Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Day Trip from Sofia | La Vacanza Travel

Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Day Trip from Sofia

Duration: 8 hours
Destination: Bulgaria, Sofia City Province, Sofia
from
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  • 8 hours
  • Sofia
  • E-Voucher
  • Lowest Price
  • Not-Cancellable

Overview

Discover two of Bulgaria’s UNESCO World Heritage gems on this day trip from Sofia. Traveling by minibus, admire rural Bulgaria on route to the Rila Monastery in the pine-carpeted Rila Mountains. Take a guided tour of the medieval treasure with its fresco-coated church, and visit its fascinating museum. Then, after time to explore independently, continue to Boyana Church, near Sofia, to marvel at its spectacular pre-Renaissance frescoes. Entrance fees not included.
The tour offers 3 different options:
1. The guided tour option is with an English-speaking live guide.
2. Tour with an an audio guide in Spanish, Italian, German, Russian or English.
3. Transport only (that option might not be bookable for some dates).

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral, Aleksander Nevski Square, Sofia Bulgaria

09:00 departure from the starting point. Be sure to arrive at least 15 minutes before departure.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Boyana Church, 3 Boyansko Ezero Str., Sofia 1616 Bulgaria

Boyana Church is a small temple at the outskirts of Sofia with frescoes dating back to three separate periods: 11th, 13th and 19th century. The most important and fascinating are the frescoes dating from 1259. They are Renaissance frescoes that predate the Italian Renaissance (triggered by the works of Giotto) and brake the strict Christian canon law to present pure human emotions, royal figures and folklore elements.

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Rila Monastery, Rila 2643 Bulgaria

Rila Monastery is one of Bulgaria’s symbols and a popular tourist destination. The monastery is set deep in the heart of Rila Mountain, between the Rilska and Drushliavitza Rivers, at 1147 metres (3760 feet) above sea level. It is situated 120 kilometres south of Sofia.

Duration: 2 hours

Pass By: St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral, Aleksander Nevski Square, Sofia Bulgaria

Return to the starting point at approximately 17:00

Inclusions
  • Driver/Tour guide in English
  • Transport by air-conditioned minibus
  • Parking Fees

Exclusions
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Admission to Boyana Church (approx. 5 euros per person) and Rila Monastery Museum (approx. 4 euros per person)
  • Audio guide in Spanish, Italian, German, Russian or English (approx. 5 euros per person)
  • Food and drinks
  • Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Not wheelchair accessible or stroller friendly
  • Comfortable walking shoes recommended
  • Exceptions to the standard program:
  • 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.
  • Hand disinfectant will be provided for free throughout the tour.
  • Most travelers can participate
  • All touch points in the vehicles will be cleaned frequently.
  • Minimum traveler age is 5 years old
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 40 travelers
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Departure Point

Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky, Sofia Center, pl. "Sveti Aleksandar Nevski", 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria


Return Details

Returns to original departure point

Voucher info

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

Duration

8 hours


User's Reviews

Kris

17 Apr, 2024

It was a raining day but nothing beats having fun at the oldest monastery in Bulgaria. Tour guide, Martin created jokes to make the trip fun.

Charlotte_C

13 Apr, 2024

Really great tour - the guide gave an overview of the history of the Monestary and then left us for 1.5hrs to explore on our own which I really appreciated. There were a lot of us but the tour didn’t feel overcrowded

LeiraGabrielli_S

13 Apr, 2024

Was really in awe with the monastery, the architecture and the knowledge and history shared by the tour guide.

nayrice_c

11 Apr, 2024

It was lovely to see the Monastery & learn the history. Beautiful scenery, and it wasn’t crowded. It was interesting to hear the stories and how long the Monasrery has been standing through all eras.

Roger_J

02 Apr, 2024

Great day out with Lubo our guide. Boyana Church with its frescos was outstanding. Then onto Rila itself. A beautiful setting for such an awe inspiring building. One thing. The walk to St John's cave was tricky under foot. But everything went like clockwork. Back in Sofia at the time expected - 5.30pm. Highly recommended.

User's Picture Gallery

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Awesome trip in Bulgaria

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Great tour for appreciating Bulgarian history and culture

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Would recommend

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Coach trip to Rila

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Nice place to visit

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Great Adventure

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We had no problems with...

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Definitely worth a full day trip

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Wonderful visit to Rila Monastery and Boyana Church

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Great way to spend a day

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Special tours

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Must visit

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Awesome experience

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Great Company

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Fascinating day trip from Sofia

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It's a must

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Day trip to Boyana Church & Rila Monastery

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Beautiful places, bad organised bus

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Amazing experience

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Top trip

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Magnificent Art of historical and cultural value - an excellent day trip!

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Breathtaking experience.. totally worth the visit

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Amazing!

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Amazing views and a great guide!

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