The icon of St. George is always adorned with scarves, while during the ceremony people took a scarf that was there for a year and had another new one. The symbolic and paradoxical custom scarves comes from the Turkish years. Below the monastery of St. George was an untouched forest.

There was an order forbidding the cutting of trees. (If you remember from ancient times the Greeks believed that the trees hide our life and our fate, and so they do not ever cut because they did not know what a tree is the fate of our lives.) Once a Turkish soldier went to mow a tree in defiance of the order ... Just cut it, he fell down immediately. The Turkish commander thought that someone killed him and threatened the world region that unless reported a killer then they will pay hard. Then the voice of St. George to say he was punished by him for the tree that went to mow and do not blame anyone else. Will revive but the life, if someone give him something. Then Aga's wife took her veil  and touched the icon and also a citizen from Kastraki gave his handkerchief. Then the Turkish soldier stood up as if nothing had happened. Since then every year they put scarves on the feast of St. George.

The upper part of town where touching the foothills of Meteora is a very old and strange church, the Assumption, which has a cypress tree behind the altar, which, many say, is there before the 17th century.
The church was built in the 9th century as a cathedral of the diocese. Others say it is the 13th century, while according to another version, earlier. It is built on a temple of Apollo. At one point in front of the temple left, seen from a len window beneath a piece of ancient mosaic floor!
The church has a tall bell tower with a beautiful courtyard patio, which overlooks the middle of a monopodo marble table (altar). Inside the church is decorated with wall paintings from different periods throughout the 14th century, and supplements were in the 16th century, mainly by Cretan painters. It is one of the three paradoxes Orthodox churches have different kind of an arrangement in place of the pulpit, located majestically in the middle of the church and the cloisters of the columns from the temple. This does not happen in any other Orthodox church in Greece! In the sanctuary, the altar is based also on a marble column with a housing (built before the 11th century) with arches, arches, plain capitals bearing ornamental crosses and vine leaves.
East in the apse of the sanctuary there is the old throne, namely semicircular tiers, having in the middle Despotiko.
It is said that where the High Priest, where he sat, watched over the flock, since there was neither old nor temple housing.
Most important of all images is donated to the church, the Emperors John and Theodora Cantacuzenos, which is double sided. On the one hand depicts the Virgin Mary and the other the Crucifixion.
Also, the depth of the eastern side is a silent sarcophagus, which has a walled grave ... probably belonged to the person who built the Church or one of those who opened, as I said Mama Koula, the kantilanaftissa.
A second similar cover of the sarcophagus lid was the sacristan when hiding valuables of the church. Many say that there's kept what remained of the treasures of the ancient temple. Another secret of the temple is that the position of the left Chanter is the crypt that leads off elsewhere .. in secret paths of the stone forest and is said to have saved a lot of people into bloody enemies ...
The most extraordinary of all was until recently in celebration of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, ie the second Lilac Easter or summer ..
The girls of the neighborhood used to wash the church Sunday before the feast. After the operation wore many more than a veil to fold the braids to not cut their (so funny was the custom). Many people slept after Vespers waiting to wake up there for the feast of Our Lady. The women made and offered nine pies, breads and embroidered Panagopsoma, boiled eggs, grilled Kokotou (roosters). But nobody started the feast unless the deer came ... Every time it appeared a festive "vitouli" deer came from the "big woods" (now there is the village of Deer). Stood in the churchyard, cut two or three walks around the table and left to perish resting on the marble! The sacrifice is always one of the church council and then baked, divides families and ate in a frenzied celebration. Each time the spirit of the deer and sent a deer sacrificed. One year, however, the deer took a look. When looked sweaty, people from impatience to not let him go round the altar, to play and affectionately with them. The seized as it was buried under an avalanche, the slaughtered and ate hastily. The following year, the deer did not appear and as they came back not ever understand, why people have challenged the spirit of the deer!

