Rila Monastery + Cave of Saint John Day Trip

Discover one of the important locations in Bulgaria on this tour of the Rila Monastery from Sofia, which also includes a visit to the cave of Saint John of Rila.

Discover the History

Visiting Bulgaria and not exploring the Rila Monastery would be a mistake. Meet behind the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia to start your journey. You will leave the capital and head towards the Rila mountain range, the highest mountains in the Balkans, where the country’s important geographical and natural features will be revealed.

Upon arrival at the Rila Monastery, you will have two hours to explore this World Heritage Site, known for its impressive temple and beautiful frescos, a significant achievement of the Bulgarian Renaissance. It is also advisable to visit its cloister and museum, which highlight Slavic cultural identity.

After your exploration, you will travel to the cave of Saint John of Rila, located 4 kilometers (2.48 miles) from the monastery. This involves a walk through the forest with a small church en route, leading to the grotto where Saint John of Rila lived for over seven years. Here, you will learn about his story.

The tour concludes with your return to Sofia after 8 hours of travel.

Itinerary Changes

In adverse weather conditions, the walk to the Cave of Ivan Rilksi will be replaced with a visit to Boyana Church or an extended tour of the Rila Monastery.

Languages

When booking, you can choose to do the tour in English or with an audioguide in one of the other included languages: German, Italian, Russian, French, or Spanish.