USE CODE TOUR10 for a 10% DISCOUNT on your tour! *Limited time offer!
Every day, 7 days a week! Every day Tour from Sofia to Rila Monastery and Boyana Church from 25 Euro per person. Two UNESCO sites in one day! This is the most affordable way to visit two famous Bulgarian attractions.
Rila Monastery is definitely a must-see if you are a tourist with a free day in Sofia. The arcaded balconies, the unique frescoes – a work of one of the most famous Bulgarian Revival Period painters, the gilded iconostasis, the fabulous mountain views… and the unique combination of them all makes the visit to the monastery an extraordinary and memorable one.
You will have at least two full hours of free time at the Rila Monastery to explore it for yourself, enter the main church and take photos of the narthex’s gallery, admire the exhibits in the History Museum of the Monastery, try the tasty mekitsi (Bulgarian donuts) with delicious buffalo’s milk (local specialty) or even have a short walk in the area.
Boyana Church’s frescoes bring epochal change in the mural painting and are considered predecessors of the European Renaissance. The majority of the more than 240 figures depicted there have individuality, vitality, and psychological depth.
Meeting point: Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (a detailed map will be provided with the reservation)
Duration: 8 hours; 4 hrs spent in transfer time
Tour options:
- English-speaking live guide
- Spanish-speaking live guide
- Italian-speaking live guide
- Audio guide (audio device or online) in different languages -English, Spanish, Italian, French, German, and Russian.
Drop off: Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
09:00: The trip starts from the parking behind Alexander Nevski Cathedral.
09:30: A planned visit to the Boyana Church for those who booked it (! can be rescheduled for the afternoon).
10:15: Departure for a 2-hour journey through beautiful countryside to the Rila Monastery.
12:15: Estimated time of arrival at the Monastery.
12:15 – 13:15: Guided visit to the Monastery
13:15 – 14:45: Free time for lunch or further explorations of the area on your own.
14:45-15:00: Departure from Rila Monastery and head back to Sofia.
16:30-17:30: Approximate time of arrival at Alexandar Nevski Cathedral parking.
Please note that all of the timetables are approximate and are subject to change, depending on the size of the group and the traffic along the way.
Price: From 25 euros per person
Service variations:
- TRANSPORT ONLY/NO BOYANA – return transportation service (stop by Boyana church is not always part of the itinerary)
- ENGLISH GUIDED/NO BOYANA – with an English-speaking guide (visit to Boyana church is NOT included)
- SPANISH GUIDED/NO BOYANA – with an English-speaking guide (visit to Boyana church is NOT included)
- ITALIAN GUIDED/NO BOYANA – with an English-speaking guide (visit to Boyana church is NOT included)
- SMART AUDIO/NO BOYANA – with online audio guide on your smartphone (internet and headphones required; visit to Boyana church is NOT included)
- HARDWARE AUDIO + BOYANA – with an audioguide device (headphones provided);
- ENGLISH GUIDED + BOYANA – with an English-speaking guide
- &DRAGALEVTSI GUIDED – with an English-speaking guide and extension to Dragalevtsi Monastery;
- &DRAGALEVTSI SMART – with online audio guide on your smartphone and extension to Dragalevtsi Monastery
- RILA MONASTERY & MELNIK – with an English-speaking guide and extension to the town of Melnik (visit to Boyana church is NOT included).More info HERE
Admission fees (not included): 4 EUR pp for Rila Monastery Museum, 7 EUR pp for Boyana Church
The price includes: All transportation along the route, services as per variation, VAT, and parking fees.
Please note:
- Wear comfortable shoes suitable for walking.
- A strict dress code is imposed and should be respected. Clothing should cover the shoulders for both men and women. Women are advised to avoid wearing short skirts or shorts.”
- The tour is not suitable for disabled people.
- The tour is not recommended for children under 6 years old.
If you are travelling with a child, a separate seat (ticket) must be booked.
Please get in touch with us to arrange a booster seat (as required by law)
Private Tour option available, please contact us for details!
ADDITIONAL DEPARTURE HOURS DURING THE EASTER HOLIDAYS!
(*Special timetables, rates and conditions apply during the Easter holidays! Note that these may show differences as compared to the normal tour program as per above)
