Rila Monastery Day Tour from Sofia with a visit to the Boyana Church

  With this Rila Monastery Day Tour you will have the opportunity to see two of the most popular and unique tourist sites in Bulgaria – the Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila, better known as the Rila Monastery and the Boyana Church. Both of the sites are added to the UNESCO World Heritage List and both are among the most authentic, energetic and peaceful places in Bulgaria.
  The meeting point is behind St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral and the departure time is 09:00 a.m. The tour starts with the Boyana Church first where you can enter the church and will see its medieval frescoes. The church is one of the few complete and perfectly preserved mediaeval monuments testifying to the significant contribution of Bulgarian monumental painting to European culture in the Middle Ages.
  After that we will directly go to the Rila Monastery which is located in the middle of the coniferous forests of the most beautiful mountain in Bulgaria – Rila Mountain. The monastery is a complex of cultural, dwelling and farming buildings which take about 8800 square meters. Here you will see unique architecture – covered wooden stairs, carved verandas, arches and colonnades, Hreliova tower, frescos and murals. You will have around 2 hours of free time so to visit the Rila Monastery History Museum, to make a walk in the area of the complex, or to try the traditional breakfast named mekitsi made of kneaded dough that is deep fried which you can buy outside the Rila Monastery complex.
  In order to fill out your experience from this trip Odans Travel Incoming offers an optional lunch in authentic local restaurant on the way to the Rila Monastery where you can taste fresh grilled trout caught in the nearby river or delicious traditional grilled meatballs.
  Our tour will finish around 17:30 – 18:00 o’clock back in St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral. Conclusion of the Rila Monastery Day Tour.