Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Full-Day Tour
Tổng quát
Ngôn ngữ có sẵn
8 giờ
Vé di động
Join an 8.5–10 hour guided group tour to two UNESCO sites – Rila Monastery and Boyana Church. Enjoy a 40-minute tour at Rila Monastery, followed by 2.5 hours of free time for photos, museums, shopping, or lunch. At Boyana Church, admire its stunning 800-year-old frescoes with a brief guided visit.
Note: Women must cover shoulders and knees in the monastery.
Tip: On busy summer weekends, bring lunch from Sofia to save time.
*Boyana Church is closed on Jan 1, Orthodox Easter Sunday, and Dec 24–25. On these dates, the tour visits only Rila Monastery.
This tour offers a perfect mix of cultural heritage, scenic mountain landscapes, and insightful storytelling from your professional English-speaking guide. Transport is provided by a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle, and the group size allows for a more personal experience. Ideal for history lovers and nature enthusiasts alike!
Thông tin khác
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Women should have their knees and shoulders covered in the Monastery.
There are not many dining options around the Monastery - there are bakeries where you can enjoy pastry. As an alternative, you can always bring your own food with you.
Bring cash with you (preferably local currency) – the shops and the restaurants in the area of the monastery accept mostly cash payments so it is important to have some money with you.
Please warn us if you have a 0-2 years old baby when you make the reservation so that we can prepare a special seat for them
The visits within the Boyana Church itself are limited to 10 minutes per every group of 8 to 10 people. If you'd like to enter inside, you may also need to queue.
On certain days, such as around holidays in Bulgaria, or when in groups over 100 people, delays are possible and the estimated tour finish time in Sofia could change as far as 18:30.
Boyana Church offers entrance FREE of charge every last Monday of each month. On such days, you will be taken to the Boyana Church, however please keep in mind that your entrance WON'T be guaranteed, especially if the Church is in high demand by other people on spot.
The Boyana church is closed on the 1st of January, on the Sunday of the Orthodox Easter, on the 24th of December, the 25th of December - and on such days the tour is done only to the Rila Monastery.
For the safety and enjoyment of all guests, any customer who appears intoxicated at the time of the tour will not be permitted to participate. In such cases, no refunds will be issued.
The order of visits to the Rila Monastery and Boyana Church may be adjusted due to weather conditions or circumstances beyond our control.
Chính sách hủy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cần Quan Tâm
Vasil Levski Monument
The meeting point for the tour is Vasil Levski Monument, Yanko Sakuzov Blvd 7 at 8:40am . The departure is at 9am. Please be on time!
Rila Monastery
The Rila Monastery is the biggest monastery in Bulgaria. It was established back in the 10th century. The current buildings are from the mid 19th century, with a defensive tower that survived from the 14th century. In the monastery complex you will admire the impressive architecture and frescoes. You will have 40-mintue guided tour and 2.5 hours free time to check the museum, the shops, take photos and have lunch break.
Bao gồm
A trip to to Boyana Chuch and Rila Monastery
Transportation by a comfortable bus/ minibus
Parking fees
English speaking guide OR driver, depending on the booked option
Boyana church entrance ticket - approx. 6 euro per person (12 lev)
Rila Monastery museum + monk room entrance ticket - approx. 4 euro per person (8 lev)
Food and drinks
Gratuities
Hotel pick up and drop off
Tùy chọn
[TR] Self-guided Tour
Self-guided Tour : With this option, you can discover the two UNESCO sites WITHOUT A GUIDE.
[SG] Smart Audio Guide
Smart Audio Guide: Travel in comfort to Rila Monastery and Boyana Church and discover both sites with an online audio guide (NO LIVE GUIDE).
[AG] Tour with Audio Guide
Tour with Audio Guide: Travel in comfort to Rila Monastery and Boyana Church and discover both sites with an audio guide (NO LIVE GUIDE).
[EN] Guided Tour in English
Guided Tour in English: Enjoy an English-guided visit to both Rila Monastery and Boyana Church.
[IT] Guided Tour in Italian
Guided Tour in Italian: Enjoy a Italian-guided tour of the Rila Monastery and the Boyana Church.
RILA MONASTERY ONLY - ITALIAN
Rila ONLY ITALIAN (NO BOYANA): This options includes an Italian-guided visit ONLY to the Rila monastery WITHOUT a visit to the Boyana church.
[ES] Guided Tour in Spanish
Guided Tour in Spanish : Enjoy a Spanish-guided tour of the Rila Monastery and the Boyana Church.
