Rila Monastery is one of the most visited sights of Bulgaria. This is the symbols of Bulgaria, and since 1983 is in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Rila Monastery keeps the history of the spiritual, educational and cultural life of Bulgaria. The large-scale architecture of the monastery, the unique color painting on the outside, the colorful murals inside, picturesque mountain scenery, clean air and good food will impress even those who don’t prefer monasteries for their travels. All this beauty is hidden in a calm and peaceful place in the heart of the Rila Mountains, about 120 km from Sofia. Its location makes it convenient for a day tour to Rila Monastery from Sofia.
Pick up: tour can start from any address in Sofia.
Tour Duration: 6 to 8 hours. Depends on the number of stops and time spent at attractions.
Price: from €160 for a group for up to 4 people. Will vary depending on your chosen vehicle type, number of passengers. Price you can check in the table below.
Accepted payment methods: cash.
All our tours are individual. It means you are travelling in your company without other people. Thus, you can independently choose the route, how much time to spend in one place or another, where and when to make a stop to refresh and have lunch.
You can check our feedback on GOOGLE and TRIPADVISOR.
Why to book day tour to Rila Monastery with Iksam:
Private tour
Flexible routePick up/drop off from your addressFixed price
Cash/online paymentNo prepaymentFree cancellation
Price for day tour to Rila Monastery
| Route: | up to 4: | up to 6: |
|---|---|---|
| Private day tour from Sofia to Rila Monastery | 160 € | 200 € |
Price for day tour to Rila Monastery
includes:
- Chosen vehicle with a driver
- Baby seats if required
- VAT, fuel, paid parking
- Good mood and a lot of impressions
not include:
- Entry tickets
- Food, drinks
- Personal expenses
- Tips
About Rila Monastery:
Rila Monastery is the largest monastery in Bulgaria. The monastery is located in the Rila Mountains 1147 meters above the sea. The history of the monastery starts in the 10th century, when St. Ivan of Rila settled in one of the caves nearby(the cave is located at a distance of 4 km from the monastery, you can reach it by the marked path). He helps sick and poor people who come to him for help, they say that he make miracles. So the fame of him spread throughout Bulgaria.
From the beginning, the Rila monastery became the spiritual and cultural centre of the country, and in 1983 UNESCO included the monastery in the list of world cultural heritage. The monastery consists of a large courtyard, the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, Hrelyo’s Tower, museum, residential and farm buildings, located on 8800 square meters and surrounded by 22 meter walls. Since the 19th century has been opened museum in the monastery, in which you can see exhibits relating to the history of the monastery. The most valuable exhibit is the Rafail cross. This unique work of art was created by Father Rafail for 12 years, and it cost him sight. The cross depicts 36 biblical scenes – 18 on each side of the cross and over 600 miniature figures.
The only foreigner who has been given the honour to be buried near the Rila Monastery is James Bourchier.
Good to Know:
- bear with you long clothes or scarf, in the monastery do not allow entry with short clothes and bare arms
- put on comfortable shoes that will suit you for a long walk, besides the courtyard in the monastery is paved
- take warm clothes with you, as the monastery is located in the mountains, it is cool there even in summer
- do not forget the camera, but keep in mind that you can not take pictures in the Rila monastery museum