Rila Monastery and St. Ivan Cave Day Trip from Sofia, Bulgaria
Discover one of Bulgaria’s UNESCO World Heritage gems on this day trip from Sofia. Admire rural Bulgaria en route to the Rila Monastery in the pine-carpeted Rila Mountains. Take a guided tour of this medieval treasure with its fresco-coated church. After time to explore independently, visit the Cave of St. Ivan - one of the most sacred places in Bulgaria. Please kindly note that on some dates the free time at the Rila Monastery may be shorter due to traffic, group size, or complementary stop at Boyana church.
Below you can find detailed itinerary of the tour: 09:00 - Alexander Nevsky Cathedral 12:00-12:15 - Estimated time of arrival at Rila Monastery 12:15-13:00 - Guided visit to the Monastery 13:00-14:00 - Free time for lunch or further explorations of the area on your own 14:00-15:00 - Visit the St. Ivan Cave 15:00 - Depart from Rila Monastery back to Sofia 17:00 - Estimated time of arrival at Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Options
EN Guided + Boyana Church
Add -on visit to Boyana church: Includes: English-speaking guide, Rila monastery, St. Ivan's cave, Boyana church (Entrance fee NOT incl.).
What's included in Rila Monastery and St. Ivan Cave Day Trip from Sofia, Bulgaria
(Subject to Option Inclusions)Itinerary
St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral
09:00 departure from the starting point. Be sure to arrive at least 15 minutes before departure.
Rila Monastery
Transportation from the Meeting point to the Rila Monastery. Estimated time of arrival - 12:00.
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.
Inclusions
- Driver/Tour guide in English
- ONLINE, cloud-based audioguide in different languages. INTERNET required to download and use.
- Transport by air-conditioned bus
- Parking Fees
- A planned visit to the Cave of St. Ivan Rilski
- Gratuities
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Food and Drinks
- Admission fees (7 euro/12 BGN for the Boyana Church)
- Rila Monastery Museum
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities
- Comfortable walking shoes recommended
- Minimum traveler age is 6 years old
- Tour with ONLINE (cloud-based) Audio-guide in different languages. INTERNET required to download and use.
Meet
Pickup and Dropoff
You will make your own way to the meeting points
Meeting / End Points
- IMPORTANT: The meeting point is BEHIND Alexander Nevski Cathedral (opposite La Cattedrale restaurant). Please, be there 15 min. in advance! | This tour is not suitable for children under the age of 5.