Rila Monastery Only - ENGLISH
Rila ONLY ENGLISH (NO BOYANA): This options includes an English-guided visit ONLY to the Rila monastery WITHOUT a visit to the Boyana church.
RILA MONASTERY ONLY - SPANISH
Rila ONLY SPANISH (NO BOYANA): This options includes an Spanish-guided visit ONLY to the Rila monastery WITHOUT a visit to the Boyana church.
RILA ONLY/TRANSPORT - NO GUIDE
Rila ONLY Transport-NO BOYANA: Enjoy All Day visit to Rila monastery ONLY, NO VISIT TO BOYANA CHURCH WITHOUT A LIVE GUIDE - visit local museums (optional)
Đánh giá
908 đánh giá
Tổng số đánh giá và xếp hạng từ Viator & TripAdvisor
Great trip with Iva as our guide
lilyak408,,7 thg 1, 2026
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00Iva was our guide and she was so great! 😄 we loved her! She explained the history very well and was pleasant to communicate with.
Good tour
G1255NFantoniom,,4 thg 1, 2026
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent excursion to Rila Monastery and Boyana Church. The places are stunning, full of history, art and nature, really unique and very well preserved. The whole tour was perfectly organized. A special recognition for the Maria guide, which was wonderful: very professional, friendly and with clear and interesting explanations, making the visit even more enriching. Definitely a highly recommended experience.
Great day trip
Emily H,,2 thg 1, 2026
- Đánh giá từ Viator
5.00This was a great day trip. Our guide was very informative and nice. Of course this is a large tour and we were in a bus, so when we went to the Boyana church, since only 10 people are allowed at a time inside, there was a lot of waiting in the cold until everyone got to enter. The places were beautiful though, it was just a long trip, we spent more time traveling than at the places of interest, but as a day trip from Sofia I would still recommend this as the places are a must see and it’s a great alternative from having to plan and drive yourself.
Wonderful day in Rila and Iglesua Boyana
daniel m,,1 thg 1, 2026
- Đánh giá từ Viator
5.00If you come to Sofia you can not miss this excursion The beautiful monuments and the Mary guide deserve a 10
Perfect !
18parisc,,31 thg 12, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00Perfect organisation to discuover 2 master pieces in a day. A bit too fast in Bayana church. Thank you the driver and Iva.
5/5
charlesdG5390XL,,30 thg 12, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00Great tour by Eva of the monastery and boyana church. Super knowledgeable guide who gave us a whirlwind tour through Bulgarian history – doing both a Spanish and English tour at both locations! Transportation was easy as well. Well worth it.
Good tour, my...
Daniele D,,28 thg 12, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Viator
4.00Good tour, my advice to book this excursion if you stay in Sofia for more than 2 days. The monastery of Rila very interesting especially for the context in which it is inserted or in the Bulgarian nature. The church of Boyana very small and the visit takes just under 10 minutes. In total a normal excursion, you can do without it but it “fills” the journey if it lasts more than 2 days.
A magnificent monastery ... and Maria!
Marcus U,,21 thg 12, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Viator
5.00My trip to Rila Monastery and Boyana Church was the ideal day out and perfect opportunity to see some of Bulgaria's most awe-inspiring, UNESCO-listed religious sites. What made the day extra special, however, was our exceptional guide, Maria, whose enthusiasm and passion for Bulgaria brought its rich history to life. We left central Sofia promptly at 9am, stopped for refreshments on the way, then Maria gave us a guided tour of the impressive and well-preserved Rila Monastery site. We then had ample free time to explore the expansive grounds, visit the museum and enjoy a delicious (and generously-portioned) lunch. On the way back to Sofia, we stopped to see the stunning 11th-13th century murals in the jewel box-like Boyana church (definitely worth the €6 entry fee). We arrived back at Sofia's Alexander Nevsky Cathedral around 5.30pm. The City Tour visit to Rila Monastery and Boyana Church, ideally with Maria as guide, comes highly recommended as a great value day trip and opportunity to see some of the most beautiful sites in this incredible country.
Delightful day trip
Paul V,,20 thg 12, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Viator
5.00A very pleasant day outing. There is longer travel time in the (comfortable) bus, but well worth it - the Rila monastery is spectacular and interesting! The Boyana church is also incredible on the inside and definitely wort experiencing. Our guide, Ina, was knowledgeable and friendly and communication was clear and easy.
Monastery of Rila
Vincenzo B,,17 thg 12, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Viator
5.00To do absolutely . Transported by excellent company and a very good guide, immersed in a medieval setting.
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