Rila Monastery and St. Ivan Cave Tour from Sofia: Enjoy Bulgaria's UNESCO Heritage
3.3
3 Ratings
Sofia

Embark on a captivating journey through Bulgaria’s UNESCO World Heritage sites with a tour of Rila Monastery and St. Ivan Cave from Sofia. Immerse yourself in the rich history and stunning architecture of the monastery, and discover the spiritual significance of the Cave of Saint Ivan Rilski. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore Bulgaria’s cultural treasures.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral - 09:00 departure from the starting point. Be sure to arrive at least 15 minutes before departure.
What's Included
  • Tour guide services in English
  • Access to online, multilingual audioguide (Internet required)
  • Travel comfortably in an air-conditioned bus
  • Inclusive of all parking fees
  • Organized visit to the Cave of St. Ivan Rilski
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pick-up and drop-off
  • Admission fees (4 euro/8 BGN for the Rila Monastery Museum)
  • Food and Drinks
Additional Information

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

  • 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.
Location
St Alexander Nevski Square
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.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
3.3
(3 Ratings)
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1 star
Simon_e
May 16, 2024
Great value for money I must - We had a great day, comfy transport extremely knowledgeable guide highly recommended The guide even provided a quiz on the bus on the way back to pass the time.
Review provided by Viator
Ghassan_c
Jul 29, 2023
Beautiful place - Nice place to visit, the tour guide was good but the speakers wasn’t working well couldn’t hear anything! The van need to be cleaned have bad smell, and tourists must consider they will be in closed van , and it’s hot weather they need to shower and use good hygiene. The air conditioner was on but not cooling the van at all. But the Rila very much worth to see. Make sure to wear good walking shoes if you ll do the hike.
Review provided by Viator
Robertopx4261lt
Mar 31, 2024
I strongly advise against it - I booked the excursion tour of the Rila monastery and the Ivan Rilski caves tour which was to be done in the same day in Italian. Starts at 09:00 and ends at 17:00 With a visit to the monastery, a two-hour stop with the possibility of a lunch break and then a visit to the cave, all in Italian. I was diverted along with another tour, where there were other things that didn't interest me. What I was interested in and what I booked I had to experience in a very fast and badly disorganized way. Also returning early and therefore not respecting the times communicated. I strongly advise against this agency!!!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Select Date and Tickets
up to 15 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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