Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Day Tour from Sofia

Price

25€

Duration

8 hours

Tour Type

Overview

Join the original and best-selling Rila Monastery Bus Tour provided by Traventuria Day Tours. Explore two of UNESCO’s best World Heritage sights in just one day!

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
  • Explore 2 of Bulgaria’s most famous UNESCO World Heritage Sites in one day
  • Visit Rila Monastery in the Rila Mountains (Rila Mountain National Park)
  • Marvel its arcaded balconies, unique frescoes, gilded iconostasis and fabulous mountain views
  • Discover the pre-Renaissance frescoes of Boyana Church
  • Travel in comfort through the Bulgarian countryside
  • Taste homemade "mekitsi" (traditional Bulgarian fried doughnuts served with Bulgarian yoghurt) at the Rila Monastery bakery
  • Buy souvenirs and other presents from the gift shops around
  • Experience our amazing tour with a live English-speaking guide
    OR
  • Book with an audio guide (self-guided version of the tour) in ES, IT, DE, RU, and FR languages to explore at your own pace
  • Book online and get automatic confirmation within a few minutes

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Included/Excluded

  • Live guide in English or an audio guide in a different language
  • Tour days with Live Italian or Spanish Speaking Guides
  • Transport in a modern air-conditioned bus
  • Parking Fees
  • Boyana Church entry ticket (if option selected)
  • Rila Monastery Museum entry ticket
  • Gratuities
  • Food & Drinks

Tour Plan

09:00 Departure from Alexander Nevski Cathedral meeting point.

Meet us behind the Alexander Nevski Cathedral, close to a restaurant called "La Cattedrale" (LINK to the meeting point on Google Maps).
Please, arrive at the meeting point at least 10 min earlier. The bus departs at 09:00 am sharp and does NOT wait for any late passengers.

09:30 Arrival at Boyana Church.

After an approximately 25 min drive, the first main sight of the tour is reached.
Discover Boyana Church and its preserved pre-Renaissance frescoes.
You will spent about 30 minutes here.
Entry fee is 5 euro per person (10 BGN/leva).

10:00 Departure from Boyana Church, heading to Rila Monastery.

After the visit to Boyana Church, the tour continues its journey to Rila Monastery. It is about 2 hours drive with beautiful countryside scenery of Bulgaria. Enjoy the ride!

12:00 Arrival at Rila Monastery.

After an approximate two hour drive, you will reach the main sight of interest of the trip - the majestic Rila Monastery, hidden in the beautiful Rila Mountains.
Tour spends almost 3 hours here (guided walk, free time/lunch and visit of the Saint Ivan Cave visit including).
Kindly note, that those who will not be visiting the Cave of Saint Ivan Rilski, will have longer free time at the Rila Monastery.

15:00/15:30 Departure from Rila Monastery.

Departure from Rila Monastery and heading back to Sofia.

At approximately 17:00 or 17:30 pm, the tour is back at its starting point - behind the Alexander Nevski Cathedral, by the restaurant called "La Cattedrale".

17:00/17:30 Arrival at Alexander Nevski Cathedral Square (back at the tour meeting point).

After an approximate two hours driving, the tour is back at its starting point - behind the Alexander Nevski Cathedral, by the restaurant called 'La Cattedrale". (LINK to the meeting point on Google Maps).

Important info

  • Dress Code: The Rila Monastery is at 1150 m (3770 ft) a.s.l. Dress according to the season & the weather forecast. Don’t forget your umbrella.
    There is a strict DRESS CODE at the Monastery. Shoulders and knees MUST be covered. High heels are NOT acceptable!
  • Cash or Card: Kindly note that payment by credit/debit cards are possible for the Boyana Church entrance and History Museum of Rila Monastery.
    Payment by credit/debit card, however, is not possible at the dining places in the area; therefore we strongly recommend bringing Bulgarian leva in cash with you.
    Please note that there are no ATMs along the route, nor at the Monastery area.
  • Food: Bring your snacks § a bottle of water! Dining options in the area are limited & service could be rather slow.

Why choose Traventuria?

At Traventuria we pride ourselves on creating unforgettable travel experiences. With expert local guides, carefully curated itineraries, and a digitally optimized booking process, we ensure that your journey is smooth from start to finish. As the original creators of the renowned tour to the Rila Monastery and Boyana Church, two UNESCO heritage sites in 1 day, we guarantee a unique and enriching adventure. Trust us to take you into the heart of the destinations you dream of exploring.

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Rila Monastery Bus From Sofia (Bus stop)
4.8
Based on 2004 reviews
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Pierpaolo Di Raimondo
04:55 16 Jun 25
Beautiful experience! The monastery and the cave were a pleasant surprise. Our guide (Kamen) was professional and prepared: he spoke fluent Italian.
They combined (for numbers, I assume) two excursions into one but it didn't impact the program that much.
At the monastery there are 4 museums: for museum lovers there wouldn't have been time to visit them all... perhaps staying an hour more would have allowed us to optimize the time to see the museums or to take a walk: the monastery and the surrounding areas are worth it.
If possible, avoid Sundays because of the crowds.
Congratulations!
Layssa De oliveira
20:34 15 Jun 25
Magnificent experience
Claude Averoux
18:00 15 Jun 25
It was a great day, even though I didn't understand everything given my level of English.
I really enjoyed the trip to the cave, even though it was rather tiring, but a good amount of tiredness...
Elena Buza
16:42 15 Jun 25
Great experience, professional guide Antonio, saw three places, Boyana Church, Dragalevitsi and Rila Monastery with enough time for self-exploration
Abhilash Mishra
16:38 15 Jun 25
Nice Tour. Rila monastery is awesome and must visit when in Bulgaria. Antonio was our Guide for the day and he made it very interesting and provided all the Details.
Juan Fernández
13:18 15 Jun 25
saeed khodor
10:06 15 Jun 25
Well the site is great, but what made it so great was the tour guide Hristo Manov and the bus driver ofcourse peter, hristo is very informative and great company. The best thing is that we agreed that bacteria needed to make yougart is not bulgarian 😀
Gianluca Doubravsky
06:00 15 Jun 25
Zuzana Karpinská
20:37 14 Jun 25
Excelent servce.our guide Hristo Manov was knowleable,spiritual and fun . Our driver was skilfull in an uneasy terain. I higly recomend this company.
B G
18:20 14 Jun 25
We slept in and missed the bus to Rila, and the company were willing to let us meet another tour at the nearby Boyana church, and then go to Rila. Thank you so much for your understanding and flexibility. Thanks also to Hristo for his energy and friendly vibe! Well done
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