Meteora Instagram Spots: Viewpoints, Access and Tours

Four travel guides list 3 to 10 photo stops at Meteora each, 23 entries in all. Four of those stops come up in three guides apiece: Sunset Rock, the Main Observation Deck, the St Nicholas roadside and the Varlaam lookouts. No stop is named by four. Sunset Rock gets packed at sunset, the guides say, while the Varlaam lookout and a ridge reached on foot stay quiet.

The same guides split the stops into five areas, from the platforms at the top of the road to the streets of Kastraki and Kalambaka. If Meteora is only one stop on your route, the Greece Tours homepage shows which regions we cover next to it.

Which Meteora Instagram spots do the travel guides agree on?

Four Meteora Instagram spots appear in three of the six guides we read. They are the Varlaam lookouts, the St Nicholas roadside, Sunset Rock and the Main Observation Deck. No spot appears in four guides.

We read six travel guides on Meteora photo stops. A seventh, a location-listing site, did not load for us. Four of the six give a list. Road Reel lists 10 spots. The Whole World Is A Playground, called Whole World below, lists 6. Ready Steady Travel lists 4. A Dutch travel blog lists 3.

The four lists add up to 23 entries: 10, 6, 4 and 3. The other two guides name no viewpoint. To count the Meteora Instagram spots, we counted a place once per guide. A guide that shows one place from two angles still scores one.

The same three guides carry all four top spots. They are Ready Steady Travel, Road Reel and Whole World. Each spot therefore scores 3 of 6. The monasteries in these frames have their own profiles in our Meteora travel guide.

• Sunset Rock, also called Psaropetra, 3 of 6. Road Reel gives an open view over the valley, with four monasteries to the right and Roussanou closest. Whole World says the view takes in the valley, the monasteries and the rock formations. Ready Steady Travel lists it as “observation deck 2”.
• Main Observation Deck, also called Sunrise Rock, 3 of 6. Road Reel says it gives a top-down view of the whole rock complex. Whole World calls it the highest of the viewpoints. Ready Steady Travel lists it as “observation deck 1” and says buses stop there.
• The St Nicholas roadside, 3 of 6. Road Reel says the monastery sits on a lone rock 80 metres tall. Whole World calls it a tiny rock and a true icon. Ready Steady Travel shows the monastery together with the whole valley.
• The Varlaam lookouts, 3 of 6. Road Reel points to a lookout facing the north face of Varlaam, with Roussanou far off. Whole World puts Varlaam among the hills with Roussanou behind it. Ready Steady Travel stands on the Varlaam terrace and looks down on the winding road and the other monasteries.

Four more Meteora Instagram spots reach two guides each. Road Reel and Whole World both name the Roussanou roadside, Holy Trinity and the Great Meteoron steps and trails. Road Reel and the Dutch blog both include a view with the town of Kalambaka in it.

Three Meteora Instagram spots rest on one guide each. Only Road Reel lists the small bridge through the Varlaam gate, which frames Roussanou. Only Road Reel also lists the balcony of St Nicholas Anapausas, which looks over the Kastraki valley.

The Dutch blog alone lists a walk-in ridge. It admits the ridge is not the top view of the monasteries.

The guides split on the favourite among the Meteora Instagram spots. Whole World names the Main Observation Deck as its favourite. Road Reel calls the same deck the definite pick for a top-down view. Ready Steady Travel picks Sunset Rock as its favourite.

The guides also split on names for the Meteora Instagram spots. Road Reel calls the second stop the Main Observation Deck and treats Sunrise Rock as an unofficial name. Whole World says the stop has no name. Ready Steady Travel numbers the pair as deck 1 and deck 2.

How do the guides group the Meteora Instagram spots on the ground?

We sort the Meteora Instagram spots into five areas. They are the top platforms, the road to Kastraki, the Great Meteoron car park, the terraces and the towns. Wikipedia says the rocks surround Kastraki and border the north side of Kalambaka.

At the top of the road sit the two big platforms. Whole World says both viewpoints are up top, in car parks with no monastery nearby. Road Reel places the Roussanou roadside on the same stretch of road.

Lower down, the road winds toward Kastraki, and more Meteora Instagram spots line it. Road Reel and Whole World both place the St Nicholas stop beside Roussanou. Ready Steady Travel puts its own pull-off on the left side, on the climb from Kalambaka.

