Kalambaka is a small town located at the bottom of the worldwide famous geological park of Meteora cliffs in the northwest of the Central Greece. According to the all-Greek population census of 2011, the population of the town exceeds 8 000 people.
This inhabited locality already existed in Prehistory under the name of Eginion. During the Byzantine era, the name Stagon was given to this place. At that time the town became the center of the Metropole of Stagon and Meteora. During the Ottoman rule, the location got its modern name of Kalambaka, meaning "Strong Fortress".
Kalambaka’s people were among those who helped hermit monks to organize the famous MeteoraMonasteries. Citizens of the settlement gave their shelter to the numerous pilgrims, including kings and noblemen, who wanted secretly visit isolated monasteries. In difficult years, when there were no crops on the tops of the rocks, town people gave all possible support to the starving monks. Unfortunately, the wars of the early 20th century destroyed this ancient place and the town now is fully reconstructed.
Traditionally, Kalambaka's inhabitants were engaged in agriculture and domestic livestock breeding, however, since the latter half of the 20th century after the settlement’s rebuilding their activities gained fully tourist character. It became possible thanks to the closeness of the unique monument of history and geology - the petroglyphic monasteries of the Meteora, some part of which was also reconstructed. Today Kalambakasuggests its well-developed tourist infrastructure with a set of hotels, specialty restaurants, and souvenir shops mostly situated on the main street.
Friday mornings lots of people visit local market which opens on the central square. Here one can buy almost everything including fresh fruits, olives, different nuts and all kinds of accessories. Candy shop of Kalambakasells unforgettable kurabie biscuits and fantastic khalva for which Kalambaka is famous.
Except the numerous tourists and pilgrims visiting Meteora during the whole year, these rocks attract amateur and professional mountaineers from every corner of the world. Those tourists, who want to buy some icons, may visit several local large workshops continuing traditions of the Byzantine icon painting schools.
Being in Kalambaka find time to visit the Theotokos’ Dormition Cathedral, which is a monument of the medieval Byzantine temple architecture of the 11th century, built on the basis of the church of the 4th century, which was erected using marble blocks and pillars of the antique Branchidae.
From Athens: by train from the Stathmos Larissis railway station to Kalambaka; by bus from Liosion bus station to Trikal, changing to Kalambaka; by car from Athens along the route E75 to Lamia, then, using leading mark, get to Kardits, Trikal, Kalambaka.
From Thessaloniki: by train from the railway station to Kalambaka; by bus from KTEL bus station to Trikalchanging to Kalambaka; by car from Thessaloniki along the route E75 through Katerini, Tembi to Larissa, then, using leading mark, get to Trikal, Kalambaka.
