Day trip

From Sofia: Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Day Trip

4.7  / 51689 reviews
Activity provider:City Tour Sofia
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Day trip
From Sofia: Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Day Trip
Activity provider:City Tour Sofia
4.7  / 51689 reviews

Discover 2 UNESCO World Heritage Listed religious sites on a day trip from Sofia. Choose to have a guided tour or explore the Rila Monastery on your own before admiring the frescoes of Boyana Church.

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Reserve now & pay later
Keep your travel plans flexible — book your spot and pay nothing today.
Duration 8 - 8.5 hours
Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide
Italian, English, Spanish
Optional audio guide
Spanish, Italian, French, German, Russian, English

Experience

Itinerary

  • getyourguide-logo-icon.svg

    Starting location:

    Rila Monastery Trip from Sofia

  • Bus/coach

    (2 hours)

  • main-stop-icon.svg

    Rila Monastery

    Visit (3 hours)

  • Bus/coach

    (1.5 hours)

  • main-stop-icon.svg

    Boyana Church

    Visit (30 minutes)

  • Bus/coach

    (30 minutes)

  • Arrive back at:

    Rila Monastery Trip from Sofia

Main stop

For reference only. Itineraries are subject to change.

Highlights

  • Take the chance to explore 2 UNESCO World Heritage sites
  • Choose a guided tour of Rila monastery or discover it on your own
  • Dive into the authentic countryside of Bulgaria on the way
  • Gain a fascinating insight into the history of Eastern Orthordoxy in Bulgaria
  • Admire beautiful examples of medieval frescoes in the church of Boyana

Full description

Experience the religious history of Bulgaria on a day trip to the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Rila Monastery and Boyana Church from Sofia. Follow your guide around the monastery to learn about this epic site or choose to explore it on your own before viewing Boyana Church's ancient frescoes. Meet your friendly group for the day at the parking lot Behind Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, near cafe La Cathedrale. Settle down in your seat and set off out of the city as you drive along scenic roads with picturesque views of rural Bulgaria. Arrive at Rila Monastery, the largest Eastern Orthodox monastery in the country. If you've booked the tour, follow your guide around the historic site and learn about the main frescoes. If you're an explorer you can visit the museum, take photos, and check out the church at your own pace. Spend about 3-hours at the monastery where you will get the opportunity to take photos, check the shops, visit the museums, and have a lunch break in the nearby restaurant. Then start your journey back to Sofia with one more important stop along the way. Enter the medieval Boyana Church and stroll within the ancient walls, studying the artistic frescoes which make this place so special. Finish your journey at around 5:00 PM to 5:30 PM in the city center.

Includes

  • Day trip to Rila Monastery and Boyana Church
  • English-speaking guide or driver, depending on the booked option
  • Transportation with an air-conditioned vehicle
  • Parking fees
  • Entry to Boyana Church (12 BGN per person)
  • Entry to Rila Monastery Museums (optional visit during the free time)
  • Food and drinks
  • Tips

Select participants and date

Participants

Date

Meeting point

The meeting point is Behind Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, near Cafe La Cathedrale. Look for the 'City Tour" guide, the guides are dressed in blue.

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Important information

What to bring

  • Cash

Not allowed

  • Short skirts
  • Sleeveless shirts

Know before you go

  • The inside visits within Boyana Church are limited to 10 minutes per group.
  • There are not many dining options around the monastery, so in the period April – October we recommend you to bring your own food. In the period November – March we organize a stop at a nearby restaurant, since the weather is colder and it is not comfortable to eat outside.
  • The Boyana church is closed on the 1st of January, on the Sunday of the Orthodox Easter, on the 24th of December and the 25th of December ─ on such days the tour is done only to the Rila Monastery

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.7 /5

based on 1689 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.5/5
  • Transportation
    4.7/5
  • Value for money
    4.6/5
  • Service
    4/5

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G
GetYourGuide traveler – United KingdomJanuary 22, 2023  – Verified booking
Very nice and kind guide and driver. Meeting point was easy to find. The guide explained about the trip and took entrance fee for the church in cash. Left from there on time.The drive to Rila Monastery was scenic but tiring(2 hours). First stop is around 2 hours into the trip so it is better to be prepared when you leave in the morning. The monastery was beautiful and you get to spend about 2 hours there. You can go on a stroll outside the monastery. The weather was great which made it possible. Lunch was at a local restaurant near the monastery. The food was nice. Although they had card readers, they preferred cash payment. So it’s a good idea to keep cash. The trip from the monastery to the church is around 2 hours again. The time at the church is limited. It is historic. Very small portion of the church is intact. The tour guide did speak english but majority of the group spoke spanish. The guide was kind to repeat things in english. All in all it was a well worth day trip.
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GetYourGuide traveler – ItalyJanuary 6, 2023  – Verified booking
Organizzazione ottima. Due guide presenti per tutto il giorno Una in lingua spagnola e una in lingua inglese, che parlava anche un po' di italiano. Monastero di Rila bellissimo, tempo a disposizione sufficiente per visita adeguata ed eventuale pranzo. Nel pomeriggio visita alla chiesa di Bojana. Interessante
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C
Ciro – ItalyJanuary 6, 2023  – Verified booking
Esperienza molto consigliata. Il monastero di Rila merita tantissimo. Le guide, preparatissime, parlano inglese e spagnolo e ci hanno portato a pranzo in un ristorante tipico a pochi minuti dal monastero. Viaggio di ritorno con tappa alla chiesa di Bojana e visita guidata. Rientro a Sofia per le 18.
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Product ID: 417180

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