On the map of Meteora Instagram spots, the Great Meteoron car park anchors the Varlaam side. Road Reel starts its Varlaam lookout there, and Whole World starts its Varlaam path there as well. Road Reel adds trails above the car park for views of the Great Meteoron. Wikipedia puts that monastery on the Broad Rock.

Inside the walls, the guides add two more stops. Road Reel names the Holy Trinity terrace, with Kalambaka and the valley below. Whole World adds the steps to the Great Meteoron, which give Varlaam angles. Wikipedia says Roussanou lies in the middle of the site, with the other monasteries in view.

Two settlements frame the base. The Dutch blog shoots a monastery with Kalambaka behind it. The photo-tour page lists Kastraki as a stop and says the village sits right against the rocks.

Only Road Reel gives the distance from one of the Meteora Instagram spots to the next. The Main Observation Deck sits 400 metres south of Sunset Rock. The Roussanou roadside sits a couple of hundred metres down the road from it. No guide gives a distance for the Holy Trinity lay-by, the Varlaam lookout walk or the Great Meteoron trails.

Wikipedia says 24 monasteries were founded on the pillars and six still stand. It adds that four of the six operate as monasteries. Ready Steady Travel says six are active and that one is closed each day. For technique and equipment, use our Meteora photography guide.

Which roadside viewpoints give the wide monastery frame?

Five Meteora Instagram spots give a wide frame. Sunset Rock and the main observation deck sit at the top of the monastery road. A pull-in by St Nicholas Anapausas, a Varlaam lookout and a town view add three more.

Sunset Rock is the open-view stop among the Meteora Instagram spots. Road Reel says boulders at different heights there give you different views. A Road Reel photo caption pairs Roussanou with St Nicholas Anapausas, both seen from this rock. Our Meteora sunset page profiles this platform in full.

The main observation deck is the second wide stop on the same road. Road Reel says it shows how vast the rock complex is from above. Whole World says it has the highest elevation. It also says both platforms have panoramic views of the valley and its monasteries.

Not every monastery sits in the big view of these Meteora Instagram spots. Wikipedia says St Stephen and Holy Trinity stand apart from the main group, further south. Road Reel and Whole World both give Holy Trinity a spot of its own near the road.

Ready Steady Travel adds a pull-in by St Nicholas Anapausas and opens its list of Meteora Instagram spots with it. The guide says the view takes in the monastery and the whole valley around it. Road Reel says this monastery sits at the lowest elevation. Wikipedia names the ruined monasteries of St John Prodromos and the Pantocrator around it.

Road Reel points to a Varlaam lookout on the monastery’s north side. Among its Meteora Instagram spots, this lookout catches a different cluster of rock pillars. Varlaam and Roussanou sit at a distance. Wikipedia says the ladders up to Varlaam climb the north side of its rock. The Dragon Cave lies south of the monastery, below it.

The Dutch blog adds a town view. It puts a monastery in front of Kalambaka and the mountains. The blog does not name the monastery. The writer parked the car near this stop. It is the one town frame in the Dutch blog’s short list.

Road Reel says every bend of the main road gives a photo chance. It adds that other lookouts need a climb up boulders and hills. Keep that in mind when you plan a day of Meteora Instagram spots.

Where do you stand at the Meteora Instagram spots to fill the frame with one monastery?

Five monasteries get a stand-here spot in the guides: Roussanou, St Nicholas Anapausas, Varlaam, Holy Trinity and the Great Meteoron. The spots sit on the road, on short paths or on rock steps. In each of these Meteora Instagram spots, one monastery fills the frame.

