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Rila Monastery In-Depth Tour (Extended Free Time)

Recommended by 95% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Sofia, Bulgaria
Great choice
10+ bookings last month.
  • 8 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

    What's Included

    • Driver
    • Round-trip transport by air-conditioned minibus or coach
    • Professional Live Tour Guide OR Cloud-based Audio Guide App (Service depends on the specific Option)
    • Extended free time to visit the Rila Monastery complex
    • Gratuities
    • Admission Fee - Rila Monastery Museum (Optional; The History Museum, Tower, etc. Entry to the main monastery courtyard and church is free)
    • Admission Fee - Entrance to Boyana Church (This listing does not include Boyana entry. The bus may only stop outside for logistics)
    • Hotel pickup and drop-off

    Meeting and Pickup

    Meeting point

    • Sofia Center, bul. "Yanko Sakazov" 9, 1527 Sofia, Bulgaria

      The meeting point is next to the Vasil Levski Monument, in front of the Embassy of Slovakia

    End point

    This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    Itinerary

    Vasil Levski Monument (Pass By)

    1

    Rila Monastery

    3 hours • Admission Ticket Free

    Vasil Levski Monument (Pass By)

    Additional Info

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Most travelers can participate
    • Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities
    • Not wheelchair accessible or stroller friendly
    • Comfortable walking shoes recommended
    • Boyana church will NOT be visited on the following days: 1st of January (the tour starts at 11 AM on that day only); The day of Orthodox Easter; 24th and 25th December.
    • Dress Code: Rila Monastery is an active religious site. Shoulders and knees MUST be covered for both men and women.
    • Audio App Users: If you booked an Audio App/Self-guided option, the accompanying staff on the bus will only assist with logistics (meeting times, parking) and usually speak Spanish or Italian (not English). Please ensure your smartphone is fully charged and bring your own headphones and internet connection.
    • Cash: We recommend bringing local currency (Euro) for small purchases, snacks, or optional museum tickets, as card payments are not always accepted in the mountains.
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 100 travelers
    Supplied by

    Cancellation Policy

    You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

    Traveler Photos

    Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

    Reviews

    4.8
    based on 43 reviews
    Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
    We perform checks on reviews

    nice tour with very bad buses

    Benedict_E, Jul 2025
    Our guide is excellent. Boyona and Rila are a must sites to visit. We are actually on our way back to Sofia from Rila while writing this. The only downside side (big downside) are the buses! 40 to 50km/hr on our way to Rila (some injection pump issues as they claimed) and a bus with ZERO air conditioner system on our way back to Sofia which is very aggravating! I felt bad for the tour guides being caught between a rock and a hard place. Traventuria should step up with their equipments.

    Excellent tourguide

    Rob_T, Sep 2023
    Worth to do a guided daytrip to Rila Monastery and Boyana church by an enthusiastic guide. It's a lovely place to visit.

    Response from Host, Sep 2023

    Dear Rob, Many thanks for your review. We greatly appreciate your feedback. Looking forward to having you again on a tour with us. Kind regards, Nora Dobrinska (Traventuria Team)

    Fabulous Frescoes

    Julia_T, Feb 2022
    So worth taking this tour to see the Boyana Church with its fabulous frescoes, and then on to the amazing Rila Monastery. Although the tour was self-guided, our driver Lubo was happy to answer questions and pass on interesting information. A good day out, and I thoroughly recommend.

    Amazing day trip

    Ireneusz_O, Sep 2021
    Very well-organised tour, comfortable air-conditioned minivan, ample time to visit the places, you can visit the Rila Monastery on your own, but the driver, who is a guide as well, offered a little tour. Our guide Constanza was very energetic and joyful. Recommended.

    Response from Host, Sep 2021

    Dear Irene! Thank you for choosing Traventuria to explore Bulgarian beauty! We are looking forward to meeting you again! Safe travels, Maria Kamenova

    A very professional Agency

    JOEL_M, Sep 2025
    Advance information via internet and phone perfect. Pick-up and running of the day very well organized. We were able to appreciate fully and serenely the 2 sites visited. Nice and professional driver and guide. For these reasons we recommend this Agency Traventuria
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    From $23.32

    per person

    up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

    Book ahead!
    On average, this is booked 8 days in advance.

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