From the mysterious rocks emerge embossed figures and faces, the most important of which is that the huge monkey that you laugh, and the profile of a lion that profound silence, as if holding a rock. Here the figure of the monk in a cave that looks like a natural rocky channel. The hermit's cave is one of those one wonders how he climbed there. There and sculpted figures who see from a distance because it is so tall and the rocks. In order to see them you must leave a local citizen to take you by the hand and to tell him only that you believe in fairies ...
There is the king and queen stand out from crowns. This king and queen lived in a palace built in the old days in one of the tops of the rocks, the peak of a Saint.
This rock associated with the opposite of Altsou with hanging wooden bridge and down and around the rocks spread out the water of the great lake. The king and queen had a daughter. A day spent walking on the bridge came the golden slippers of the pin, slipped from the floating bridge and fell into the water of the lake. The princess leaned over to grasp, slipped into the deep lake waters swallowed. Rushed then the king and queen, who were at the top of Altsou and over in desperation to save her and they fell in the lake ... The place fell silent dead, and their good friend Neptune hear the bad news (in Greek mythology) sorry for your loss and angry struck with his trident a piece of land that joined Olympus in The ones. This broke the lake passed the opening and ran into the sea. So, with this legend justified production mythiaka how the lake was plain.
They left as the water seemed the cliffs to the bottom. In many of these rocks was impressed by the legends of the region. So the king and the queen is now the stone royal couple and just below where the drowned princess, who formed the Rocket egnethe. Many say that resembled this one and the same was lanky. As for the hitherto untrodden summit of Altsou where there was no palace, saying that those years are kept there three chests a king, passing through those parts fell and drowned with his horse into the lake. The chest has a gold, other precious stones and has the third the Golden Saddle King. Snakes, dragons rescued these treasures and guarded until now Sleepless.
So nobody ever dared to reach this peak from the fear of dragons and nobody has ever seen ... But it is known to stalk hiding to come out to smother and fly from the highest peak sacrilegious anyone get there.

The annual fair receives every year on July 20 Kalambaka
On July 20 Kalambaka as when celebrating the feast of St. Elias was the most important economic, social and cultural event.
Certainly the way many things that characterize the annual fair of Kalambaka, changed, but the aroma of good old days of the fairs remain unchanged.
And how not to change things when technological change imposed new behavior, function and expression.
So the traditional bazaar has changed and this adaptive in today's reality and contemporary needs.
It may then be different and longing to seek the old doubt but today's version comes to give his own tuna in local economic and social life.

The Monastery of St. George Mandila next to the last houses in the village of Kastraki, the rock of the Holy Spirit, a height of 30m above the ground. According to an old custom, the feast day of Saint and the end of the operation, the village youths hanging colorful scarves and lit candles at the Monastery. The scarves are left until the next feast of Saint and considered wishes for good health.

The establishment of the HM Ag. Georgiou Mandila placed in the 14th century. accordance with the few data available, which belong to the tradition, because the monastery has not yet been studied scientifically.
According to tradition the foot of the cliff, where lies the monastery of St. George, during the years of Ottoman rule stretched a dense forest. In this forest was banned cutting of trees, which applied to the conquerors. But a soldier of the Turkish garrison of Kastraki and one day began to cut a tree fell down unconscious, as if dead.
The Turkish commander of the village, thinking that someone "gkiaouris' killed him, ordered and collected in the village square. And threatened to retaliate hard, unless they delivered the killer soldier. At that moment we heard the convent a loud voice, saying that nobody killed the soldier, but was punished St George. It was good but if it offers something the Turks to the saint. And immediately his wife Aga gave the handkerchief of the veil.

Then someone raised the handkerchief Kastraki in the monastery, the abbot and just hung it in the image of the saint, the Turk stood solid and strong. Since then prevailed every time new scarves hanging in the monastery.

The Chestnut know in late October every year a great success as enough people attending to the "gura" of Chestnut in order to enjoy boiled or roasted chestnuts and other dishes that the City offers free Chesnut. Fresh chestnuts from the area have their honor and offered trachanas, yogurt with honey, cheese, ouzo and wine, all of the area.

The cultural events Kalambaka "Meteora Art" is a cultural and spiritual institution that emerged from the cultural heritage of our country and held every summer in Kalambaka and MD of the municipality.
The cultural umbrella of "Meteora Art" includes quality entertainment with high-level events and meet the requirements of all art forms focusing more on music and theater.