• Roussanou from the roadside: Road Reel says Roussanou can be shot from different angles. This spot is only steps from Sunset Rock. You look straight at the entrance, with tall rocks behind and St Nicholas Anapausas far right. A short scramble above the road gives a high view over the valley. Whole World shoots Roussanou from the roadside on the way up, against the hills.
• Roussanou from Sunset Point: Whole World names this as its second pick for Roussanou. The frame holds St Nicholas Anapausas and the Great Meteoron behind it. Wikipedia gives Roussanou a height of 484 metres above sea level.
• Roussanou from the platform in front of Varlaam: Road Reel shows Roussanou on its supporting rock, with the Meteora pillars behind. The guide says you can also try shots of the rocks alone. Varlaam can be captured from the same area.
• St Nicholas Anapausas from Roussanou’s entrance: Whole World and Road Reel both stop at the Roussanou entrance for this view. Road Reel adds that Roussanou itself gives fine views of the smaller monastery. Wikipedia calls its rock small and narrow.
• Varlaam from the verge and the steps: Whole World shoots Varlaam from a path below the verge near the Great Meteoron car park. It also points to the steps up to the Great Meteoron as a frame for Varlaam. Wikipedia calls Varlaam the second largest monastery of Meteora.
• The Great Meteoron from the trails above its car park: Road Reel says sandy paths climb to a high view of the biggest monastery. Wikipedia calls it the oldest and largest of the Meteora monasteries. It puts the Devil’s Tower, a large towering rock, directly south of the monastery.

Among these Meteora Instagram spots, Holy Trinity is the one where two guides stand in different places. Road Reel pulls into a lay-by on the main road, south and east of the main observation deck. From there the monastery sits on a giant monolith, with a mountain range behind it.

Whole World leaves the road. To stand where it did, you climb down the bank. The spot is a raised stretch of rock in front of the monastery. The guide calls Holy Trinity on its vertical column a classic image of Meteora.

Wikipedia describes the ways up to Holy Trinity itself. Want its gate as one of your Meteora Instagram spots? A foot track of 3 km runs from Kalambaka, and a winch-operated lift also serves the monastery. Tunnels and 130 stone steps lead in. A road runs to the back side of the cliff.

Wikipedia adds that the monasteries are now reached by staircases and pathways cut into the rock. For a profile of each of the six monasteries behind these Meteora Instagram spots, see our Meteora monasteries page.

Which corners of Kastraki and Kalambaka count as Meteora Instagram spots?

Four Meteora Instagram spots in the two towns have a guide behind them. The Kastraki lanes run right against the rocks. A terrace at Saint Nicholas Anapafsas frames the Kastraki valley. A terrace at Holy Trinity frames Kalambaka. One roadside spot shows the town behind a monastery.

The guides write about the road above the towns, so the town frames are thin. Six of the seven guides loaded when I fetched them. Each frame below has a source line, and Wikipedia adds frames of its own.

• Kastraki lanes. The local photo-tour guide places Kastraki right against the Meteora rocks and tells you to walk its streets up and down. Wikipedia adds that precipices close the village in on all sides but the west. No guide names a street.
• Kastraki plaza and church. Wikipedia says the village has a central plaza and a church. The local photo-tour guide points to a notable church in the village. Neither source names it or describes the frame, so it is no named entry among the Meteora Instagram spots.
• The valley gate of Kastraki. Wikipedia says two rock columns, Agion Pneuma and Surloti, flank the valley entrance on the west side. Spindle Rock, a tall thin pillar, marks the head of the valley. No guide uses either as a photo spot.
• Dupiani rock chapel. Wikipedia puts Dupiani rock on the north side of Kastraki and says the early 13th-century chapel there is still in use. No guide mentions it.
• The road across Marmaro rock. Wikipedia says the paved road that joins Kastraki and Kalabaka crosses Marmaro rock, a name that means marble. The sources give it no frame.
• Two terraces inside the gates. The Road Reel guide lists them as its ninth and tenth spots. The Holy Trinity terrace looks over Kalambaka. The Saint Nicholas Anapafsas terrace looks over the Kastraki valley. The guide says Holy Trinity admits you only during opening times.
• The town behind a monastery. The Dutch guide shows Kalambaka with a monastery in the middle of the frame and mountains behind. A caption there puts the town about 5 km from the monasteries. Of the Meteora Instagram spots with a town in the frame, this is the only roadside one in this list.
• Wikipedia’s pictures. The Kalabaka page shows Meteora from Kastraki, with Holy Spirit Rock partly in view on the right. The Kastraki page shows the village from the rocks, the Pineios River far off and Kalabaka to the left. The Meteora page pictures the Alpha, Beta and Gamma rocks.

Two of these Meteora Instagram spots sit inside a monastery. The other eight spots on the Road Reel list are outdoors.

The local photo-tour guide pairs the village with a monastery in another way. It says every one of its tours stops in Kastraki. It also lists a visit inside one monastery as its own item. For the village base behind these Meteora Instagram spots, read our page on Kastraki.

