Monastery of Great Meteoron vs Monastery of Rousanou
Two churches in Meteora. Monastery of Great Meteoron has no online ticket listed; Monastery of Rousanou has no online ticket listed. The table and the two notes below put them side by side; the full pages have what to see, the ticket and the timing for each.
The Great Meteoron is the largest and oldest of the six monasteries still inhabited at Meteora in central Greece, perched on the highest of the rock pillars above the town of Kalambaka. Entry is ticketed, cheaply, and paid at the gate. The main practical points are that each monastery closes on a different day of the week, and the Great Meteoron is normally closed on Tuesdays, and that the monasteries close in the early or mid afternoon, so a tour that starts late may miss the interiors.
Rousanou is one of the six monasteries still active at Meteora, and it is the easiest to reach: a short path and a bridge lead from the road to the entrance, with far fewer steps than at the Great Meteoron or Holy Trinity. That makes it the best choice for visitors with limited mobility or little time. Entry is ticketed, cheaply. Rousanou is a convent run by nuns, and like the other monasteries it closes one day a week, usually Wednesday, so check before planning a route.
