It lies in the shade of Meteora, with which it is closely associated. But make no mistake; Kalambaka has a distinctive personality of its own. Its many sights include the three-nave basilica of “Kimisis tis Theotokou” and, dedicated to the preservation of folk art, the professional School of Woodcarving where the young hone their skills in producing wooden handicrafts. Kastraki is well worth a visit during the festival of Agios Georgios Mantilas. Young people hang new scarves on the chapel and hand out the old ones to the pilgrims as keepsakes.
The residents proudly showcase their local cuisine at Meteorisimo, the gastronomy festival. Always on show at this popular event are a vast array of products, from all of which you can get a taste. There are plenty of new recipes to be learnt, guaranteed to make all those future dinner parties go like a dream.
Young and old alike will have a jolly romp at the beer festival. As for mushroom lovers, a festival has sprouted up just for you. Naturally it goes under the title of the Mushroom Festival and includes mushroom gathering expeditions in the forest followed by actual cooking. It revolves around the Meteora museum of Natural History and the Kalambaka Mushroom Museum.
