Boyana Church and Rila Monastery Day Tour - Photo 1
3
Tour

Boyana Church and Rila Monastery Day Tour

Visit two of the most important monuments in Sofia – Boyana Church and Rila Monastery. Essential for any trip to the Bulgarian capital!. Tour Details.

  • 9 - 10 hours
  • 8Very good | 3314 reviews

Visit two of the most important monuments in Sofia – Boyana Church and Rila Monastery. Essential for any trip to the Bulgarian capital!

Tour Details

We'll meet at Vasil Levski Square, in front of the embassy of Slovakia, where we'll catch a bus and head to Boyana, a neighbourhood located to the city's south.

After a 25-minute journey, we'll arrive in Boyana. Our first stop will be the Boyana Church, an Orthodox sanctuary with frescoes from the 11th, 13th, and 19th centuries, showcasing examples of medieval art of Eastern Europe.

Next, we will visit the monastery of Rila, an iconic monument reflecting Slavic cultural identity post-Ottoman occupation. We will tour the grounds, noted for their colourful arches and domes. Inside, we will see the golden iconostasis carved into wood, one of the largest in the Balkans, and the tomb of Boris III, the last monarch of Bulgaria. You will have around two hours of free time to explore the area on your own.

We will return to Sofia at approximately 5:30 pm.

Transfer to Rila Monastery

If you prefer to explore on your own, you can book the option that includes only the transfer directly to Rila Monastery. This option is not guided and does not stop at Boyana Church.

Important Info

The Boyana Church is closed during the Orthodox Easter and on January 1.

Included

  • Transport by bus
  • Admission to Rila Monastery
  • English–speaking guide (depending on selection)
  • Audio guide in English (depending on selection)

Not included

  • Food and drinks
  • Hotel pickup
  • Admission to Boyana Church: 5EUR per person

Tips

  • Accessibility: No, not suitable for people with reduced mobility

Location

Activity location

Ulitsa Panayot Volov 1, 1527 Sofia, Bulgaria

We use our own and third-party cookies to understand how you use our website, to compile statistics and to be able to improve it, as well as to adapt the content to your tastes and show you personalised advertising based on your browsing habits (e.g. pages visited). For more information click here