Trikala's main historical sights cluster around the old town and the castle hill. The Byzantine fortress on the acropolis gives the best view over the city and the river. Below it, the Asklepieion ruins and the Osman Shah Mosque represent different eras of the city's long occupation. The riverside walk along the Lithaios is pleasant in the evening. In December, the Matsopoulos Mill is transformed for the city's celebrated Christmas festival.
Most visitors pass through on the way to Meteora — Kalambaka is barely 25 kilometres away — but the old town rewards an unhurried morning.