Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Day Trip

771 Ratings

Sofia

Save

View All (11)

Embark on a UNESCO World Heritage day trip from Sofia to explore the stunning Rila Monastery and Boyana Church. Choose from guided tours or transport-only options.

Duration: 8 hours

Cancellation: 1 day learn more

Highlights

St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral - 09:00 departure from the starting point. Be sure to arrive at least 15 minutes before departure.

What's Included

Driver/Tour guide in English
Transport by air-conditioned minibus
Parking fees

What's Not Included

Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Admission to Boyana Church (approx. 5 euros per person) and Rila Monastery Museum (approx. 4 euros per person)
Audio guide in Spanish, Italian, German, Russian or English (approx. 5 euros per person)
Food and drinks

Additional Information

Embark on a day-long journey from Sofia to two of Bulgaria’s UNESCO World Heritage sites. Commence your expedition in a minibus, taking in the scenic Bulgarian countryside as you head to the Rila Monastery nestled within the pine-enshrouded Rila Mountains. Participate in a guided walkthrough of this medieval marvel with its mural-adorned church, and peruse its intriguing museum. After a period of solo exploration, continue to the Boyana Church, located near Sofia, to appreciate its extraordinary pre-Renaissance murals. Entrance charges are not included. The trip presents 3 separate alternatives: 1. A lead tour option with an English-speaking live guide. 2. A tour accompanied by an audio guide in Spanish, Italian, German, Russian, or English. 3. Only transportation (this option may not be available on certain dates).

Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities
Not wheelchair accessible or stroller friendly
Comfortable walking shoes recommended
Exceptions to the standard program:
Boyana church will NOT be visited on the following days: 1st of January (the tour starts at 11 AM on that day only); The day of Orthodox Easter; 24th and 25th December.
Hand disinfectant will be provided for free throughout the tour.
All touch points in the vehicles will be cleaned frequently.
Minimum traveler age is 5 years old

Location

St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

ploshtad "Sveti Aleksandar Nevski"

IMPORTANT: The meeting point is BEHIND Alexander Nevski Cathedral (opposite La Cattedrale restaurant) | Google Maps link: https://goo.gl/maps/KY3uaHDALKjDJukQA | GPS coordinates: 42.695601, 23.333790 | Please, be there 15 min. in advance! | This tour is not suitable for children under the age of 5.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

4.6

(771 Ratings)

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

James_g

Sep 16, 2024

Monastic moments - The monastery tour, both outside and inside; and the free time to further explore the Church and museum

Review provided by Viator

Rika_o

Sep 10, 2024

Highly recommend both Rila and Boyana - If you’re visiting Sofia, then these two are must see spots. Boyana is close to the city center and while the outside is nothing special, the frescoes inside and the explanation provided by our guide, Hristov was very interesting. Rila is stunning, set in the mountains as a background. The drive is long but very well worth it. Bristol does an excellent job keeping the group informed and engaged with lots of history and explanation. Some additional information that might be helpful to know before you go: the pick up meeting point is just behind the Alexander Nevsky cathedral. We stayed at a hotel within two minutes walking distance from there which made logistics very easy. While there is plenty of time to take in the beauty of Rila, the surrounding does not offer many options in the form of food. There is a local donut stand (which is quite good) but you may want to consider packing a sandwich or snacks to eat, because there really is no “stops” planned for that in the schedule. The day runs from 9am-5pm.

Review provided by Viator

Yovrtula

Sep 8, 2024

Nice day trip, I recomend it. - It was nice trip, despite it was cold. The guide was also profesional an polite. The group was big enough, we quickly understood each other. Overall it was nice trip.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Lifeisbeaut

Sep 7, 2024

Great tour to do when one does not have car of Rila Monastery and Boyana Church - This is a good tour to do when one wants to go to the Rila Monastery and Boyana Church and one doesn't have a car. It is more affordable than doing a private tour which is not necessary. The guide, Hristo made it worthwhile as he was so passionate about the places being visited and Bulgaria in general and he was interesting to listen to. We had a large bus that was very comfortable with a very careful driver. It didn't feel like too much driving. There was sufficient time at the monastery to look around/eat etc. It was exactly as expected.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Karenw_n

Sep 5, 2024

This is worth your time - Martin was excellent. He's well versed in Romania which is helpful. The churches are lovely. Humbling. All in all, a very good day.

Review provided by Viator

Susan_a

Sep 4, 2024

Excellent tour- would recommend - A really great tour- I’d have never thought to visit a monastery so far away on my own, but the tour made it so easy. The guide was knowledgeable and friendly, and I really enjoyed my day

Review provided by Viator

Ken_m

Aug 27, 2024

Serene and historic - Boyana church is very impressive. A portion is nearly 1,000 years old and in very good condition. It felt like walking back in time. Rila is a lovely serene place. I can see why the monks built their Monestary in this location.

Review provided by Viator

Passenger18436830780

Aug 23, 2024

Unforgettable day - Both Boyana Church and the magnificent Rila Monastery are definitely worth a visit. The day was made even more interesting and pleasant by the presence of Guide Zahari, very nice and always ready to offer us historical and cultural news about what we were visiting (in perfect Italian). Highly Recommendation!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

K5045fdnadiar

Aug 22, 2024

Great tour - Very suggestive tour history, frescoes, nature, really deserves as a destination to visit. Excellent English Guide but also the Audio Guide in Italian easy to use and with interesting historical notions but not only. Try pancakes, yoghurts and raspberries!!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Graham_r