⭐ Rated 4.6/5 · based on 34,000+ verified traveller reviews
Rila Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the most booked day trip from Sofia. It lies roughly 120 km to the south, a little under two hours by road each way, so tours run 8 to 10 hours; many add the Boyana Church in Sofia or the cave of St Ivan of Rila. The Seven Rila Lakes are a separate, longer day: hiking tours take 10 to 13 hours, and a few combine lakes and monastery in one very full day.
Find your tourTop rated · Season 2026
The current Sofia catalogue, ranked by verified reviews, price and experience.
37 tours available · Sorted by number of verified reviews. Prices from GetYourGuide as of our last update. The current price and availability are shown on GetYourGuide before booking.
⏱ 8.5 - 10 hours · 4.6 (7,527)
Explore Rila Monastery and Boyana Church - two UNESCO sites. Enjoy breath-taking views of the Rila National Park. Your day, your way - guided or self-guided.
from €20 per person
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⏱ 8 - 9 hours · 4.6 (4,264)
Visit Rila Monastery from Sofia, with Boyana Church included on select options. Enjoy scenic Rila Mountain views. Guides available daily in English, Spanish or Italian.
from €20 per person
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⏱ 13 hours · 4.7 (1,379)
Explore the most famous natural and cultural sites of Bulgaria on a full day trip to the 7 Rila Lakes and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Rila Monastery in Rila National Park.
from €55 per person
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⏱ 10 - 12 hours · 4.7 (1,186)
Enjoy this exhilarating hike into the mountains near Sofia, and discover the picturesque Seven Rila Lakes. See why these glacial lakes are known as the Blue Pearls of the Rila M…
from €45 per person
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⏱ 12 hours · 4.7 (1,140)
Be enchanted by the allure of the 7 Rila Lakes & Rila Monastery (when available/the option is selected) on this unforgettable tour. Explore the natural wonders of the Rila Mount…
from €40 per person
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⏱ 8 - 9 hours · 4.7 (797)
Escape the city of Sofia to visit the UNESCO-listed Rila Monastery and optional St. Ivan's Cave in the heart of Rila Nature Park. Enjoy magnificent mountain scenery and Bulgaria…
from €25 per person
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⏱ 9 hours · 4.5 (611)
Visit Rila Monastery, the sanctuary of Balkan culture, religion, and spirit in Rila National Park. Head to Sapareva Banya to take some time and relax at the thermal baths and spa.
from €25 per person
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⏱ 11 hours · 4.1 (525)
Visit the majestic 7 Rila Lakes and admire the beauty of the Rila Monastery on a tour from Sofia. Explore the Monastery and go on a relaxing hike around the lakes.
from €53 per person
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⏱ 8 - 9 hours · 4.6 (361)
Visit UNESCO-listed Rila Monastery on a day trip from Sofia, with frescoes, mountain scenery and local history. Add an optional thermal spa and hot springs stop at Aqua Club Kot…
from €20 per person
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⏱ 8 - 12 hours · 4.6 (200)
Discover the Rila Monastery on a full-day tour from Sofia. Enjoy one of the most famous and photographed Bulgarian UNESCO sites and the amazing Rila National Park.
from €24 per person
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⏱ 8 - 10 hours · 4.6 (192)
Explore Bulgaria's UNESCO World Heritage on a tour from Sofia. Visit the Rila Monastery and get breathtaking views of the mountains then explore the frescoes at the Boyana Churc…
from €27 per person
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⏱ 10 hours · 4.8 (157)
Escape the city and explore the stunning Seven Rila Lakes on a self-guided day trip. Breathe fresh mountain air and enjoy scenic hikes through breathtaking alpine landscapes in…
from €30 per person
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⏱ 10 - 12 hours · 5.0 (105)
Experience Bulgarian icons in one day from Sofia: an alpine hike past the Seven Rila Lakes and a cultural visit to UNESCO-listed Rila Monastery.
from €54 per person
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⏱ 8 hours · 4.6 (91)
Visit 2 of Bulgaria's UNESCO World Heritage sites on a day trip to the Rila Monastery in the Rila Mountains and the Boyana Church on the outskirts of Sofia.
from €50 per person
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⏱ 1 day · 4.0 (81)
Experience dramatic landscapes and breathtaking alpine sceneries, centuries old pine forests, rugged mountain peaks and deep relaxation in thermal spas all within a winter day t…
from €110 per person
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⏱ 1 day · 4.6 (51)
Join an easy to moderate hiking day tour to the Seven Rila Lakes area, followed by deep relaxation in the thermal water pools of Sapareva Banya Spa Resort. All this within a day…
from €110 per person
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⏱ 1 day · 4.4 (44)
Explore the picturesque Bulgarian countryside from Sofia, visiting three famous Bulgarian attractions all within a day tour.
from €110 per person
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⏱ 9 - 12 hours · 4.9 (42)
This full-day trek to the Rila Mountains is meant for people who would like to walk at a leisurely pace among the nature of the Seven Rila Lakes.
