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Rila Monastery and Melnik One-Day Tour

New To The Site! Sofia, Bulgaria

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11 to 12 hours (approx.)
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Overview

Melnik is the smallest town in Bulgaria yet it is so well known for its amazing sandy rock formations known as "Melnik pyramids". We'll get there after a bit longer than a 2-hour drive and will arrive on the foot of the biggest house built in 18th century in Bulgaria - Kordopulova! We will discover about the interior of the house as well as the underground cellar where the owners of the house still keep the newly produced wine! Not only this but you will have a taste of the popular Melnik Broad Leaf young wine!
After having had some lunch at a local MEHANA (traditional restaurant) we'll drive off to Rila monastery - certainly the most visited site by the travelers coming to Bulgaria. We will have another 1 1/2 hours of sightseeing together and eventually will start driving back to Sofia with our souls satisfied with the beauty, the history and the culture of the South-Western Bulgaria.

What's Included

  • All Fees and Taxes
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Lunch
  • Snacks
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Meeting Location

Meeting point

Sofia Center
bulevard "Knyaginya Maria Luiza", 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria

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Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Melnik

Melnik is a very small town in SouthEastern Bulgaria. It is famous with its sandy pyramids, the locally produced young wine and the typical authentic atmosphere with the local houses architecture. We'll start from Sofia and it will take us 2 1/2 hours driving along an interesting and changing landscape finally reaching Melnik. After our sightseeing time we will take a short 20-minute drive to Rozhen monastery and on the way we can take some beautiful photos of the scenery with the conically shaped sandstone rocks.
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4 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Kordopulova House

Kordopulova house is a private museum and it dates from the mid-seventeenth century, being the biggest one from this historical period. The house is impressive for its summer and miniature winter gardens. with the seven staircases, the very welcoming cellar and particularly with its more than 300 meters of underground cellar tunnels, where they still keep the barrels with their newly produced wine!
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1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Rozhen Monastery

Rozhen monastery dates from the 13th century and certainly its location has contributed a lot for the monastery having gone through a lot of historical events. We will be coming from Melnik after driving for about 20 minutes and eventually a great open view will show us the beauty of mountain Pirin with its peaks and the close by tall sandy pyramids! The monastery is active and the church keeps a rich collection of murals dated 17th century from which we can admire both for their quality and richness in expression! At the foot of the monastery there is a very suitable stop if you'd like to have some local meals for your lunch break before we hit the road to Rila monastery!
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3 hours 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Rila Monastery

Rila monastery has been for centuries the driving power for people to visit this area and even to make them decide to visit Bulgaria! Not only is the monastery impressive for its location, size and history, but it was also recognized by UNESCO for World heritage with the amazingly colorful mural that tells us the stories from the Old and the New testaments! After having driven for 2 hours from Rozhen monastery we will have a tour to introduce to you the history of the monastery with some interesting and curious facts. You will have some nice time to yourself to just relax or to further explore the monasterial museums, take some photos, etc. After our visit we are going to drive back for about 1 hour and 45 minutes to Sofia.
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3 hours 15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

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Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • Specialized infant seats are available

Frequently Asked Questions

(7)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Rila Monastery and Melnik One-Day Tour?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (EEST). Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

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Activity code: C-232400P10


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What's Included

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

  • All Fees and Taxes
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Lunch
  • Snacks

Additional Info

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

  • Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 7 travelers

Report Product Issue

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

Free Cancellation

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

100% refund
No refund

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (EEST).
  • This tour requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

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