Self Guided Tour Experience in Rila Monastery
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Enjoy a day out at the Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila, better known as the Rila Monastery is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. This product gives you an unique conversational audio guide and an electronic guide with full guides notes. Total flexibility and at your own pace.
The Rila Monastery is located in 1147 meters altitude in the middle of the fragrant coniferous forests of Rila Mountain. The monastery is a complex of cultural, dwelling and farming buildings which take about 8800 square meters. The Rila Monastery has an unique architecture.
Outside, the monastery looks like a fortress. It has 24-meter stone walls which forms irregular pentagon. That’s why when some tourist enters the monastery’s yard from some of the two iron gates he is surprised by its architecture: arches and colonnades, covered wooden stairs and carved verandas and the 300-400 monastic cells.
Additional Info
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Rila Monastery
This is an unique activity featuring a conversational audio guide and an electronic guide with full guides notes for the Rila Monastery. By using this product at your own pace you will be fully flexible to enjoy the magnificent UNESCO Rila monastery.
What‘s Included
E-guide for the Monastery
Unique conversational audio guide
Personal expenses
Meeting points
Rila Monastery
Rila Bulgaria
End points
This activity ends back at the meeting point.
Options
Self Guided Tour Experience in Rila Monastery
Reviews
15 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
The best way to visit the Rila Monastery.
rafaelgC5430GQ,Sep 18, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a wonderful time in the Rila Monastery. We bought a combined ticket that give you access to everything except interior photos. But the best of the whole tour was our driver, Martin, who is very kind, patient, knowledgeable of the surrounding area. We highly recommend Martin if you book this tour or the 7 lake tour.
Totally worth it
EKaterina1710,Sep 16, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Really good, with lots of information and the guide notes. Truly recommneded for everyone needing to explore this fascinating sight at the fraction of the cost.
3,5 Minuten Audio Guide, mehr war nicht dabei, kein Eintritt, Nichts. Danke für gar nichts, nicht empfehlenswert
Klaus N,Aug 18, 2024
- Review from Viator
1.00Hello, I am very dissatisfied with Viator because, contrary to their promises, there was no entrance fee to the Rilak Monastery and the 3.5 minutes of the audio guide for over 20 euros is simply not enough. If you do not refund me a large part of my money, I will rate you accordingly and also mention NEGATIVE in all of my travel reports. With kind regards, Klaus P. Nut
If you want to visit the Rila monastery thats a gem
EKaterina1710,Sep 30, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We used the car rental to reach the sight. And this activity is a real gem we found out. All the guides notes and audio in our pockets. Extremely nice!
Doesn’t work
Kelly S,Sep 11, 2023
- Review from Viator
1.00They don’t accept it. They make you buy another one. I guess I was confused to how it works Spoke to Viator said supposed to just download on phone but in a lot of area not allowed to have phone out
Excellent
MaggieYou92,Aug 17, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00One of the gems out there. We wanted to save money and had a car rental so we drove to the monastery and used the e-guide which was sent beforehand. Really interestingly written by the local guides with everything you need. Very cheap price.
Total scam
Rlloret,Aug 7, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00Is a gotcha. Entry to the monastery is free and there are no lines. The only thing they give for 6 euros is a 5-page e-guide with a mystical-religious text, with hardly any artistic or historical descriptions.
No general admission
Heyitsimionhowya,Dec 10, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00My friend Hristo, please do not try to scam people by saying the following points below because there is no entry fee/genera admission (its free) and no lines whatsoever. Yes you do supply the e guided tour so maybe only include this in your price. General entry Entry/Admission - Rila Monastery Guaranteed to skip the lines
The Magnetic Place
EKaterina1710,Jun 8, 2021
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I loved this magnetic place! The incredible monastery is the largest in Bulgaria. The information provided in the guide was complete and interesting! My friends and I did not miss a single detail and watched this impressive object at our own pace, taking many amazing photos!
Beware! Fraud!
Serena T,May 31, 2021
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00This is a fraud. I booked a day trip at Boyana Church and Rila Monastery with this operator through booking.com but the information provided in their advert is very incorrect and misleading. I paid 23 euro for a self-guided tour and I do understand what is the difference between a self-guided trip and privately guided trip, BUT my ticket clearly stated a meeting time 9am and a meeting point pl. "Sveti Aleksandar Nevski" 4 so I was expecting a shuttle bus to be provided, and then I will have used a written self guide in the sites. Clearly this is not what they offer.They sent me a PDF the day before, and the PDF contained nothing more than public information that you can easily find for free on google. The day of the tour I arrived at the time written on my ticket and at the meeting point on my ticket and nobody showed up. I phoned them and they lied to me saying that this was the first time this thing has happened (there are other reviews like mine!!), they didn't apologise, they blamed booking.com or some other intermediary for the incorrect information. So they ask you to pay 23 euro for a PDF and then you have to arrange your transportation even though on your ticket there is meeting information? This doesn't make any sense. On the phone they told me they were going to refund me but then I received an email just saying that since this was somebody else's fault (??) I wasn't entitled to a refund. I've tried to contact them again but they stopped getting back to me. There are many other good and reliable operators, beware of this one!
-11% off
From €8.00Was €8.99
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Operated by VisitBulgariaOn Bespoke Experiences