From Sofia: Day Trip to Osogovo and Zemen Monasteries

From Sofia: Day Trip to Osogovo and Zemen Monasteries

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Visit Zemen Monastery, one of the oldest in Bulgaria, and the impressive complex of Osogovo Monastery. Explore alongside a guide and discover the monasteries' beautiful architecture and frescos.

Highlights

Visit Zemen Monastery – one of the oldest monasteries in Bulgaria
Discover Osogovo Monastery “St. Joackim”, one of the most beautiful monasteries
Use the opportunity to try local Macedonian barbecues and dishes
Taking care of nature, we do eco-friendly tours with CNG and electric cars.

Description

The tour starts at 9.00 from the hotel that you are staying at, in Sofia. First, you will visit the Zemen Monastery 'St. John the Theologian', situated on the left bank of the Struma River, just one kilometer away from the town of Zemen, Pernik Province, and 75 km southwest of Sofia. The church of “Saint John the Theologian” in Zemen monastery was built in the 11th century and is one of the oldest monuments of medieval Bulgarian architecture and art. Fragments from the first layer dated from the 11th century were discovered in the right apse, representing the images of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, as well as Saint Constantine and Saint Helena. The guided visit at the monastery is about 30 minutes. After this, you will continue to Osogovo Monastery “St. Joachim”, which is situated 80 km from Zemen and just 3 km from Kriva Palanka, RNM. The present monastery has two churches - the old one “Holy Mother of God”, which was built in the 13th century, and the new one, St. Joachim Osogovski – in the 19th century. The most impressive wall paintings were done by Dimitar Papradishki. It’s unusual to see frescoes on the outside walls of Orthodox churches and monasteries, but here you will see a very well-preserved fresco of the Judgement Day theme. In the monastery, you will have about a 30-minute guided tour and some free time. After that, you will go to the nearby village where you can have a lunch break and try traditional local food and drinks.

Includes

Private tour English-speaking guide - other languages upon request and availability Entrance to Osogovo Monastery Hotel pick up and drop off Transportation with an A/C car with free Wi-Fi