Day Trip: Rila Monastery and Melnik

Rila monastery and the town of Melnik are among the top tourist attractions in Bulgaria which you must definitely visit during your tour around the Balkans.

During this trip from Sofia you will be able to visit both the Top Bulgarian landmark – Rila monastery and to become a part of the local life in the mountain village called Melnik. There you will try a variety of special Bulgarian wines that can be found only here and nowhere else in the world.

If you want to visit both Rila monastery and Melnik in different order with different pick up and drop off location than the mention in this page let me know. I will be happy to create custom tour in Bulgaria for you and your group. 

Rila Monastery in Details

The Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila, better known as the Rila Monastery is the TOP landmark in Bulgaria and the biggest Bulgarian monastery, located in the heart of the majestic Rila mountain. It is the largest Eastern Orthodox Bulgarian monastery together with those in Bachkovo and Trojan.

The Rila Monastery is the most fantastic form of Bulgarian religious art and architecture and proudly takes its place among the 9 tourist sites in Bulgaria included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage since 1983.

The whole Rila monastery complex occupies an area of 8,800 m² and is rectangular in form, situated around the inner yard, where are located the main church and the old tower.

Our tour to the Rila Monastery will takes you to the highest mountain in the Balkans. The route passing trough the small mountain villages, beautiful views and will let you to the biggest and most important symbol of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church – the Rila Monastery.

During the Rila monastery tour you will see one of the most revered miracle-working icons in Bulgaria, the golden iconostasis and the thematic openwork carving, which were made for more than 12 years, the frescoes of the main church made by Bulgarian Renaissance masters, the monastic cells and many more.

More about Melnik

A visit to this tiny town is a journey into past. The location of Melnik is serene; serenity is guaranteed in that smallest town in the whole of Bulgaria. The southwest folds of the majestic Pirin are a great background for the ancient style houses. The transient Mediterranean climate augments the attracting power of all advantages bundled in such a small place. Melnik is 22 kilometers away from Sandanski, the nearest town. The Melnik river murmurs its way through the town and emits freshness.

When it is time to tour the sights nearby, the Rozhen monastery is one of the musts. It is easily reachable by taking a shortcut, so enjoyment of walking is followed by the pleasure of visiting the holy place. The path passes by the natural phenomenon, the Melnik Pyramids, considered one of its symbols. The pyramids are about 100 meters high and in places are almost vertical.