Wikipedia dates two churches in the town. The Dormition cathedral dates to the late 11th or early 12th century. The Church of Saint George Oxyneias dates to the 15th century. None of the six guides names a square or a bridge among the Meteora Instagram spots in either town. Our Kalabaka page covers the town, which Wikipedia also spells Kalambaka.

How do you reach the Meteora Instagram spots: by car, scooter, bus or on foot?

A car or a scooter reaches all the roadside Meteora Instagram spots. Two guides put the drive from one end of the viewpoint road to the other at about 15 minutes. A taxi or a bus gets you up the hill without wheels of your own. Walking works and takes longest.

Wikipedia puts Meteora between Kalabaka town and Kastraki village, on the north-west side of the Thessaly plain. Its census figures give the town proper 8,573 residents and the village 1,023. The Road Reel guide says you can base yourself in either one and drive to the rocks with equal ease.

Wikipedia says Kalambaka is a 20-minute walk from Kastraki along the main road. The Dutch guide puts the monasteries about 5 km from Kalambaka. It gives 5 to 8 km as the distance to the viewpoints, the core Meteora Instagram spots. The January-visit guide says Kastraki sits closer to the monastery entrance.

The Road Reel guide calls Kastraki the smaller, quieter base and Kalambaka the slightly bigger, livelier one. Our guide to getting around Meteora covers buses, taxis and car hire in full. The list below walks through the Meteora Instagram spots by travel mode.

• Car, for the road stops. The Road Reel guide calls the parking at four Meteora Instagram spots small. Those are the Sunset Rock lot, the main observation deck lot, the Roussanou parking area and the Holy Trinity lay-by. Cars spill onto the verge when the parking fills.
• Car, then a short walk to Holy Trinity. The Whole World guide says to park at the first pull-in on the right of the straight road. Then walk back down to the sharp bend. It warns of sheer drops and tells inexperienced walkers to skip it.
• Car, then a sandy pull-over for Roussanou and Varlaam. The Road Reel guide says to take the road down from Sunset Rock toward Kastraki. At the T-junction take the right fork up to the Great Meteoron. Keep left where it splits again and pull over at the sandy pit.
• On foot from Kalambaka. The Dutch guide says to expect at least an hour uphill. The Whole World guide calls the walk hard work because of the climb. It suggests a taxi to the farthest monastery, which it calls Stefanou, and a walk back.
• On foot from Kastraki. Wikipedia says a wide web of trails links the village with the rocks and the monasteries. The Road Reel guide says walking between all the spots is possible but takes significantly longer. It says certain monasteries and viewpoints sit kilometres from each other.
• Taxi. The Road Reel guide suggests a taxi from Kalambaka or Kastraki to the main road above the valley, the stretch with the Meteora Instagram spots, when you have no vehicle.
• Bus. The Dutch guide says a bus to the Meteora Instagram spots runs up and down but not very frequently, and tells you to ask your lodging for the timetable. The January-visit guide calls the summer bus fairly regular but tied to a fixed schedule.
• Bike and scooter hire. The January-visit guide says bikes rent in town but warns that pedalling the hills costs shooting time. The Dutch guide says you can rent a scooter or a car in town. The Whole World guide saw people on scooters.

A reader asked the Whole World guide whether the Meteora Instagram spots in its list fit into an afternoon. The reply says yes by car, because the spots sit close together. It adds that the climb makes walking hard. The Dutch guide and the January-visit guide also put driving first.

None of the six guides mentions an e-bike for the Meteora Instagram spots. The only two-wheeler advice is the bike and scooter line above.

Which tours stop at the classic Meteora Instagram spots?

Six half-day GetYourGuide tours around Kalabaka run 4 to 4.5 hours. Their summaries name monasteries, caves or a panoramic viewpoint. None names Sunset Rock or an observation deck, the roadside classics among the Meteora Instagram spots. Ask the guide which roadside stop the group uses.

That matters for the Meteora Instagram spots, because a tour trades freedom for a plan. The peterorsel.com photography guide says a tour suits a family on holiday but fits a photography mission less well. It adds that you don’t have the flexibility to go wherever you want.

