The Rila Monastery is the largest Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. Present-day, it is still a running monastery and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It consists of the main church, the residential section, and the museum. When visiting Sofia, Bulgaria, a day trip to the Rila Monastery is a must-do for a peaceful and tranquil day and should be part of any three week Eastern Europe itinerary.
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History of the Rila Monastery
The Rila Monastery is thought to be founded by St. Ivan of Rila during the rule of Tsar Peter I. He lived in a cave close to the monastery and would come out to teach his students. Many tsars accepted and donated to the Rila Monastery, thus helping preserve it throughout the years.
It was rebuilt in its current place during the 1400s after the Ottomans’ destroyed the previous ones. Throughout the years, the complex continued to be preserved and was often used as a school and a hideout for Bulgarian Revolutionaries.
In 1976, it was declared a National Monument and in 1983, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
How to Take a Day Trip to the Rila Monastery
The Rila Monastery lies 72 miles south of Sofia, Bulgaria. It is very easy to take a day trip to the Rila Monastery from Sofia. You have several options on how to get to the Monastery.
Option #1 and the easier option is to visit the Monastery through a group tour. We opted for this option because it was not expensive and also the easiest option. This tour included hotel pick up and a guide for the day. We were informed the day before the tour what time we were to be picked up. They were very prompt with the pick-up in the tour van and there were only four other people on the tour.
Here are some tour options
- Rila Monastery and Boyana Church
- Rila Monastery and Boyana Church (Small Group)
- Rila Monastery, Boyana Church, and History Museum
- Rila Monastery and 7 Lakes
Option #2 is to rent a car and drive yourself to the Rila Monastery and the surrounding area. I recommend renting a car through Autoslash as that is where I always find the best deals. It will take just under two hours to drive there.
Option #3 is to take a bus to the Rila Monastery. You can catch the bus at the St. Alexander Nevski Square. It takes 3 hours to get there by bus.
What to Expect
Taking a day trip to the Rila Monastery by guided tour made for a full but very interesting day. It was a 2-hour drive out to the monastery. Along the way, our guide/driver talked a little bit about the monastery and the route along the way.
Prior to getting to the monastery, we were stopped at a hotel/restaurant to use the bathroom. Then our guide drove us to where the original Rila Monastery stood. This area was very peaceful and quiet in the middle of nature. This spot is also the starting point for people wanting to hike through the Rila Mountains.
Cave of St. John
Our next stop was at the trailhead for the Cave of St. John. Saint Ivan of Rila spent much time in prayer and away from everyday life in this cave. We were not able to walk out to the cave, which was a bit disappointing as it is supposed to be very peaceful.
Rila Monastery
After that brief stop, we ventured over to Rila Monastery. As we got there, a lot of large tour groups were leaving, so it became infinitely less crowded. Our guide walked us around the complex for about 30 minutes and gave us information about the place.
After the guided tour, we were given 30 minutes to explore the Monastery on our own. We opted to climb the bell tower and see where the monks sometimes pray. It also had some great views of the dome of the Cathedral.
Lunchtime
Once we finished at Rila Monastery, we were taken back to the hotel/restaurant for some lunch. Lunch was two courses and consisted of Monastery Soup (made of veggies and beans) and grilled chicken with potatoes. It was delicious! Lunch was not included as part of the day trip to the Rila Monastery.
On the way to our next stop at Boyana Church, our guide stopped us at a market to try Bulgarian Yogurt. Bulgarian Yogurt is unique because it is made from two specific starter bacteria and dates back many centuries.
Boyana Church
After a bit of a drive, we stopped at Boyana Church. This UNESCO site is a small church located at the foothills of the Vitosha Mountains. It is a trek to get out here, but worth it to see the frescos on the walls. It cost extra to go inside the church, but we opted to go inside. The amount of people allowed inside is limited, so if you do not come with a tour, make sure to book your tickets ahead of time.
Ending the Day Trip to Rila Monastery
At the end of the tour, we were dropped back off at our hotel. I really enjoyed this tour. I felt it was a fair price, our guide was excellent, and it made for an easy day trip to the Rila Monastery.
The one recommendation I had for the company was to include the admission price of Boyana Church and the lunch in the cost of the tour. I would have rather paid a bit more in order to not have to deal with the hassle of paying at the stops.
10 thoughts on “Day Trip to the Rila Monastery: A Fun and Fabulous Day from Sofia”
Rila Monastery was probably my highlight of Bulgaria! It’s sooo unbelievably beautiful! It looks like you got really lucky with the timing too – beating the crowds! Boyana Church looks lovely too.
I agree! It was so pretty! I’m so glad it emptied out when we go their. Our guide was so smart!
Wow, a beautiful and unique thing to do. Too bad you couldn’t visit the cave, I agree it would have probably been a really interesting thing to see. I’ll keep this post in mind for a future visit.
I know! I was super bummed about that part.
Wow, what a gorgeous monastery! Your photos are stunning and nice job on beating the crowds!
Thank you! It was gorgeous!
This is the kind of place I LOVE to visit! Wow for the architecture, the mountains and the painted walls. I can totally see why this became a UNESCO World Heritage Site!
It was gorgeous! I want to go back in the wintertime.
This is so cool! I’ve never heard about Rila before and I had to look it up. I feel like Bulgaria is definitely a hidden gem! 🙂
It really is! I loved Bulgaria and would love to explore more of it.