What is the cancellation policy for this tour?

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

How long does this tour take?

This tour lasts approximately 11 hours.

From Sofia: Rila Monastery and Melnik Small Group Tour

Q: Where does this tour start?

This tour starts at: IMPORTANT: The meeting point is next to the Vasil Levski Monument, in front of the Embassy of Slovakia.

★★★★⯨ 4.8

11 hours

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Overview

- Get more of your holiday by booking an intensive small group guided tour to the highlights of southwest Bulgaria;
- Tour the smallest Bulgarian town, famous for its architecture, stunning surroundings, and wine production.
- The Melnik Pyramids are a fantastic phenomenon. Use wisely the recommended photo stops! :)
- In Melnik discover the impressive Rivaval Period style house of Kordopoulo’s family and peek into its tunnel-like wine cellar.
- Enjoy the sights of the tranquil Bulgarian countryside and its sleepy villages, while your guide introduces you to Bulgarian everyday countryside life;
- Visit the overwhelming Rila Monastery and let the guide relive its history and enlight you on its present-day status;
- Admire the priceless frescoe masterpieces of the most notable 19th-century Bulgarian painters
- Enrich your experience by tasting local delicacies and in this way involve all your senses;

Gallery

From Sofia: Rila Monastery and Melnik Small Group Tour — photo 1

From Sofia: Rila Monastery and Melnik Small Group Tour — photo 2

From Sofia: Rila Monastery and Melnik Small Group Tour — photo 3

From Sofia: Rila Monastery and Melnik Small Group Tour — photo 4

From Sofia: Rila Monastery and Melnik Small Group Tour — photo 5

From Sofia: Rila Monastery and Melnik Small Group Tour — photo 6

From Sofia: Rila Monastery and Melnik Small Group Tour — photo 7

What's Included

✓ Included

Visit to Rila Monastery
Professional Tour Guide OR Cloud Audio Guide App (depending entirely on the option you booked)
Parking Fees
Round-trip transport by air-conditioned minibus or coach

✗ Not Included

Food and drinks
Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Kordopoluva House
Rila Monastery Museum (Optional; entrance to the main courtyard/church is free)

Itinerary

Stop 1

Departure at 08:00 from the Vasil Levski Monument ( in front of the Embassy of Slovakia)

Stop 2

The smallest town in Bulgarian with only 208 inhabitants, Melnik still preserves part of its glory from 14th till19th-century, when it had been a flourishing tobacco and wine-producing center, whose fame was spread by local merchants to many European countries. Today, the city is famous for its lovely white houses and cobbled streets, mild climate, internationally recognized brands of red wine. You will have a guided walking tour through the city and enter the biggest Bulgarian Revival Period style house and its tunnel-like wine cellar.

Stop 3

Rila Monastery (UNESCO site) and its architecture and the frescoes present the apogee of the Bulgarian Renaissance art. With an about 1-hour guided tour of the most treasured monuments in the inner yard and the Monastery museum, you will learn the most fascinating facts and stories about the biggest Bulgarian monastery complex. You will also have free time to buy souvenirs, make more photos or to continue to explore it by yourself.

Stop 4

Arrival back at the starting point of the tour at approximately 19:00

Meeting & End Point

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Meeting Point

IMPORTANT: The meeting point is next to the Vasil Levski Monument, in front of the Embassy of Slovakia

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End Point

IMPORTANT: The meeting point is next to the Vasil Levski Monument, in front of the Embassy of Slovakia

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Good to Know

Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Women should not be with short skirts and "naked" shoulders. Traventuria recommends: Comfortable clothes and walking shoes
Entry fee to Kordopulova House approx. 6 BGN in cash