Best Spa and Wellness Stays in Kalabaka

Being a kilometre from the monasteries meant we could sleep in slightly and still beat the bigger tour groups most mornings. The porter service on arrival, with two suitcases and a toddler in tow, made a real difference, and the English-speaking front desk sorted out a taxi to Plastira Lake for us without any fuss on our extra day, which we hadn't originally planned for.

Divani Meteora is a hotel in central Kalampaka facing the Meteora rocks, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Indoor and outdoor pools mean children can swim whatever the weather, and there is a spa area and two restaurants. The hotel arranges guided monastery tours, truffle hunting and paragliding, which helps families plan their days without a car. I would choose it for families who want a full-service base in town with activities organised on site.

Amalia Hotel Meteora is a four-star hotel six kilometres from the centre of Kalampaka, with an Olympic-size pool, a garden sun terrace, two restaurants and a lounge bar with a fireplace. The pool is a real asset for children after a hot morning at the monasteries, and dinner on site avoids an evening drive. Rooms are spacious with dark wooden furniture. I would choose it for families with a car who want resort facilities near Meteora.

Meteora Hotel at Kastraki is a four-star hotel on the higher ground of Kastraki, with rooms facing the rock pillars and Mount Pindos. A pool gives children somewhere to swim after a morning of monastery stairs, and the café-bar is open all day. Rooms have extra-long beds, flat-screen TVs and bathtubs, and bike and walking tours are arranged from the hotel. I would choose it for families who want a pool and a direct view of the rocks.

Hotel Edelweiss sits in central Kalampaka, three blocks from the main train station, which makes arriving and leaving by train easy with children. A seasonal outdoor pool gives families somewhere to cool off after the monasteries, and some rooms face the Meteora rocks, so it is worth asking for one. Rooms have classic decor and a mini fridge, and there is parking for up to twenty cars. I would choose it for families who want a central base with a pool.

Theatro Hotel Odysseon is a luxury hotel at the foot of the Meteora rocks, with views of Mount Pindos and individually themed rooms that children may enjoy choosing between. Deluxe rooms have hydromassage bathrooms, and the executive suite has a spa bath for two, better suited to couples. Mount Pindos rises behind the rocks, visible from the hotel. I would choose it for families who want a distinctive room close to the rocks rather than a standard hotel.

The tour desk here genuinely helped plan our two monastery days, since the distances range widely and we hadn't realised Roussanou was further than Agios Nikolaos Anapafsas until they laid it out. The garden in the afternoon became our regular stop after the shuttle brought us back, and the breakfast buffet's local specialities were good enough to slow down for.

The pool here made the midday heat manageable between monastery visits, and being a five-minute walk from Kalampaka's centre meant evenings out didn't require a car. Taking the bus from fifty metres away up toward the monasteries felt like a small discovery, since we'd assumed a car was necessary until the front desk pointed it out on our first morning at breakfast.