Rila Monastery and Melnik
_3257382429993935718_original_170825445250.jpg "Rila Monastery and Melnik")
Two wonderful sites in just one day. A bit heavy program with a lot of driving but plenty of impressions to remain afterwards.
Rila Monastery is a UNESCO site and its entire complex is quite impressive for its size and decoration. The monastery’s most treasured historic and artistic monuments include the 14th-century Hrelyo Tower, the five-domed Birth of the Blessed Virgin Church and the original monastery kitchen from the 19th century. The monastery also houses a rich museum collection. Sightseeing with a professional guide of the largest Bulgarian Monastery and its museum will reveal the turbulent history of the monastery.
Melnik is the smallest Bulgarian town, located amidst strangely shaped pyramids of sand and limestone. During the 17th – 18th centuries it became a flourishing tobacco and wine-producing centre, whose fame spread to many European countries. Today, the city is famous for its lovely white houses and cobbled streets, mild climate, different internationally recognized brands of red wine and the nearby Rozhen Monastery, where if there is time, we will go for a short stroll. In Melnik, we will make a degustation of local cuisine specialties and aromatic brands of wine, adding extra flavour to the trip (*entry ticket to the winery with degustation of the wines, is not included in the price). We will visit the Kordopoulo’s house – the largest building in Melnik. It has Venetian stained glass windows, spacious rooms and salons, ornamented murals, a large wine cellar and an iron door from where the caravans with the precious Melnik wine left for Athens, Vienna and Rome. Starting at 07.30 from Sofia, the journey will end at 19.30 (approximately).
What’s included: English-speaking driver and guide throughout the tour. Transport in modern vehicle (car/minibus) with air condition
What’s not included: Food and beverages, personal expenses, entrance fees (approx. 5 euros per person), gratuities.
Extras: Hotel pick-up costs additional 5/10 Euro per reservation (not per person, depends on the hotel location). Tour is offered as well with ONLINE, cloud-based audioguide in different languages (EN, ES, IT, FR, DE, RU). INTERNET required to download and use.
Meeting point: the parking lot behind the majestic Alexander Nevski Cathedral in central Sofia.
Drop off: Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Duration 11 h / Physical difficulty level Easy
2. The smallest town in Bulgarian with only 208 inhabitants, Melnik 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.
3. 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.
4. Arrival back at the starting point of the tour at approximately 19:00.
