Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Full-Day Tour
Overview
Available languages
8 hours
Mobile ticket
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!
Additional Info
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.
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.
Safety Notice: For the safety and enjoyment of all guests, anyone who appears intoxicated or behaves in a way that makes guides uncomfortable may be removed from the tour. No refunds will be issued in such cases.
The order of visits to the Rila Monastery and Boyana Church may be adjusted due to weather conditions or circumstances beyond our control.
On certain days as 18th of May , 17th of September and 1st of November - Your entry to the Boyana church might NOT be guaranteed.
Please note that some of the tour options do not include a visit to Boyana Church, even if it may appear in general destination descriptions. We kindly ask you to read each tour description carefully to ensure it includes the sites you wish to visit before booking. If you are unsure, feel free to contact us for clarification.
Customers who book the Self-Guided Tour (Transportation Only) option do not have guaranteed entry to Boyana Church. Due to the church’s strict timed entry regulations and limited visitor capacity, access inside the church depends on ticket availability at the time of arrival.
Guides are not obligated to provide guided commentary while inside the bus. Explanations and guided tours typically take place at designated stops and attractions rather than during transit.
What To Expect
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.
Options
[IT] Guided Tour in Italian
Guided Tour in Italian: Enjoy a Italian-guided tour of the Rila Monastery and the Boyana Church.
[EN] Guided Tour in English
Guided Tour in English: Enjoy an English-guided visit to both Rila Monastery and 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)
[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).
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.
[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).
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.
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.
[ES] Guided Tour in Spanish
Guided Tour in Spanish : Enjoy a Spanish-guided tour of the Rila Monastery and the Boyana Church.
[TR] Self-guided Tour
Self-guided Tour : With this option, you can discover the two UNESCO sites WITHOUT A GUIDE.
What‘s Included
A trip to to Boyana Chuch and Rila Monastery depending on the booked option
Transportation by a comfortable bus/ minibus
Parking fees
English speaking guide OR driver, depending on the booked option
Boyana Church – Adults 6.14 EUR. Children over 7 years and students - 1.53 EUR
Rila Monastery museum & monk room entrance ticket- 4 EUR
Food and drinks
Gratuities
Hotel pick up and drop off
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
1,031 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
So much fun!
timeaxx,Jun 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Nelly was our tour guide, she was amazing all day. She is very positive & enthusiastic and answers any questions you have. She made me feel comfortable despite being a solo traveller and one of the only people speaking English in a big group. The day itself was so much fun, I highly recommend it! Rila Monastery is huge in terms of the grounds and places to walk/see, I definitely recommend to grab a bite to eat from the bakery behind it. Super cheap and very nice!
Great day trip with stunning views.
Maps46233772551,Jun 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This tour was one of the best experiences I had in Bulgaria. The monastery and the mountains around it was stunning. Their bakery has the most delicious bread with cheese. Maria our tour guide was one of the best guides I traveled with. The bus driver was very nice.
Rila & Boyana (English Guided)
Joy A,May 31, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent tour! Maria was a great guide! 40-45 minute tour of Rila, with a good amount of time for personal exploration and food. Boyana church was also wonderful, with history provided before and while in the church. The bus ride was smooth, and Maria also provided information while riding the bus. I would recommend to a friend!
Good but Too much free...
Heidi M,May 30, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00Good but Too much free time at the monastery as there is not much to do around there. One tour guide did both English and Italian tour so each group had to wait around while she finished the other language plus even more additional free time. Have separate guides for each language.
A great experience of...
Juanjose A,May 27, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00A great experience with IVA. It added great value to the visit with its explanations. An experience to repeat
Beautiful place, lots of history, on top of the mountains
Rita F,May 26, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00The Rila Monastery is a place worth seeing. Our guide Pablo was excellent, passed us very well the whole context of the history of the Monastery, with calm and education. The bus left much to be desired, already very old and by the sight without maintenance: the clutch scratched when changing the marches, the seat in front of my caia and I got no space, had to be lifted pulling, but it fell again when the passenger leaned on it. We were without air conditioning for a good period on the return, we ended up feeling dizzy by excessive heat. Then the guide justified q the back was warmer by the engine, but I think it was off, pq after that it worked again
Great way to experience...
Joanne W,May 25, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00Great way to experience Bulgarian history and mountainous countryside. The church is amazing to visit
Fascinating monastery and an excellent guide
ivana A8687SY,May 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The tour was very well organized from start to finish. Our guide, Iva, was excellent and spoke English very clearly and professionally, which made the experience even more enjoyable. The Rila Monastery was absolutely fascinating and definitely worth visiting. Near the monastery, there are also two restaurants and a small kiosk/bakery where you can buy local products and snacks. After that, we visited Boyana Church. The church itself is quite small, but the old frescoes are truly impressive. Because of their preservation, visitors enter in small groups of nine people and the visit inside is limited to 10 minutes, which is completely understandable.
Wonderul Day Visiting Rila and Boyana
Gordon W,May 22, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00It's a long day, but very enjoyable. Neli was quite informative, especially about the frescoes at the Boyana Church. The bus was comfortable. Everything was as we expected.
Very caring tour guides
Dmitri G,May 22, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This trip to the Rila Monastery and Boyana Church is definitely worth it. Plenty of time to explore the Rila Monastery and a museum or two there if you want to (museums cost extra). I opted to pay a few euros to climb up the tower and was treated to some lovely views. I also had time to get a snack, explore on my own and take lots of photos. The tour guide's talk in the courtyard was informative and in-depth and included some interesting stories. Although, I am sorry I found it hard to concentrate for that long. On the way back we visited the amazing little Boyana Church. By the way just remember that the Boyana Church costs €6 to enter and is not included in the excursion cost so take cash with you so you can purchase a ticket on the bus from your tour guide. Neli and Eva did an amazing job looking after, caring and doing they absolute best for everyone in the group.
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Operated by City Tour Ltd.