Rila Monastery and Thermal Baths Private Tour

49 € / per person

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Your Rila Monastery and Thermal Baths Private tour

Set out on a picturesque journey south, passing picturesque villages and breathtaking scenery. Explore the UNESCO-listed Rila Monastery, which has a rich spiritual history and ancient frescoes. Savor regional Bulgarian food while relaxing at an opulent spa featuring mineral pools and calming therapies. Before returning to Sofia feeling renewed and motivated, unwind and revitalize.

Quick information

Duration:

Start: 9:00 h
End: 18:00 h
Driving time – 3h. approx.

Accessibility:

Not accessible

Important:

Bring swimwear, flip-flops and clothes to cover knees and shoulders at the Monastery.
Swimwear available at resonable prices at the pool

Overview

Itinerary

Tour Itinerary for Rila Monastery and Thermal Baths Private tour

9:00 After meeting with your local English-speaking guide, you head on a journey south, with various landscapes and great opportunities for road pictures all year long. Continue with a drive on a mountain road, passing through little towns and villages just in the skirts of Rila Mountain while seated in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle.
11:00 Visit one of the Unesco sites in Bulgaria, a monastery established by the first Bulgarian Hermit, A Miracle Worker, The Spiritual Protector of the Balkans- Ioan Rilski. After having some time of your own, to admire the beauty of the almost 200-year-old frescoes, presented like a comic book by some of that time’s best painters like Zahary Zograf, Stanislav Dospevski, together with the beauty of Rila Mountain, we move one. The best way to be able to experience a country is to try local food. Several options are available, depending on group size and food preferences.
13:30 Next, you will head to the SPA – the hot water in an outdoor complex with several pool areas, hydro jets, jacuzzi a wet bar all year long. Then spend a couple of hours bathing in mineral pools ranging from cool to hot and relax with luxury spa treatments. After soaking in the mineral waters good for skin, bone, and heart, we head back to Sofia.
16:30 Departure to Sofia via straight highway.
18:00 return to your hotel/accommodation in Sofia. The itinerary may vary depending on road conditions, weather, traffic or other.

More details

Rila Monastery Overview

The Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila, better known as the Rila Monastery is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. Founded in the 10th century, the Rila Monastery is regarded as one of Bulgaria’s most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments and is a must-visit tourist attraction for both Bulgarians and foreign visitors. It was built at its present place in the 14th century. The oldest buildings in the complex date from this period – the Tower of Hrelyu (1334–1335) and a small church just next to it (1343). However, the arrival of the Ottomans in the end of the 14th century was followed by numerous raids and a destruction of the monastery in the middle of the 15th century.

The monastery complex, regarded as one of the most impressive masterpieces of Bulgarian National Revival architecture, was declared a national historical monument in 1976 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. On 25 May 2002, Pope John Paul II visited Rila Monastery during his pilgrimage to Bulgaria. He was greeted by the Monastery’s igumen (hiero monk), Bishop Ioan, who had been an observer at the Second Vatican Council.

Activity map

Departure point

Departure point for this tour is from your hotel or accommodation in Sofia on the condition that it is in the city limits.

Prices

Prices:

The private tour price is based on the number of people in your party. Also you can book our budget group option however available on certain days every week. For larger groups please send us a request at: info@vtravel.bg