Trikala’s castle crowns a hilltop just back from the northern side of the river, 400m west of the central squares. Although it stands on the site of Trikala’s ancient acropolis, its surviving incarnation dates from the Ottoman era. You can’t enter the castle itself or the 16th-century clock tower that’s set slightly apart, but the surrounding gardens make for a pleasant stroll, and there’s a good cafe on a terrace immediately below.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
12.59 MILES
Of all the Meteora monasteries, Moni Agias Triados, which featured in the 1981 James Bond film For Your Eyes Only, feels the most remote. A long down-then…
13.21 MILES
Dramatically perched atop a steep pinnacle and accessed via a high narrow wooden bridge, Rousanou convent has an intimate atmosphere. Its small community…
-
13.54 MILES
The 15th-century Moni Agiou Nikolaou is the first monastery you reach from Kastraki, 1km from the village square. Many visitors, keen to press on to the…
-
13.66 MILES
The Meteora’s largest monastery looks down on Kastraki from the highest rock in the valley (613m). Founded by St Athanasios in the 14th century, it grew…
-
13.49 MILES
Beside the road a few hundred metres short of Moni Megalou Meteorou, Moni Varlaam was first occupied by the hermit Varlaam around 1350. It’s now…
-
12.41 MILES
This enjoyable museum focuses on a beautifully displayed collection of antiquarian books, from versions of Aesop’s Fables to a 1567 edition of Homer. The…
-
0.66 MILES
Trikala's best museum, housed in the city’s former Ottoman baths (later a prison), houses an intriguing and unusual mixture of exhibits. Displays…
-
12.3 MILES
High above Kalambaka, at the end of the road, Moni Agiou Stefanou suffered considerable damage during and after WWII, and is less architecturally…
Nearby Meteora & Thessaly attractions
0.09 MILES
The Varousi quarter, just east of the fortress, was home to Trikala’s wealthiest Christians under Ottoman rule. Their fine old mansions, sporting…
0.19 MILES
A grassy fenced-off enclosure, 200m west of Plateia Iroon Polytechniou towards the fortress, is stubbled with the ruins of what’s said to be the ancient…
0.66 MILES
Trikala's best museum, housed in the city’s former Ottoman baths (later a prison), houses an intriguing and unusual mixture of exhibits. Displays…
0.76 MILES
The amazing brick-built dome of this imposing mosque, built in the 16th century for the nephew of Süleyman the Magnificent, rises above the southern…
9.43 MILES
Theopetra Cave, 7km southeast of Kalambaka, has been closed to visitors since 2016 due to the fear of landslides. Its first human occupation has been…
10.61 MILES
To reach this superb little 13th-century Byzantine church in a lovely riverside setting, cross the Portaikos river in modern Pyli, 18km southwest of…
10.74 MILES
Founded during the 16th century, Moni Agiou Vissarion sustained heavy damage during the Greek struggle for independence, though its central church still…
8. Natural History & Mushroom Museum
12.12 MILES
Once you pass its forbidding modern exterior, this museum comes as a quirky surprise. Downstairs, dioramas display stuffed birds and animals ranging from…