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Rila Monastery and St. Ivan Cave Full Day Tour from Sofia

Rilski manastir8 hours
  • Hotel pickup

About this experience

Discover one of Bulgaria’s UNESCO World Heritage gems on this day trip from Sofia. Traveling by minibus, admire rural Bulgaria on route to the Rila Monastery in the pine-carpeted Rila Mountains. Take a guided tour of the medieval treasure with its fresco-coated church, and visit its fascinating museum. Then, after time to explore independently, visit the cave of Saint Ivan Rilski, 3-4 km from the Monastery - one of the most sacred places in Bulgaria. Please kindly note that on some dates the free time for exploration of the Rila Monastery may be shorter or vary from the described schedule below.

Group Size & Transport: This is a popular, budget-friendly day tour operating with large 45 to 65-seater coaches. This is not a small-group or minibus tour. You will share the transport with other international travelers.

Next available dates

What’s included

  • Fuel surcharge
  • Parking fees
  • Driver/Tour guide
  • Transport by air-conditioned minibus
  • ONLINE, cloud-based audioguide in different languages. INTERNET required to download and use
  • A planned visit to the Cave of St. Ivan Rilski

Not included

  • Tips and gratuities
  • Food and drinks
  • Entry / admission fee
  • Gratuities
  • Admission fees

Itinerary

  1. 1

    Departure from Sofia, Vasil Levski Monument (Embassy of Slovakia)

    09:00 departure from the starting point - Vasil Levski Monument (Embassy of Slovakia). Sofia. Be sure to arrive at least 15 minutes before departure.

  2. 2

    Rila Monastery Tour

    Arround 12pm arrival at the Rila Monastery. Rila Monastery is one of Bulgaria’s symbols and a popular tourist destination. The monastery is set deep in the heart of Rila Mountain, between the Rilska and Drushliavitza Rivers, at 1147 metres (3760 feet) above sea level. It is situated 120 kilometres south of Sofia.

  3. 3

    St. Ivan Rilski Cave Visit

    Arrival at Cave of St. Ivan Rislki - 14:00

  4. 4

    Arrival at Sofia, Vasil Levski Monument (Embassy of Slovakia)

    Return to the starting point (Vasil Levski Monument (Embassy of Slovakia)) at approximately 17:00pm

Good to know

Difficulty
Easy
Minimum age
5+ years
Languages
British English, Bulgarian
Start times
08:15 · 08:59 · 09:00 · 09:02 · 11:00

Know before you go

  • Comfortable shoes. And please, be aware of the monastery's strict dress code: no short pants, no short skirts, no flip-flops/sandals, and no sleeveless shoulders.

Cancellation policy

This booking is non-refundable once confirmed.

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Meeting point

View on map

Hotel Hilton

Address
Boulevard "Bulgaria" 1, Sofia, 1421, BG
How you meet
Meet on location, or hotel pickup
Coordinates
42.68114, 23.32106
Get directions

Illustrative map. Open it in Maps for the exact spot and live directions.

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From AED 107 per person