Rila Monastery and Boiana church private tour
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Sofia, Bulgaria
- 6 to 9 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Discover two of Bulgaria's UNESCO World Heritage Sites on a private day tour from Sofia. With round-trip transportation and a local guide included, you're sure to get a seamless and immersive sightseeing experience. Begin with a leisurely visit to the active Rila Monastery, featuring relics, Tsar Boris III's coffin, and a museum. Next, head to Boyana Church, renowned for its beautiful frescoes. Weather permitting, you can also visit the Cave of John of Rila.
- Get the personalized experience of a private tour in Bulgaria
- Travel comfortably in a private air-conditioned vehicle
- Visit two Bulgarian destinations that most tourists miss
- Save valuable vacation time with an advanced booking
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- WiFi on board
- Bottled water
- Boyana church entry ticket- 12 lv (6 euro) per person
- Lunch
- Gratuities
- Entrance fee - Rila Monastery museums- History museum, Monastery ecconomy museum, Hrelyo defense tower
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
Any hotel or address in Sofia, rental apartment, hostel, Sofia airport, bus or train station, private address
Arranged start time
Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.
- 09/08/2020 - 05/10/2027
Monday - Sunday : 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Itinerary
1
Rila Monastery
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
2
Boyana Church
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
based on 23 reviews
Kristen_W, Oct 2025
We really enjoyed our day trip to visit Boyana Church and Rila Monastery. Boyana Church is really small, but it is interesting to see the layers of painting inside the church. Plus, the setting is very pretty. Rila Monastery is a can't miss site in Bulgaria. The setting is stunning as is the painted church. Both the interior and exterior are covered in paintings. We also stopped for a very nice lunch- overall it was the perfect way to spend a day.
Ana_S, Oct 2025
We were a party of 7 and it was a last minute booking. We could not get entrance tickets to Boyana Church but Vladi made it happen! Very resourceful and creative in how he made it happen. Rila Monastery was also a sight to behold. Excellent day handled beautifully!
Jamie_P, Oct 2025
This tour was very interesting and enjoyable. It was a full day from Sofia, but very well organized and efficient. I got to see a lot of the countryside and learn a great deal about Bulgarian history and culture. The two sites (Boyana Church and Rila Monastery) were interesting to visit and we had a nice Bulgarian lunch on the way back to Sofia. Vlady did a wonderful job explaining everything to me and was very friendly and professional. A terrific experience.
asha542, Aug 2025
It was an amazing trip to the Rila Monastery! Vladi was amazing as a guide and driver ! He was kind & informative ! He was very knowledgeable ! We had an amazing experience!
Ram_M, Jun 2025
Memorable day at awesome UNESCO world heritage site… absolutely stunning, beautiful, historic, cultural experience in a serene peaceful gorgeous setting. Many thanks to our excellent guide Vladi who made the overall experience memorable with his deep knowledge, insights and kindness. Vladi took us to a beautiful restaurant by the river for an outstanding traditional lunch. Highly recommended … a must do .. if you are visiting Bulgaria.
Sue_S, May 2025
The drive to the monastery was beautiful. The monastery itself offers many things to see. The museum is worth the small extra charge. Our guide/driver was fantastic!
stefania_a, Apr 2025
the experience went well. Our driver Rusha was friendly and helpful. the monastery and the boyan church are definitely worth seeing.
MARK_H, Apr 2025
Comfortable private ride, professional service and a very friendly and knowledgable driver. Highly recommend!
Federico_M, Nov 2024
Vladi (I hope I’m spelling his name correctly) was incredibly good. Starting with his flexibility- I only had 1 afternoon to do this tour, and he accommodated my schedule. It was just me on this tour, so I certainly got all of his attention. He’s extremely knowledgeable and was great at pointing out all the historical facts. The tour to Rila Monastery and Boyana Church couldn’t have been better! Thanks so much!