EVENT ADDRESS: KALAMPAKA Municipality KALAMPAKAS CULTURAL ASSOCIATION KALAMPAKAS ZIP: 42200
EVENT CONTACT: Municipality KALAMPAKAS KALAMPAKAS Cultural Association TEL: 24320 22330 - 24320 22421 - 24320 23236
DURATION OF EVENT: The event "Meteora Arts" conducted by early June to late September.

A hunt is under the carnival events of our municipality and aims to guide us in the history of our country with a pleasant and fun way ... ment combined with Halloween fun.
Small and large organized groups trying to solve puzzles, to combine data, discover our portal and enliven the pages of history.

In the Treasure Hunt will be able to participate and you visitors each year for the period of Carnival flood our city.
In cooperation with the hotels residence and the Organising Committee, will manage a little time to get into the spirit of hunting. The organizing committee has arranged for guests to join their existing teams or even start their own. Here in the foothills of Meteora to be sure that you will live a unique experience, discovering the treasure you!
So combine your stay in Kalambaka and this experience you will never .... ... Unforgettable.
Meet with a unique way the beauty of our city ... ...

The wine festival in Kastraki, in late August.
The wine is free. An institution that every year waiting for both the residents of our municipality and visitors to enjoy listening to pop and folk music, tasting sausages and kebabs and drinking of course, plenty of local wine.

Meteora can be reached by car from Trikala (20 km), Larissa (80 km), Ioannina (110 km) and Grevena (70km). The distance from Athens via Lamia - Domokos - Karditsa - Trikala is 350Chm, from Athens via Larissa - Trikala is 240Chm and via Igoumenitsa Ioannina is 210Chm.
The usual access for European visitors is through the port of Igoumenitsa, which is associated with daily ferry-boat to Ancona and Venice. From there, access is via in Meteora, Ioannina.
The bus connects Trikala Trikala to Kalambaka and Kastraki with frequent service, so you can get in Trikala by bus and from there to go to Meteora without long waits.
For Meteora there is the option of the train. This starts from the station of the Cross (Paleofarsalos), located between Farsala and Karditsa in regular services, which are responsive route line Athens - Thessaloniki. Indeed, since this station is a node, stop him even many bullet. The train terminates at the railway station of Kalambaka, a pretty and well preserved even train stations.
The distance between Kalambaka and Kastraki is very small, since virtually been merged into a single residential complex. For access to the monasteries but need a car unless the hike is within the aims of your visit there. And certainly walking Meteora will not disappoint you at all. By car you can visit all the monasteries in one day, but due to restrictions on hours allowed the visits, maybe stay out on some of these. However, almost all the monasteries, a climb and descend a few or many steps carved into the rock.



By train

Kalambaka is a daily train, with Athens, Thessaloniki, Larissa, Trikala and Karditsa. So to and from Kalambaka related the following cities:

* Athens on 3 routes
o 4 hours and 30 minutes - 5 hours, 14,60 € - 24,30 €.
* Thessaloniki 2 routes to
o 2 hours and 54 ', 12,10 € - 16,10 €.
* Larissa 5 operations at
o 1 hour and 30 ', 5,40 €.
* Trikala 6 routes in
o 14 ', 1,50 €
* Karditsa with 6 routes in
o 32 ', 3,00 €.

Trains to and from Kalambaka available from other cities, which lie on the railway line of the OSE. Detailed schedules scheduling www.ose.gr or phone 24320.22451.

By bus

The Bus Station Trikala (Economou and Averoff 24320.22432) connect daily Kalambaka (most responses), with the following cities:

* Athens (7 routes 5 hours and '30, 25 €),
* Thessaloniki (6 routes, 4 hours, 17,50 €),
* Volos (4 routes, 3 hours, 14,20 €),
* Ioannina (2 routes, 2 hours, 11,20 €),
* Trikala (22 routes, 40 ', 1,90 €).

In summer there is a bus that connects Kalambaka to Meteora.

For more information call 14505.

By taxi

From Kalambaka one can take a taxi (7 km, 10 ', 7,50 €) and go on the rocks of Meteora.

By car

By car one can come in Kalambaka

* From Ioannina - Trikala (E92) or comes from Ioannina, Trikala either.