A
No way!!
Got off the bus before the tour even started. The bus have multiple tours in one and the when we got off there are only a few seats left and still a line to get in. Not sure how they going to fit all those people in.
The Ultimate Rila Monastery 3-in-1 Day Tour from Sofia
+5 photos
At a glance
- Duration
- 8 hours
- Price from
- $26 / person
- Location
- Sofia, Bulgaria
- Rating
- 4.3 / 5 · 23 reviews
- Languages
- DE, RU, EN, EN
- Group
- Small group, up to 50
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Confirmation
- Instant
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- Traventuria
- Meeting point
- IMPORTANTThe meeting point is next to the Vasil Levski Monument, in front of the Embassy of Slovakia. Please be there 15 minutes in advance. This tour is not suitable for children under the age of 5.
Description
Discover one of the 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, spend some time to explore independently. 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).
Schedule & prices
- Runs
- Every day
- Start times
- 9:00 AM, 9:45 AM, and 9:50 AM
- Next available
- Fri, Oct 9
- Adult (ages 13+)
- $26
- Child (ages 6–12)
- $26
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
In demand: 60 of the next 90 departures are already sold out.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 7.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Vasil Levski Monument
09:00 departure from the starting point. Be sure to arrive at least 15 minutes before departure.
Rila Monastery
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.
Rila Monastery
After the guided tour, enjoy some free time for further exploration, lunch, photo shoots, etc.
Vasil Levski Monument
Return to the starting point at approximately 17:00
What's included
Included
Visit to Rila Monastery
Professional Tour Guide OR Cloud Audio Guide App (depending entirely on the option you have booked)
Parking Fees
Round-trip transport by air-conditioned minibus or coach
Not included
Gratuities
Food and drinks
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Rila Monastery Museum (Optional; entrance to the main courtyard/church is free)
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.3
23 reviews
How it compares in Sofia
- Starting price $26 is 80% below the typical $132 for tours of similar length in Sofia
Excurgo comparison of 607 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities
- Comfortable walking shoes recommended
- All touch points in the vehicles will be cleaned frequently.
- Minimum traveler age is 5 years old
- The total duration of the tour includes the travel time
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does The Ultimate Rila Monastery 3-in-1 Day Tour from Sofia take?
The Ultimate Rila Monastery 3-in-1 Day Tour from Sofia lasts about 8 hours. The itinerary has 4 stops.
How much does The Ultimate Rila Monastery 3-in-1 Day Tour from Sofia cost?
Prices start at $26 per person for this Sofia experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There are 11 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does The Ultimate Rila Monastery 3-in-1 Day Tour from Sofia run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 9:00 AM, 9:45 AM, and 9:50 AM.
How much does The Ultimate Rila Monastery 3-in-1 Day Tour from Sofia cost for children?
Children aged 6–12 pay from $26, adults from $26.
Does The Ultimate Rila Monastery 3-in-1 Day Tour from Sofia sell out?
It can: 60 of the next 90 departures are already sold out, so booking ahead is a good idea.
Can I cancel The Ultimate Rila Monastery 3-in-1 Day Tour from Sofia for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Where does the tour start?
The meeting point is IMPORTANT: The meeting point is next to the Vasil Levski Monument, in front of the Embassy of Slovakia. Please be there 15 minutes in advance. This tour is not suitable for children under the age of 5. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
What languages is The Ultimate Rila Monastery 3-in-1 Day Tour from Sofia offered in?
The experience is available in DE, RU, EN, EN, IT, IT, FR, FR, ES, ES.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 50 participants.
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is The Ultimate Rila Monastery 3-in-1 Day Tour from Sofia worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.3 out of 5 across 23 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Traventuria.
Reviews(23)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
7
Monastery a must-see, but bus quality poor
Monastery of Rila is absolutely worthwhile ; unfortunately our visit was overshadowed by faulty buses, so we were both over-cooked on the trip (no air conditioning in 2nd bus) and lost a lot of time (1st bus was faulty and had to be replaced by 2nd bus) ; unfortunately there was no clear communication from the organization either nor compensation (if only symbolic gesture) for this great inconvenience. Finally, all the problems with the buses became a bit much for driver as well, causing him to start doing dangerous maneuvers on his way back.
P
Bring water and snacks....
Enjoyed the tour. Knowledgable tour guide. Bring water and snacks. This includes a two hour bus ride with no stops. Bring cash for entrance tickets. This will be a large group
N
Be careful, it's not a 3-in-1...
This excursion, advertised as "3-in-1," is not really that in practice. The visit to the church depends on current availability: if it's full, we have to wait outside while others visit. Frustrating, especially since other travelers managed to get tickets directly at the ticket office, while our guide claimed it was full. We had chosen the tour with an audioguide, but we had to wait for the guide to repeat their explanations in English and Italian before we could move on. The guide was very kind and well-meaning, but we felt they had been hired primarily for their language skills rather than for the quality of their explanations. Even the audioguide was long and not very engaging. In the end, I created our own guide myself using the AI Claude, and the historical explanations were much more interesting—even my teens were asking for more! In summary: the organization needs to be reviewed, especially for the "church" portion, a friendly but not very knowledgeable guide, and a disappointing audioguide. Fortunately, we were able to create our own experience thanks to AI. Do it with a rental car instead of a tour.
W
Excellent guided tour
Somewhat interesting…good guide Christian worked hard to give very good information on different sites
C
Nice tour
I bought the 3-1 ticket, but I was mixed with people that only had Boyana and Rila, so they got the Bells for free. That's not a problem at all, even if I payed some more euros, but the thing was that the tour guide told me that my place to enter the Boyana church was not confirmed, but the website says that they book the place in advance for you and you have to pay on site. Hopefully there were some extra places and I could visit it. The rest of the tour was good, very well explained by Hristo, the ites we visit and Bulgarian history.
A
Itinerary was not as stated at time of booking
Unfortunately I have to leave a negative review for this tour. The itinerary stated on the Viator site at the time of booking was to leave Sofia at 9am and return at 5pm after visiting Rila Monastery. However, when we left the Monastery (which is very nice) we were taken to a winery, where we stayed for 45 mins, and did not return to Sofia until 7pm. We had to significantly change our evening plans as a result of arriving back late. When we asked the tour guide Hristo why the winery stop was included, he said it was a standard part of the tour and we would need to speak to the tour company. To be honest, he didn't seem bothered at all. Others on the tour were in the same situation, so this must surely happen all the time. I imagine the winery stop is for the guide to get commission from people buying the wine, regardless of whether it was on their original itinerary. Overall, very disappointing. I messaged the Bulgarian tour company who runs the tours and who the guide works for (Traventuria) and have not received a reply. I recommend booking the Rila Monastery tour through a different provider and with a different tour company.
A
It is worth a visit to Rila!
The guide was very friendly and helpful and the place wonderful. The frescoes, the perfect arches, the peace of the place marked the day without a doubt.
L
Great guide made this a fun day
Well organized trip for such a big group. Our guide gave us a great explanation and history of Bulgaria as we were driving. He was very specific with departure times which kept us on track. It was nice to leave the city and see the monastery.
M
Monastery of Rila
Unique and beautiful place despite the rain. Guide very prepared and helpful. Cheap tour and absolutely to recommend.
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| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Ultimate Rila Monastery 3-in-1 Day Tour from Sofia | 8 hours | 4.3 (23) | $26 | |
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from$26
4.3(23) Free cancellation