(800) 814 COOL Questions? Call Us Now!

Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Day Tour

New To The Site! Sofia, Bulgaria
Book online or call us
Chat now

from US$47.39 per person

Lowest Price Guarantee
Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Day Tour Image 1
Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Day Tour Image 2
Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Day Tour Image 3
Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Day Tour Image 4
Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Day Tour Image 5

Loading Options
8 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Instant confirmation

Overview

Take a day to visit the cultural heart of Bulgaria: Rila Monastery and Boyana Church. Discover the origins of the Glagolitic and Cyrillic alphabets and learn about the monastery’s role in Bulgaria’s political and Orthodox history.

The artistic richness of frescoes, carvings, and ancient monuments at these sites is immense. Rila Monastery features a large museum complex with a library holding around 3,500 exhibits, including 300 manuscripts and 9,000 printed works from the 11th to 19th centuries. Also preserved are the relics of St. Ivan Rilski, patron saint of Bulgaria, the icon of the Most Holy Mother of God Osenovitsa, and relics of 32 early Christian saints.

Boyana Church, near Sofia, was built in the 10th century and reflects the Byzantine-Balkan Renaissance. It houses the famed 13th-century portrait of Desislava, the “Bulgarian Mona Lisa.”

Both sites are UNESCO-listed — join the tour and discover why.

What's Included

  • Audio records for 5 museums
  • Map of Boyana church
  • Transportation Air-conditioned vehicle

    Meeting Location

    Meeting point

    Old City Center
    1000 Sofia, Bulgaria

    Show on Google Maps

    Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

    End point

    This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    What To Expect

    Rila Monastery

    The artistic richness of the frescoes, carvings, and ancient material monuments found on these sites is enormous. And to top it off, all of this rich cultural history is preserved by a large museum complex, complete with a rich library that preserves approximately 3,500 unique exhibits, including nearly 300 manuscripts, and 9,000 print and graphic publications from the 11th to 19th centuries. Safely protected within the museum grounds are also the relics of the founder of the monastery and patron saint of the Bulgarian people, St. Ivan Rilski, as well as the icon of the Most Holy Mother of God Osenovitsa, and the relics of 32 early Christian saints.
    Read more

    4 hours • Admission Ticket Included

    Additional Info

    • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
    • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
    • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 7 travelers

    Frequently Asked Questions

    (6)

    Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Day Tour?

    A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (EEST). Read more Apr 2025

    Cancellation Policy

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

    Still have questions?

    We're here to help.
    Activity code: C-86097P28


    Loading Options
    Sofia Tours
    Attractions
    Guides
    Calendar
    View more

    Similar Tours & Activities

    Take a photo with traditional Bulgarian costumes

    Take a photo with traditional Bulgarian costumes

    2
     25 minutes  Free Cancellation  Instant Confirmation
    from
    US$17.77
    Full-Day Private Melnik Wine Tour Experience from Sofia

    Full-Day Private Melnik Wine Tour Experience from Sofia

    New To The Site!
     9 hours  Hotel pickup offered  Free Cancellation  Instant Confirmation
    from
    US$345.93
    Small-group Weekend trip to Bulgaria's most famous sites

    Small-group Weekend trip to Bulgaria's most famous sites

    1
     2 days  Hotel pickup offered  Free Cancellation  Instant Confirmation
    from
    US$236.94
    Sofia : Must-See Attractions Private Walking Tour with A Guide

    Sofia : Must-See Attractions Private Walking Tour with A Guide

    New To The Site!
     2 hours  Free Cancellation  Instant Confirmation
    from
    US$100.70

    Travelers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought

    Rila Monastery with Optional Boyana Church Day Trip from Sofia
    Likely to Sell Out

    Rila Monastery with Optional Boyana Church Day Trip from Sofia

    613
     8 hours  Free Cancellation  Instant Confirmation
    from
    US$23.69
    Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Full-Day Tour
    Likely to Sell Out

    Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Full-Day Tour

    605
     8 hours  Free Cancellation  Instant Confirmation
    from
    US$23.69
    Rila Monastery and 7 Rila Lakes Self-Guided Shared Trip from Sofia

    Rila Monastery and 7 Rila Lakes Self-Guided Shared Trip from Sofia

    203
     13 hours  Free Cancellation  Instant Confirmation
    from
    US$53.31
    Communist Walking Tour of Sofia

    Communist Walking Tour of Sofia

    511
     3 hours  Free Cancellation  Instant Confirmation
    from
    US$21.32

    Frequently Asked Questions (6)

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    The answers provided below were previously given in response to questions from City Boat Tours customers.

