Rila Monastery & Boyana Church

Rila Monastery, Bulgaria

Price

From 20.00 €

Duration

8 hours

Min Age

Tour Type

Top sightseeing trips

Overview

Rila Monastery and Boyana Church - 2 UNESCO sites in one day.

Join the original and best-selling tour from Sofia made and run by Traventuria since 2010. Enjoy the two most famous and photographed Bulgarian UNESCO sites as well as the amazing Rila National Park. Travel in a modern air-conditioned minibus and discover Rila Monastery and Boyana Church, and have a professional guide by your side. You will also have enough free time to explore the Rila Monastery surroundings or sample the local food specialties at the restaurants close by. Check the awesome videos below if you are still trying to decide why booking the Rila Monastery and Boyana Church one-day tour from Sofia.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Join the original and best-selling day tour from Sofia
Discover the two most visited Bulgarian UNESCO sites
Uncover the fascinating history of Boyana Church and Rila Monastery with a guide
Travel in a modern air-conditioned vehicle
Experience and admire the awesome beauty of Rila National Park

Book Now

Know Before You Go

Interior visits to Boyana Church are limited to 10 minutes per group (8-10 people maximum)
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 is possible for the Boyana Church entrance and the 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 in the Monastery area.
Food: Bring your snacks § a bottle of water! Dining options in the area are limited & service could be rather slow.

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
Food & Drinks
Gratuities

Tour Plan

09:00 Departure from Vasil Levski Monument (Embassy of Slovakia) meeting point.

Meet us at Vasil Levski Monument, in front of the Embassy of Slovakia (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 a visit to 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 - Vasil Levski Monument, in front of the Embassy of Slovakia (LINK to the meeting point on Google Maps).

17:00/17:30 Arrival at Vasil Levski Monument (Embassy of Slovakia) - back at the tour meeting point

After an approximate two hours driving, the tour is back at its starting point - Vasil Levski Monument, in front of the Embassy of Slovakia (LINK to the meeting point on Google Maps).