Trikala

Trikala (Population: 81,355 (2011)) is a city in Thessaly with a good cafe and nightlife scene. It is an agricultural town that is well placed for those going to Meteora 15 km north or the Pindos Mountains to the west. It lies on the Litheos River that runs through the center of town.

History
Homer mentioned the city as Trikala and is supposed to be the birthplace of the god of healing, Asclepius.

By plane
The closest airport is Volos airport, situated in (Nea Anchialos ), about 130 km W of the city. Volos may be the nearest airfield but only offers service during the high season. Ryanair operates flights from April to October to/from Hahn (Frankfurt), Bergamo (Milan), Rome and Charleroi (Brussels) airport. Transavia operate to/from Amsterdam. There is a bus connecting airport and Volos bus station. Buses are waiting to pick up travelers after a plane lands, the cost form the airport to Volos Bus station is €3. Then you have to get another bus or Train from Volos to Trikala. The bus station in Volos is about 1 km from the train station.

The nearest airport offering year-round international service is in Thessaloniki (SLG) about 3 hours away.

By regional coach
Interurban coaches ("KTEL" buses) (+30 24310 73131) are by far the most convenient way to travel around Greece, as well as for intra-regional travelling. There is frequent bus service from Athens Liossion Station to Trikala, as well as from Thessaloniki bus terminal "Macedonia" to Trikala. There are several KTEL bus stops in the city. The main bus station is about 4 km out of town.

By train
Trains (OSE) (+30 24310 27214) connect Trikala to other cities in Greece. Travelling with ordinary trains can be cheaper, although a little bit slower, whereas choosing a fancy faster Intercity train will cost the same amount of money, or even more than a KTEL bus. There are direct trains to Athens and Larissa to Thessaloniki.



Get around
Most of Trikala's sights are within walking distance. Also, you can rent a bicycle for free at the tourist information centre. Large streets have bike lanes and most areas in and directly around the city are quite flat. There are also intra-city buses however their routes and bus stops are not marked properly, making it hard to use for the outsider.

Budget
(1 and 2 stars)



Mid-range
(3 and 4 stars)



Go next
Meteora - The famous monasteries are 25 km northwest near the town of Kalampaka

Koziakas Mountains - A wide variety of outdoor activities are in the Koziakas Mountains, 20 km west of Trikala. The village of Pyli ("The Gate") stands at the entrance of one of Greece's most beautiful gorges. Right at the entrance of the gorge, 1.5 km past Pyli, is the 13th Century Church of Porto Panayia. The church has impressive mosaics and marble icons. Another 5 km past Pyli is the Mono Agios Vissariou, a 16th Century monastery. The ski area Pertouli is 30 km past Pyli. Tria Potamia offers kayaking in the Aheloos River.

Plastira Lake - 30 km southwest of Trikala.