    Filter by:

    Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Day Tour?
    A:
    You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.
    • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
    • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
    • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
    • Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (EEST).
    Apr 2025
    Q: What's included in the price?
    A:
    The following is included:
    • Audio records for 5 museums.
    • Map of Boyana church.
    • Transportation Air-conditioned vehicle.
    • Map of Rila Monastery.
    • Parking Fees.
    • Audio guide device ENG | FR | ES | IT | RU | BG | DE |.
    • Рrofessional driver/assistant guide.
    Apr 2025
    Q: What is the minimum age for this tour?
    A:

    The minimum age to participate is 10..

    Apr 2025
    Q: My date is not available in the calendar, I am just checking to see if it is available?
    A:

    If a date or time is not listed on the calendar, it’s sold out or unavailable for another reason. Support cannot assist further if a date or time is not on the calendar.

    If you find a date and time that works for you, book it NOW because things always sell out at this time of year.

    Apr 2025
    Q: Is this an accessible tour?
    A:

    Accessibility information for the Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Day Tour is as follows:

    • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
    Apr 2025
    Q: Where is the meeting point for this activity?
    A:

    Detailed check-in instructions – including meeting point address, Google map, and parking information – for Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Day Tour will be included in your confirmation email from City Boat Tours. Please be sure to double and triple check your email address is correct at checkout so this important email makes its way to you!

     

     

    Mar 2024

    What's Included

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    • Audio records for 5 museums
    • Map of Boyana church
    • Transportation Air-conditioned vehicle
    • Map of Rila Monastery
    • Parking Fees
    • Audio guide device ENG | FR | ES | IT | RU | BG | DE |
    • Рrofessional driver/assistant guide

    Additional Info

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
    • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
    • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 7 travelers

    Report Product Issue

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    Lowest Price Guarantee

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    We guarantee the lowest price on all the tours available to book on our site. We'll refund the difference if you find the exact tour cheaper online until 48 hours before your tour starts.

    We Make It Easy!

    Gather your information

    Locate your City Boat Tours Booking Number and the proof of the lower price you found.

    Send it to us

    Email [email protected] with the documents, your name, and your home address.

    We'll review

    We'll review your materials and get in touch as soon as possible.

    Receive your refund

    If everything checks out, we'll refund you the price difference.

    Refund Terms & Conditions

    The following conditions apply to all lowest price guarantee refund requests:

    • The lowest price guarantee is available to any customer who makes a qualifying purchase through our website. The qualifying purchase must be a minimum of US$20 (or equivalent).
    • The lowest price guarantee covers retail and prepaid rates available to the general public. This does not include discounts or promotions you may receive (or be eligible for) from third-party sites or organizations such as AAA or AARP or special offers made as part of a membership program, corporate discount, daily deal, group, or rewards program.
    • City Boat Tours promotions cannot be combined with the lowest price guarantee.
    • If you find a lower retail or prepaid rate for the same tour, offered on the same date, time and priced in the same currency as your original purchase, on any other website between the time you book on City Boat Tours and 48 hours before your trip starts, we will refund the difference.
    • The lowest price guarantee does not apply where a lower overall price is found by breaking down the purchased tour into one or more parts sold separately.
    • City Boat Tours reserves the right to verify the lower price details. Examples of acceptable forms of verification include a web screenshot or a web address.
    • All refund decisions will be made at the sole discretion of City Boat Tours.

    Free Cancellation

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    100% refund
    No refund

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

    • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
    • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
    • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
    • Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (EEST).

    Sorting, ranking, and search results

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    City Boat Tours wants to make your searches as relevant as possible. That's why we offer many ways to help you find the right experiences for you.

    On some pages, you can select how to sort the results we display and also use filter options to see only those search results that meet your chosen preferences. You'll see explanations of what those sort options mean when you select them.

    If you see a Badge of Excellence label, the award is based on average review ratings, share of bookings with a review, and number of bookings through City Boat Tours over a 12-month period.

    The importance of any one factor over any other in a sort order varies, and the balance is constantly being reviewed and adjusted. We're always updating our systems and testing new ways to refine and improve your results to make them as relevant as possible to meet your needs.

    Chat with us

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    Concierge