Rila Monastery

Nearly a million visitors explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site each year. You can visit Rila Monastery's cloisters, farming buildings, and church, and step into its on-site museum for a look at its history and to see handwoven national costumes. Take a self-guided tour, or visit with a guide for deeper context. Some tours combine a monastery visit with a trip to a Bulgarian winery or to nearby Boyana Church, known for its medieval murals.

• Prebook tickets to the monastery to skip the line and enjoy more time inside.

• Visitors must wear clothing that covers shoulders, knees, and elbows to tour the grounds.

• A traditional bakery behind the monastery serves homemade mekitsi (dough fritters), while several nearby restaurants specialize in Bulgarian food; trout is a specialty.

Travelers can take the E79 International Route between Sofia and Kulata to the monastery. It’s located about 16 miles (25 kilometers) from Kocherinovo. The easiest way to get there is by joining a guided tour with included transportation.

Rila Monastery is a popular day trip destination among locals and visitors, especially in summer. Plan to visit the monastery in winter when it's quieter and you’ll have the grounds largely to yourself.

No trip to Rila Monastery would be complete without a stop at the nearby cave where St. Ivan of Rila, the hermit who founded the monastery, lived while his students built what would become Bulgaria’s most famous spiritual center. Visitors can hike to this small nook in the mountainside from the monastery to see where the saint spent some 20 years in relative solitude.

Yes, as one of Bulgaria’s largest monasteries, the UNESCO–listed Rila Monastery is well worth a visit. The Eastern Orthodox complex presents over ten centuries of Bulgarian history, architecture, and art. Surrounded by noteworthy attractions, such as the Seven Rila Lakes, you can make the monastery part of an enriching day trip from Sofia.

Rila Monastery is located approximately 72 miles (116 kilometers) from Sofia. You can reach Rila Monastery by car, public bus, or shuttle bus. Driving offers flexibility, while public buses and shuttles are affordable options. Organized tours that include round-trip transportation from Sofia enable you to visit the monastery comfortably and efficiently.

For a reasonable fee, the Rila Monastery offers guided tours in English and Bulgarian, available upon request, as well as mobile audio guides. Alternatively, take a round-trip excursion from Sofia to the monastery. These all-day experiences often include comfortable transportation, live narration, and free time to explore the complex independently.

The Rila Monastery complex is conveniently open seven days a week, typically from 7am–7:30pm, making it easy to fit this attraction into any sightseeing schedule. The onsite history museum is also open daily from 8:30am–4:30pm. During summer weekends, June–September, the museum is open until 7:30pm.

Yes, you can stay overnight at Rila Monastery, which has private rooms and dormitories available. However, pilgrims and religious groups visiting the monastery are given first priority. To book, contact the monk brotherhood directly at the phone number listed on the official Rila Monastery website.

The Rila Monastery is within easy driving distance of the Stob Pyramids, the Cave of Saint Ivan Rilski, and Melnik. Many organized Rila Monastery tours from Sofia include visits to some of these sites and further-flung attractions such as the UNESCO–listed Boyana Church and the Seven Rila Lakes.