Ann_N, Oct 2024
What a terrific trip. A combination of wonderful culture and a foray into the beautiful countryside. Philip my guide was a great companion. He was very knowledgeable about the various elements of the day and extremely flexible. Would highly reccomend.
annette_J, Sep 2024
The flexible starting time, the adjustment of per person cost based on group size, vehicle was very clean and comfortable. Vlad our driver was very friendly informative English speaking guide. The Boyana church and monastery were amazing. You do need local currency at tje monastery.
K_K, Sep 2024
Lots of history with the church. Luckily our guide Vlody could explain in details. Drive up and down was comfortable. Had their special donuts and enjoyed the day.
Natalia_B, Sep 2024
Very nice excursion- beautiful church and monastery, the guide was very knowledgeable. The road was not long and we have had enough time to explore on our own after the excursion
Arpi_K, May 2024
This was a great tour. Vladi was a fantastic guide. He was informative, friendly, and a great driver. I was thankful he was able to accommodate me at the very last minute. Thrilled I was able to do a same day tour. He was happy to adjust and accommodate to any needs that I had. He gave me some explanations about the monastery and the history of the boyana church. He was a great conversationalist. The car was nice and clean and smoke free. I was very comfortable throughout. I enjoyed this trip and would definitely use him again for another trip. The luxury of a private trip was worth it.
Alini_C, Mar 2024
Wonderful day with Vladi to the Rila monastery. He was very punctual and kindly accepted my last minute reservation. The car was clean and comfortable and when I told him I might get carsick he took extra care to drive carefully.
At the monastery he talked me through centuries of Hulgarian history and told me the story behind the murals. He was knowledgeable about everything regarding the history, culture of Bulgaria. We walked around with him providing fascinating context behind certain structures. He even helped me souvenir shop and grab something to eat in spite of the snow.
The drive was very comfortable and as a solo female traveler I felt very safe with Vladi.
I highly recommend this tour over the package group tours which tend to get repetitive and prevent you from actually immersing in the experience.
Thank you Vladi for a safe, interesting and fun day!
IVAN_V, Dec 2023
The Professor, as we called him, showed up promptly at 10am in front of our apartment for our trip. His English is very good, but pay closer attention if you're not used to Bulgarian accents. We stopped first at Boyana Church, but it took a little longer than expected since we were behind a large tour group & they limit entry, for the church is very small & beautiful. (During peak season, book ahead so you will be given preference!!) The patriarch that was working gave us a very informative tour, since there was only 3 others inside! Afterwards, we were ready for a bite to eat, so he stopped at a gas station that had a McD's, as well; very flexible for us. Then, it was off to the Rila Monastery. The roads were icy (late Dec.) the closer we got, but he handled the turns like a professional driver. We were able to pull to the side on the mountain to purchase honey from generational bee keeper near the monastery. I highly recommend his honey!! There's also a delicious restaurant there, if you'd like something before or after the monastery. (Men, please remove your hat when inside a church!) The professor waited for us to tour the monastery & offered us an extended tour to visit Lake Borgas. We had to hurry to get there before dark, but the Professor was up to the challenge as we raced down the mountain road. We made it in time for the scenic view for some pictures. He dropped us off in front of our apartment around 6:30pm, but remember we extended our tour, so it was later than the usual tour.
I highly recommend this tour for a small group. This offered us flexibility for our family & very personalized. I don't feel like his car is suitable for 6 adults, but only 5 for comfort. We had 2 adults & 4 children & were comfortable. The drive is very scenic, especially when going to the lake. If you are prone to motion or car sickness, even just a little, bring Dramamine! The mountain roads are curvy & you will feel it, especially in the backseat! If you're not used to Bulgarian driving, you're in for a real adventure!😉
Joseph_J, Jun 2022
One has to wonder how interesting a tiny old church and ancient monastery can possibly be. The church has some of the finest and best preserved frescos in Europe and the monastery is set in terrain that takes you back in time.
The church time is very brief but the historian-attendant is generous with his time and explanations if no one is waiting to enter. It was a great day trip. The tour, tour company and guide are all very professional and accommodating.
Jose_C, Nov 2024
Excelente guia.
Vehiculo algo pequeño para 4 personas adultas y un trayecto algo largo.
Visita muy interesante ne Bulgaria.
From $119.49
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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