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Rila Monastery and St. Ivan Cave Day Tour
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Rila Monastery and St. Ivan Cave Day Trip From Sofia

8 hours

Easy

Rila Monastery is definitely a must-see sight if you are a tourist with a free day in Sofia.

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. 

Tour details: 

09:00 - The trip starts from the parking behind Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

12:00 - Estimated time of arrival at Rila Monastery

12:00-13:00 - 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

What's included?
  • Fuel surcharge
  • Parking fees

Driver/Tour guide 

Transport by air-conditioned minibus 

Parking Fees

ONLINE, cloud-based audioguide in different languages. INTERNET required to download and use

A planned visit to the Cave of St. Ivan Rilski

Exclusions
  • Tip or gratuity
  • Food & drinks
  • Entry or admission fee

Gratuities

Admission fees

Food and drinks

Please note
    • Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities
    • Not wheelchair accessible or stroller friendly
    • Comfortable walking shoes recommended
    • Not suitable for pets
    • No public transportation nearby
    • Infants must not sit on laps
    • Infant seats unavailable
    • Tour is offered as well with ONLINE (cloud-based) Audio-guide in different languages. INTERNET required to download and use.
    What to bring

      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.

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