Meteora/Kalambaka advice
 

For those of you who have been to Meteora a couple of questions:

Will the weather be appreciably colder than the rest of Greece early June (we were planning on just bringing light jackets)?
Will we need hiking boots are will "sturdy walking shoes" do? Can one even get by with sandals?

do we need a guide, or can we figure it out on our own?

and any restaurant recommendations?

Thank you in advance.

The temperatures were probably a bit cooler not so much during the day but at night one probably needs a sweater or light jacket.
I wore sturdy walking shoes and my wife wore rugged sandals. No need for hiking boots.
Just a tip we stayed in the village of Kastraki. it is nestled in the foothills below the Monasteries and has views of several of them.
Olympia Delphi Meteora https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr...7645469717811/

You don't need hiking boots, not do you need a guide. I used a taxi to get around, and the driver clearly was well used to shuttling tourists around the monasteries.

I was there in April and it was chilly in the evenings, check Weather Underground for June temps.

It will be a bit cooler but not »cold« for non-mediterraneans. If you ar going to visit the monasteries only, you don't need sturdy shoes at all, exept for the visit of Aya Triada which i higly recommend. For the visit of the two most important, Megalo Meteoro and Varlaam, its more vital to bring some stamina, since you will face approx. 100 steps to go up. Varlaam and Megalo Meteoro are always crowded, which is understandable from the point of view of art history. The smaller ones are less visited, and I recommend at least visiting one of them (depending on opening hours): Aya Triada offers a fine view in the Pinios valley (access a bit uncomfortable but doable even for me, aged over 60), Roussanou some painting of historical importance; the least interesting in my view is Ayos Nikolaos Anapavsas.

Women should not forget to bring a scarf and a skirt along. Otherwise you will given these things at the entrance, which might force you to adapt your hygiene standards to an undesirable level.

Kastraki is full of good hotels. I have made good experiences with Kastraki Hotel and Hotel Doupiani house (a bit pricy), both offering rooms with view on the monastries; if you travel on a budget Pension Zosas can be a good choice. As for restaurants, I liked a garden restaurant in the upper part of the village just opposite Hotel Kastraki, but I can't rembember its name, sorry.

You will have an most interesting experience!

Fantastic, that answers all questions (except maybe restaurant recommendations) - We're reserved for the Iridanos guesthouse in Kalambaka. I guess since skirts are required the climb can't be too rough. Appreciate the advice.

The restaurant unnamed I believe is the one I visited twice. I stayed at guesthouse Vavitsas, the last one in the village on the road up to the monasteries & there was a note on the door to go to that restaurant ( a few minutes walk) if there was no one around. The restaurant may have the same name? I can't remember at the moment, sorry :)
The best taverna in Kastraki is Taverna Gardenia, in the centre of the village near the church.
Two excellent places in Kalambaka are Restaurant Meteora & Taverna Panellimio

>The restaurant may have the same name?<

That's it! I looked up the name at tripadvisor and found a pic showing the father of the shopkeeper standing at his grill ;)

fantastic - efkeristo!

fantastic - efkeristo!