from €140 per person
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⏱ 10 hours · 5.0 (36)
Hike the complete Seven Rila Lakes trail with a professional guide/self guided in a small group, visiting all seven glacial lakes and reaching the panoramic Lake Peak before rel…
from €100 per person
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⏱ 9 hours · 4.6 (33)
Take a memorable trip to the Rila Mountain! Enjoy a relaxing spa half-day experience in panoramic pools with thermal mineral water and then continue to Borovets to feel its magi…
from €30 per person
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⏱ 8 hours · 4.7 (21)
Join this tour to two of the most visited places in Bulgaria, Rila Monastery and Boyana Church. Take in some of the most interesting, historical, and culturally significant monu…
from €30 per person
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⏱ 10 hours · 4.9 (16)
Explore the highlights of Southwestern Bulgaria on a guided day trip from Sofia. Visit the 10th-century Rila Monastery, the Melnik Sandstone Pyramids, and the 200-year-old Kordo…
from €85 per person
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· 4.6 (12)
Visit the Rila Monastery, the largest monastery in Bulgaria and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore the area and see the centuries-old forests and water sources.
from €72 per person
Check availability → ⏱ 1 day · 4.7 (11)
Join this tour to two of the most visited places in Bulgaria, Rila Monastery and Boyana Church - two objects in the UNESCO list. Take in some of the most interesting, historical…
from €40 per person
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⏱ 9 hours · 5.0 (6)
Skip the bus tours. This is Rila Monastery, the sacred cave of St. Ivan, and a traditional Bulgarian picnic in an alpine meadow - a small-group day from Sofia. Guaranteed even f…
from €95 per person
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⏱ 7 hours · 5.0 (4)
Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Rila Monastery in the heart of the highest mountain in the Balkans.
from €47 per person
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⏱ 11 hours · 5.0 (3)
Experience Bulgaria’s natural and spiritual wonders in one day: hike the stunning Seven Rila Lakes and explore the UNESCO-listed Rila Monastery. Small group, expert guide, comfo…
from €360 per group up to 8
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⏱ 9 - 10 hours · 5.0 (3)
Small group experience: Max 8 participants for a personalized & relaxed journey.
from €43 per person
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⏱ 9 hours · 5.0 (2)
Conquer Rila’s curves! From scenic highways to alpine twists, an UNESCO site & expert guides. Discover Bulgaria’s soul with BulTrips. Your epic adventure starts now!
from €160 per person
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⏱ 9 hours · 5.0 (1)
This is truly a spectacular, luxury day tour, visiting some of the "must see" UNESCO Heritage sites in Bulgaria - Boyana Church and Rila Monastery!\n\n***Ultra-fast 1Gbps Wi-Fi…
from €270 per person
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⏱ 10 hours · 5.0 (1)
Embark on a winter hiking adventure to the 7 Rila Lakes. Experience the magic of the snow-covered landscape and enjoy a challenging trek with breathtaking views.
from €35 per person
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⏱ 9 hours · 5.0 (1)
Discover the beauty of the Seven Rila Lakes on a guided hike from Sofia. Perfect for nature lovers—this day trip includes transport, lift ticket, and breathtaking mountain views.
from €300 per group up to 8
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⏱ 6 hours · 5.0 (1)
Experience the Rila Mountains with breathtaking views and places! Join us for a cross-country adventure in Rila National Park on an electric hybrid bike with a licensed guide.
from €105 per person
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⏱ 9 hours 0
Embark on a guided hike to the Rila Lakes and the Kidney Lake. Relax in the warm mineral waters of Sapareva Banya and take a short walk to the highest waterfall in the region.
from €270 per person
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⏱ 9.5 hours 0
Discover the 7 Rila Lakes on a private guided hike from Sofia. Enjoy a scenic chairlift ride, hike through the glacial cirque, and relax in the thermal pools of Sapareva Banya (…
from €135 per person
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⏱ 10 hours 0
Discover Malyovitsa, Rila’s wild alpine valley of granite peaks and glacial lakes, on a private hike built around your pace.
from €117 per person
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⏱ 5 hours 0
Discover the beauty and significance of Rila Monastery on a guided tour. Learn about the life of St. Ivan Rilski and the history of the monastery.
from €57 per person
Check availability →Good to know: The courtyard and church of the monastery are free to enter, the museum charges a fee. Shoulders and knees must be covered inside the church, and photography there is usually not allowed. The lakes can be hiked in summer only: snow covers them for much of the year, the chairlift can stop in strong wind, and winter tours are snowshoe walks instead. Boyana Church admits only small groups for about ten minutes at a time, so a combined tour gives you a short look, not a long visit.
Good to know
You can go on your own, since the monastery grounds are free to enter. Public transport is thin, though: the one direct bus we found leaves Sofia in the morning and returns in the afternoon, which leaves about two hours at the site. Check the current timetable; a tour covers the road and usually adds the Boyana Church.
The monastery is roughly 120 km away, a little under two hours by road each way. The lakes are a separate trip: hiking tours take 10 to 13 hours and make sense in summer, because snow covers the lakes for much of the year.
Plovdiv is about 130 km away, two to three hours by bus or train on your own, and guided day tours take 9 to 12 hours. Some tours add Koprivshtitsa or the Starosel area. If you want a slower visit, going on your own by bus or train and staying a night is the other option.
According to current reports, no: the interior is sealed for safety and the site is guarded, so no tour operator can promise access. You can see the building from outside; there is no public transport, so you need a car or a tour, often combined with the Rose Valley.
Not for the city: the centre is compact and a metro line connects the airport, about 10 km out, with the centre. For monasteries, lakes and caves outside the city, a tour is the easier way, since public transport there is limited.
There is no sea and there are no boat tours; the Black Sea is several hundred kilometres away. The most-reviewed offers are mountain and monastery day trips, walking tours and food tastings. In winter the mountain offer shifts to snowshoe and ski tours.
Tours from €15 · available today
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