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Rila Monastery Afternoon Half Day tour

4.650 reviewsRila Monastery

  • 4–5 hours
  • Free cancellation up to 24h before
  • Guided in English
  • Instant confirmation

Highlights

IMPORTANT: Entrance in the monastery is only allowed with covered shoulders and covered knees. So please make sure you have appropriate clothes. The Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila, better known as the Rila Monastery is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It is situated in the Rila Mountains. The monastery is named after its founder, the hermit Ivan of Rila (876 – 946 AD). Founded in the 10th century, the Rila Monastery is regarded as one of Bulgaria’s most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments and is a key tourist attraction for both Bulgaria and Southern Europe. If you want to be among the lucky ones who have visited this amazing site, join our tours and let’s have a great time together!

Inclusions

What's included

  • WiFi on board
  • Driver
  • Air-conditioned vehicle

What's not

  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities

Itinerary

  1. Visit to the Rila Monastery

    2 h

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

4.6

  • 539
  • 45
  • 33
  • 22
  • 11

Ratings come from 50 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

Meeting point
Iskar 31 street - Big Yellow House
Pickup
Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
Ticket type
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group size
Up to 99 travellers
Operated by
Smart Trans Bulgaria
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Rila Monastery is about 1.5 - 2.5 hours driving from Sofia depending on traffic

How it compares in Sofia

  • Its from-price is 46% below the median of the 174 day trips we list in Sofia.
  • It is shorter than most of them.
  • By number of reviews it ranks 21 of 174.
  • The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Sofia

Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, lies below Vitosha mountain, mixing Roman ruins, golden-domed churches, mineral springs and a busy café culture.

Sofia sits in a high basin at the foot of Mount Vitosha, and its centre layers Roman Serdica, Orthodox Bulgaria and the Ottoman and Soviet eras. The gold-domed Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, completed in the early twentieth century, is the city's best-known building. Close by are the fourth-century rotunda of St George, the Banya Bashi Mosque and the remains of Roman streets that show through glass in the metro stations.

Top-ranked sights in Sofia: Rila Monastery, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Ivan Vazov National Theatre.

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Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.

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