Discover Novi Iskar

Novi Iskar offers a specific historical point of reference for planning a trip: the Kurilski Monastery of Saint John of Rila. Its location on the Iskar and the history of the present-day church give the place a clearly defined theme. If you are looking for a hotel, you can first decide whether Novi Iskar itself or the wider destination of Stolichna is the right setting for your stay.

The Kurilski Monastery on the Iskar

The monastery lies on the right bank of the Iskar, about 1 km northeast of Kurilo in Novi Iskar. It can be reached via the road from Sofia to Novi Iskar. The riverbank, direction and road connection help you pinpoint its location.

The monastery is a historic spiritual site associated with an earlier monastery from the time of the First Bulgarian Empire. The present-day church was rebuilt in 1593 and painted in 1596 by the renowned artist Pimen Zografski. The recorded history of the church therefore focuses on two distinct building phases: its reconstruction and the later painting.

The monastery complex includes a museum area, a library, an archondarik and a bell tower. The courtyard has been renovated. If you would like to visit the complex, check in advance which areas are accessible; individual facilities may have their own access conditions.

Stolichna as a wider travel setting

The wider destination of Stolichna also offers nature-based options for trip planning. Vitosha Nature Park was established in 1934 and was the first nature park in Bulgaria and on the Balkan Peninsula. Its year-round sports and tourism facilities include lifts, huts and tourist facilities. In winter, you can ski and snowboard on the slopes above Sofia. In warmer weather, options include family outings with picnics and outdoor games, as well as climbing, paragliding and mountain biking. Check the specific availability of individual facilities before planning your trip.

One specific hiking option in the nature park is the yellow-marked Knyazhevo–Byalata Voda–Golden Bridges route, which takes 2 hours and 30 minutes. If you plan to hike this route, check trail conditions locally. The stated duration also gives you a specific guide for fitting this outing into your schedule.

Pancharevo Lake is also in Stolichna and is the largest body of water in the immediate vicinity of Sofia. A scenic panoramic path runs along its eastern shore, with views of the Vitosha and Plana mountains. The lake and path offer a different connection with nature from the route in Vitosha: here the focus is on the waterside setting and views of two mountain ranges, while the route there is a marked hike with a set duration.

Cultural attractions in Stolichna include Boyana Church, in Sofia’s Boyana district at the foot of Vitosha. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 and is known for its frescoes from 1259. Those depicted include Tsar Konstantin Asen Tih, Tsarina Irina, Sebastokrator Kaloyan and Desislava. The present-day church of the Kurilski Monastery is associated with its reconstruction in 1593 and painting in 1596; Boyana Church has building phases from the 10th and 11th centuries, the 13th century and the 19th century. This provides a specific chronological comparison if you would like to place the monastery theme in Novi Iskar within a broader cultural context for Stolichna.

Discover more destinations: Bankya, Vladaya, Ivanyane, German, Bistritsa, Sofia, Dolni Pasarel, Krivina.

Go to the wider travel overview: Sofia.