Rila Monastery and St. Ivan Cave History & Nature Trip from Sofia
- 9 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- 7 languages
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
This day tour perfectly combines history, culture, and nature experiences. Enjoy a comfortable ride through the beautiful green countryside as you head toward the majestic Rila Mountains. Discover Bulgaria’s most famous UNESCO site, the Rila Monastery, with a guided or audio-guided tour. Afterward, take a relaxing walk through the woods to reach the Cave of Saint Ivan. You will also have free time to explore the monastery on your own before we drive back to Sofia.
Inclusions
What's included
- Visit to Rila Monastery
- Professional Tour Guide OR Cloud Audio Guide App (depending entirely on the option you have booked)
- Visit to St. Ivan Cave, OR The Bells Monument (depending entirely on the option you have booked)
- Parking Fees
- Round-trip transport by air-conditioned minibus or coach
What's not
- Gratuities
- Food and Drinks
- Rila Monastery Museum (Optional; entrance to the main courtyard/church is free)
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Itinerary
Departure at 09:00 from the car parknext to Vasil Levski Monument, in front of the Embassy of Slovakia
Transportation from the Meeting point to the Rila Monastery. Estimated time of arrival - 12:00.
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.
Visit the Cave of Saint Ivan Rilski - one of the most sacred places in Bulgaria. Pass through the tunnel of St. Ivan Rilski. The belief is that only people with clean souls can pass through and that magical powers keep the sinners away. While you’re there, do not forget to drink some water from the holy spring. It is believed that this water never stops, nor freezes even when it is extremely cold.
Return to the starting point at approximately 17:00
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.8
- 539
- 43
- 32
- 20
- 11
Ratings come from 45 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
- IMPORTANT: The meeting point next to Vasil Levski Monument, in front of the Embassy of Slovakia| | Please, be there 15 min. in advance!
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 30 travellers
- Operated by
- Traventuria
- 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.
How it compares in Sofia
- Its from-price is 78% below the median of the 174 day trips we list in Sofia.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 23 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.
Special offers in Sofia
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
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