viewpoints. If you're fit, walk down the old Kalambaka path instead of taking the bus. Back in town, grab a quick gyros or pie lunch (€4–6). Catch the afternoon KTEL Trikalon bus back to Athens (dep. ~15:00–16:00, ~€30, 4.5–5 hrs), or break the journey at Lamia and hop a local bus/taxi 5 km to Thermopylae to see the Leonidas Monument and the hot springs (free), then continue to Athens — arriving around 19:00–21:00. Trains from Kalambaka to Athens (via Paleofarsalos) are another option at ~€25–35 if the timetable suits.
🚌Local KTEL shuttle Kalambaka↔Meteora (~€1.60–2 each way), KTEL Trikalon Kalambaka→Athens (~€30), optional Lamia/Thermopylae stop
🛏Not included (return to Athens; Athens hostels from £14–20pp per night if you need one)
- →Meteora monasteries — choose 2–3 (€3 entry each)
- →Psaropetra & Adrachti viewpoints
- →Thermopylae Leonidas Monument stop
Self-launched vs. Click Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Click Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£138 | £280 |
| Duration | 2 days | 2 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £142 per person (51%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Click Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£138
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Magical Delphi & Meteora Monasteries — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £138 per person for 2 days in Greece. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Click Tours?+
Yes — Click Tours charges around £280 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £138 — a saving of roughly £142 (51%) per person.
How long is the Greece trip?+
This itinerary runs 2 days, covering 2 day-by-day stops through Greece.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, budget, backpacker trip through Greece, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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