Bulgaria's most famous Orthodox monastery can be found about 120 km south of Sofia, tucked away in a valley between the peaks of the Rila Mountains. This is where its name comes from. It lies at an altitude of 1,173 metres.
The monastery was founded in the 10th century by St. Ivan of Rila and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.
The typical Byzantine architecture of the monastery is playful, colourful and full of cute details. The white, red and brown colours of the building symbolise the Bulgarian folk costume. The first Bulgarian globe and a rare icon can be seen here, and above all the surreal wall frescoes in the Church of the Holy Mother of God.
When visiting the monastery, respect the dress code and do not enter the grounds with bare shoulders and knees.
Entrance fees and opening hours
Admission to the monastery grounds is free.
However, admission is charged to several museums and parts of the monastery:
- Rila Museum - guided tours only (approx. 50 minutes) for 25 bgn in English or 15 bgn in Bulgarian.
- Museum of the History of the Church - 8 bgn
- Gallery of Icons - 3 bgn
- Hrelov Tower (the oldest surviving part of the monastery dating back to 1335) - 5 bgn
All areas of the Rila Monastery are open daily from 8:30-16:30.
For up-to-date information, please visit rilskimanastir.org.
Where to stay?
You definitely don't have to go to the monastery just for a day from Sofia and it would be a shame. The surrounding countryside of the Rila Mountains is breathtaking and people-pleasing.
Right in the valley where the Rila Monastery lies, you will find several nice hotels and guesthouses with prices around 37 eur per night and double room.
At a distance of about 4 km from the monastery outside the town in the countryside you will find two well rated hotels:
How to get there
The monastery is located on a side road about 120 km south of Sofia and 40 km from Blagoevgrad.
By car
The most convenient form of transport is definitely a rental car, which you can use to travel around the surrounding mountains without any restrictions. In Sofia you will find a standard selection of multinational car rental companies.
Public transport
Direct minibuses from Sofia (Ovcha Kupel bus station in the south of the city) are operated by the Rila Bus Express bus company in July and August. The minibus runs once a day and you can find the current departure times on the rilskimanastir.org website. The ticket price is 17 bgn.
There are also direct minibuses twice a day to Blagoevgrad and Dupnitsa (5 bgn), from where you can take the train and long-distance Union Ivkoni buses from Sofia.
You can find a timetable of departure times on the monastery's website, however these times may not always be up to date: rilskimanastir.org.
Tourist transfer
The surest and most expensive option is to use tourist agencies that organize day trips from Sofia to Rila Monastery.
These trips are always guided and usually also stop at the Boyana Church.
Their cost is around 35 eur and can be arranged with companies such as these:
What to see around
Discover all the places to see in Bulgaria.
