Welcome to
Sofia
From Sofia: Rila Monastery and Melnik Small Group Tour
- Duration11 hours
- Max Travelers15 people
- Free CancellationUp to 24 hrs
- CategoryAdditional fees, Bus Tours
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
What's 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
What's 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
Departure at 08:00 from the Vasil Levski Monument ( in front of the Embassy of Slovakia)
The smallest town in Bulgarian with only 208 inhabitants,u00a0Melnik 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.
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.
Arrival back at the starting point of the tour at approximately 19:00
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.