• Guided Sunset Tour with Monasteries and Caves Visit: 4 hours, 8 languages. The summary promises hotel pickup from Kalabaka or Kastraki, all the monasteries and a hike to the hermit caves.
• Majestic Sunset Tour (local guide): 12 languages, 4 hours. The summary calls it a small group tour and names a panoramic viewpoint, the monasteries, a Byzantine church and the caves.
• Sunset Small Size Tour with Monasteries and Caves: 12 languages, 4.5 hours. The summary lists the monasteries, the oldest church and the hermit caves, with pickup and drop-off from Kalabaka.
• Morning Tour, Exploring the Monasteries: English only, 4 hours, listed as a small group. The summary opens with first light on the rock formations.
• The half-day morning sightseeing listing: 8 languages, 4 hours. The summary promises centuries-old monasteries and panoramic views.
• Small Group Monasteries Tour with Hotel Pickup: 13 languages, 4 hours. The summary lists photo stops, visits inside 3 monasteries, all the active monasteries and the hermit caves.

All six listings show pickup and a private option. If you want a say in which Meteora Instagram spots you stop at, read about aMeteora private tour. Five of the six close booking 10 hours before the start. The Sunset Small Size Tour closes 30 minutes before.

Only the small group listing uses the words photo stops. The brendansadventures.com guide says the monasteries look more impressive outside than inside. Check how long that group stays at the outside stops. The Road Reel guide adds that going inside gives different vantage points.

For the Meteora Instagram spots on the road, three titles name the sunset and two name the morning. The sixth names neither. Read each stop list before you pay, because a summary that says viewpoint does not say which one.

Which active tours add new frames to the Meteora Instagram spots?

Eight active GetYourGuide listings add four e-bike rides, a buggy drive, a horseback ride and two hikes. All eight are offered in English and run 1.5 to 4.5 hours. Their summaries point to cliffs, caves and dirt roads, and one to the Ypapanti monastery.

None of the eight summaries names a roadside viewpoint, so none replaces a stop at the classic Meteora Instagram spots. They add rides and walks around those stops.

Two e-bike listings run at sunset. The 3-hour ride names a scenic viewpoint in its title. The summary has you watch the sunset over the cliffs. The 3.5-hour ride visits cliff top monasteries perched on rock pillars. Both list English and Greek.

Two more e-bike listings point to the morning. The morning ride with a guide, a snack and water takes 3 to 4 hours as a small group. The Monasteries and Hermit Caves E-Bike Tour takes 4.5 hours. Its web address says morning, but its title does not. The Meteora e-bike tour page on this site has the ride in full.

Photographers ask whether a bike suits the Meteora Instagram spots. The brendansadventures.com guide says it is tough to haul gear up and down the hills on a bike. It adds that pedalling costs shooting time. That note is about rented bikes. The four e-bike listings are guided rides, so check their stops in the summary.

The buggy listing swaps pedals for a steering wheel. The summary has you drive your own buggy for 4 hours along remote dirt roads. You finish at a viewpoint the summary calls secluded and far from crowds. It is offered in 12 languages, and an audio guide is optional.

The horseback listing in Kastraki takes 1.5 hours as a small group, the shortest of the eight. At sunset, the summary says, the monasteries turn gold. The Whole World Is A Playground guide describes a golden glow on the monasteries from Sunset Rock. That is one of the Meteora Instagram spots. The ride lists English and Greek.

Two hikes go on foot. The Sunset Hike to Secret Caves takes 4 hours in English. Its summary lists the hermit caves, trails, the ancient monks’ prison and the sunset. The listing bars ages 5 and younger. Wikipedia lists the Monks’ Prison on the Agion Pneuma Rock, perched on its cliff.

The private hiking listing takes 4 hours in Greek and English on a circular 6 km trail. Its summary leads to the Ypapanti monastery. None of the guides read for this page lists that monastery among the Meteora Instagram spots. Wikipedia calls it inactive and rarely visited, though restored. The Meteora hiking page here covers the trails in more depth.

Two sources back trails as a way to find new Meteora Instagram spots. The Road Reel guide says hiking the well-laid trails around the valley gives plenty of different perspectives on the monasteries. A local photo-tour page says the trail network shows the rocks from different angles with unobstructed views. A Wikipedia link note counts 14 interconnected trails.

Five of the eight listings carry sunset in the title. Among the active listings, only the two morning e-bike rides point to the morning. For a morning frame beside the Meteora Instagram spots in the guides, compare them first. The private hike names neither time of day.

Which Meteora Instagram spots are quiet and which are crowded?

