Rila Monastery Is Amazing: 3 Reasons to Visit

Rila Monastery is absolutely worth your visit. It is an amazing place which is not only steeped in history, but it is situated in the heart of the beautiful Rila national park. A lot of locals love Rila mountain and have been to the monastery countless times and it’s one of my absolute favourite places to go to when I’m back home.

Rila Monastery is one of the most popular destinations in Bulgaria and on the Balkan peninsula. But why is that so? What makes this place so special and treasured? Is the monastery really worth visiting, or is it a tourist trap?

Let’s get into the reasons why you should visit Rila Monastery, one of Bulgaria’s most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments according to UNESCO.

Rila Monastery is the most important spiritual and literary centre of the Bulgarian national revival, with an uninterrupted history from the Middle Ages until present times.

Here are our 3 reasons why you should visit Rila Monastery

1. Rich history

The Rila Monastery has been a special place for the Bulgarian people over the centuries. The first monastery was founded around 10th century AD by followers of Saint John of Rila, the most important Saint in the Bulgarian Orthodox church. Between the 14th and 18th century, the place was partly destroyed several times by the Ottomans and then reconstructed. The present buildings of the monastery date back to the beginning of the 19th century, when they were rebuilt after a fire.

The monastery also gave shelter to great Bulgarian revolutionaries over the years, and was supported with funding by all Bulgarian rulers.

Many famous people are buried in the complex – amongst them are the last Bulgarian king, Boris III, and Saint John himself.

2. Beautiful architecture and surroundings

The combination of the many white columns, beautifully painted arches, wooden floors and bright flowers make the place feel quite special for me. Moreover, it is surrounded by lush green hills with pine trees. Walking around on the centuries old cobblestones really takes you back in time.

The frescoed decoration and paintings of the cathedral church are the work of the most distinguished Bulgarian artists from the 19th century.

Around the monastery, there are a number of well-marked hiking trails that lead to either some breathtaking mountain lakes or small huts.

3. Very easy to get to

As far as famous tourist sites go, we all know plenty that require hours and multiple transfers to reach. Well, Rila monastery is not one of them. It is not far away from the capital Sofia, and 2/3 of the way there is on a motorway, with just the last bit, getting to the monastery itself, on a narrow, but well-maintained, mountain road. Whether by car, public transport or with a private tour, you can be there in just an hour and a half from Sofia, and that makes it a great destination for a day trip. The monastery is also within driving distance of the two biggest winter resorts – Borovets and Bansko. You’ll need a little over an hour to get to it.

How to get to Rila Monastery?

By car

As I mentioned above, the place is very accessible by car or public transport. It is some 120km south from the capital, Sofia. If you are driving, take the highway A3 Struma. The right exit for the monastery is at Kocherinovo. Then follow road 107 for about 30km through a few towns, and it will get you to the monastery. BEWARE! Some navigations might suggest exiting the highway earlier at Boboshevo. However, I highly recommend the next exit, Kocherinovo, as the road after that is much more straightforward and of better quality. Be advised that the parking at Rila monastery can only be paid in cash, and it is 5 LV per day (as of summer 2023).

By bus

There is a regular bus service from Sofia. The biggest provider is Rila Express – check its timetable here. Other than that, some tourist agencies offer day trip packages with transfer and an English-speaking guide, prices are reasonable – check Traventuria, if you are interested.

What to do in Rila Monastery?

Apart from enjoying and experiencing the monastery itself – you can visit its museum, or light a candle in the church, as well as try some of the water springs around the courtyard, here are a few more things you can do in the area.

1. Stop at the famous monastery bakery

There aren’t many places to eat there, just one or two small restaurants, that also tend to be a bit pricey. However, there is a monastery bakery that offers fresh bread, homemade yoghurt and fresh mekitsas, that are to die for. Mekitsa is a small deep-fried flatbread, traditionally served as breakfast, powdered with icing sugar or garnished with jam, honey or white cheese or any combination there of. At this bakery, you always get them super fresh and warm, which means they are really soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. Don’t make the mistake of ordering just one, they go in a flash and cost just 1 LV (€0.50), so order at least two – maybe three, if you’re feeling naughty.

The yoghurt is also worth trying – you can choose either from cow milk or sheep milk, both are made with the original Bulgarian fermenting bacteria, making it really dense and tasty.

The place is always packed, and you will have to wait for a bit to order at the kiosk, but usually no more than 10 minutes.

2. Visit the cave and the tomb of Saint John of Rila

Further up the road you came from, not long after the monastery, about 4km, there is a small cave in the woods, where Saint John of Rila used to live. You can park your car along the road at the designated area. From there it is a short hike, less than 1 km through the forest. Although it is a bit uphill, it is doable for most of the people. The place is very peaceful and spiritual. You can also get here by foot from the monastery, if you want, but plan a bit more time. You’ll need to follow the color marked hiking trail to the Tomb or Kirilova Polyana, which is further up the road.

Saint John of Rila (The Wondermaker) lived in isolation in different places, but he spent his last years in the cave near the monastery. It is also the place where he was buried afterwards, and a small church was build to shelter his tomb just in front of the cave.

According to legends, only the purest souls can pass through his cave, and it is typical for visitors to try and go through the extremely dark and narrow rock shelter. It is definitely something to avoid if you are claustrophobic, but otherwise it is quite fun and you should try it.

3. Buy some homemade wild berry jams or honey

If you also love jams, like we do, you must absolutely grab some there. There are a few stalls around the Rila monastery, selling different kinds of jam – raspberry, wild blueberry, wild strawberry. You don’t get wild berries like that in the supermarket, so I love to take a few jars every time I am in the mountains. Different kinds of honey are available, too – from various floral sources, as well as some with nuts or honeycomb inside.

4. Go hiking

Rila mountain, where the Monastery is located, is extremely beautiful in all four seasons. It is the highest mountain range on the Balkan peninsula (Musala peak, 2925m). It is not only famous for its high peaks and ski slopes, but also for its biodiversity, that is protected by the Rila national park. Numerous glacial lakes and hot springs, as well as very well-preserved forests – all that can be found in Rila, and it draws many locals to hike there in the Summer. There are also various hiking trails starting at Rila Monastery – from 2-to-9-hour hikes. The paths are well-marked and you can find a map of the surrounding area just outside the monastery.

Some honourable mentions here:

• Suhoto ezero (literally the Dry Lake, spoiler alert, it is not actually dry)
• Ribni ezera hut
• Ivan Vazov hut
• Smradlivo ezero (means The Stinky Lake in Bulgarian, but again not actually stinky)

5. Visit Stob’s Pyramids

Stob is a tiny village, next to the main road that goes up to the monastery. It’s become popular because of its sandy/earthy ‘Pyramids’. They are rock formations, that are also known as hoodoos, and were formed mainly because of erosion due to the rainfall. If you decide to go there, just follow the brown road signs that will take you from the main road directly to the start of the hiking trail. It is about 1 km long, but because it is a bit steep, it will probably take you around 35 minutes to get to the pyramids themselves. As it’s an open area, it’s highly recommended to have enough water with you, especially if visiting when the weather is warm. It’s not advisable to go up in the afternoon on a sunny Summer day (12-4 pm) owing to the fact that it can get unbearably hot on the hillside.

Conclusion

I hope I was able to convince you to allocate a day or two to go and discover this magical area that is beloved by so many people.