Sunset Rock and the main observation deck are the crowded Meteora Instagram spots around sunset, say the guides we opened. The calmer frames are the Varlaam lookout, the town view and a ridge reached on foot.

Five of the six guides say something about crowds. The local photo-tour site says nothing about them. Wikipedia adds one note of its own: it calls the Psaropetra viewpoint on the main road popular with tourists.

• Sunset Rock: The Road Reel guide calls it small and says it can get packed before and during sunset. It tells you to arrive early.
• Main observation deck: The same guide calls it the top viewpoint for popularity, especially at sunset. It says the deck is less busy at sunrise and tells you to arrive during the blue hour.
• Panoramic sunset viewpoint: The Dutch photographer’s guide says to be ready for crowds there at sunset. It says to arrive about 1 hour before sunset to find a place.
• Town view: The same Dutch guide says it is not too crowded as a rule, about two hours before sunset. In a reply, the author says you do not have to stay there for two hours.
• Sunrise ridge: The Dutch guide calls it the Secret Ridge and rates the crowds there as none. It says barely anyone is around.
• Varlaam lookout: The Road Reel guide calls it a “way less busy” lookout.
• Road gaps toward Kastraki: The Road Reel guide calls the gaps between the trees on the road down to Kastraki less popular spots.

Even Sunset Rock, one of the busiest Meteora Instagram spots, has a quiet corner. The Road Reel guide points to a ledge below the crowded part. It says the drop below puts people off, and it asks for care.

The Whole World Is A Playground guide calls Holy Trinity the least visited of the monasteries. It points to the difficulty of access. The Dutch guide says you can park nearly anywhere along the viewpoints. It adds that parking can get crowded in the daytime and at sunset.

Three guides point to sunrise for thinner crowds: the Road Reel, the Dutch guide and the Adventures guide. No guide calls sunrise the crowded slot.

The seasons change how busy these Meteora Instagram spots feel. The Adventures guide says winter leaves you the area to yourself. It saw everything from blue skies to snow within four days. It also says sunrise has fewer people all year. Our guide to the best time to visit Meteora covers each season.

Two guides disagree on how busy the Meteora Instagram spots are. The Ready Steady Travel guide says Meteora is off the radar and that Instagrammers have not found it yet. The Adventures guide calls summer overrun.

The Ready Steady Travel writer visited in April and found the observation decks fine. The guide guesses that the decks get very busy in summer and tells readers to go early in summer. Wikipedia says hikers, climbers and bikers come from around the world, particularly in summer.

None of the guides gives a visitor count for any spot. Wikipedia gives none for the viewpoints either. Every crowd note above is a writer’s own remark.

What do travellers ask about Meteora Instagram spots?

Travellers ask what to bring to the Meteora Instagram spots. One reply in the Dutch guide’s comments says there is no shop or place to buy water. It tells readers to stock up first and to bring snacks.

Are the paths to the Meteora Instagram spots well trodden?

The Whole World Is A Playground guide calls its locations well-trodden routes. It still warns about uneven ground, steep drops and dense undergrowth, and tells you not to get distracted by photography.

Do fog and cloud spoil the Meteora Instagram spots?

The Road Reel writer wanted them. After two sunny days, the writer wished for dramatic clouds and even fog. A cloudy afternoon on the way back gave a different mood, so the writer stayed half a day longer.

How much time do you need for the Meteora Instagram spots?

The Adventures guide recommends two days. A blizzard cut its shooting to two and a half days. The Playground guide says fog hits Meteora quite frequently, so allow a time buffer. Pressed for time? Read about one day in Meteora.

Can rock falls close the road to the Meteora Instagram spots?

Wikipedia says rock falls pose a constant threat to pilgrims and tourists at Meteora. It records one rock fall that closed the access road for days. It adds that an earthquake of magnitude 7 shook the rocks, but the thin pillars still stand today.

Which monastery was a film location?

Wikipedia says Holy Trinity was a filming location for a James Bond movie. In a second film, a character goes up to Holy Trinity for library research. The Playground guide calls the monastery a classic image of Meteora.

What do you need to know before walking to the Meteora Instagram spots?

The Dutch photographer’s guide says summer days can reach 40 degrees. It makes that point about hiking uphill from Kalambaka. The Road Reel guide tells walkers to wear shoes with a good grip.