The audio guide instantly opens on our website!
No downloads!
Internet consumption is minimal, up to 70 MB
Select the date of the tour from the calendar. After payment, a link with access to audio files and a route map will be sent to your email. On the day you choose, the link will become active
One of the most popular landmarks in Bulgaria, which is also the most frequently visited by foreign tourists, is the Rila Monastery, a holy monastery known for its stunning frescoes. It is more convenient to explore it and familiarize with the local landmarks using an audio guide. It will tell you unique facts about the history of the monastery and the life of the first Bulgarian hermit, John of Rila – facts you cannot find on the Internet.
You can listen to our audio guide for the Rila Monastery in Bulgaria on your phone, in a language of your choice, and learn about its significance in Bulgarian history. All you need is Internet access and a headset. There is a stable mobile connection in the Rila Monastery.
PRICE | OPTIONS |
10 BGN / €5 | Audio guide for 8 objects Audio recordings for 5 museums Map of the territory of the monastery 7 languages to choose from |
Tour languages
You can listen to our audio guide on your phone using headphones to learn about the monastery’s rich history. You just need to buy the recording, turn it on during the day tour and enjoy the exciting story of how the temple was created and why the Rila Monastery is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Register.
How to purchase an audio guide:
The link will become active on the specified day and within 24 hours you will be able to listen to the recordings, with the option to choose between seven popular languages.
A map will be sent to your email along with the recordings, so you can more easily navigate the monastery.
You can pause the tour at any time, for example to eat at a local restaurant and try the famous crispy mekitsas generously sprinkled with caster sugar.
To see this remarkable place, you need to travel 117 kilometers south of Sofia, to the Rila River valley. There, in the northwest part of the mountain range, at 1150 meters above sea level, rises the Rila Monastery, one of Bulgaria’s oldest monuments of its culture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
You can reach the Rila Monastery, a symbol of Bulgarian history, from Sofia by bus. It departs every day at 10:20 a.m. from bus station “West”, (Zapad) Ovcha Kupel district (ticket price is 11 BGN). To travel back from the Rila Monastery, you can take the bus at 3:00 p.m.
Paid parking is provided near the Monastery for those traveling by car. By the way, you can book a night at the small hotel on the territory of the Monastery and extend your access to the audio guide on the website for up to 72 hours (for an additional fee).
If you have time, be sure to visit the cave of Saint John of Rila, also known as the Ivan Rilski Cave, where he lived in seclusion for many years.It is located just 3 km from the main territory of the Monastery. In the cave, on a stone bed, you will see numerous icons left here by worshipers, reflecting the rich Bulgarian history. Many visitors also leave notes asking for the health of their relatives and loved ones.
There is a belief that if you squeeze through the narrow opening at the upper entrance of the cave, you will be cleansed of bad thoughts.
Our audio guide will reveal the most interesting secrets and little-known facts about the exhibits in the five active Museums that you can visit on the territory of the complex: Ecclesiastical & Historical Museum, Icon Gallery, Medieval Hreliov’s tower, Ethnographic Museum. Visiting one Museum costs 2,5 EUR, and for 8 EUR you can buy a combined ticket for all expositions. If you wish to visit the monk’s cell, you should contact the Museum curator.
The relics of Saint John of Rila, the heavenly patron of the Bulgarian people, are laid in the cathedral church on the territory of the Monastery. You will find them near the iconostasis, under a wine-red cover embroidered with gold.
The main treasure of the Rila Monastery is kept in the same church – the miraculous icon of Holy Mother Hodegetria, known in Bulgaria as Virgin Mary Osenovitsa. It is the most ancient shrine of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, and researchers confidently date it to the 12th century.
The Ecclesiastical & History Museum of the Rila Monastery also houses its most impressive exhibit – Raphael’s cross, a highlight of the visit to Rila Monastery tour. Father Raphael created a real miracle from a single piece of boxwood, carving 100 biblical scenes and 600 miniature figures on the cross, showcasing the rich European tradition of religious art.
How to get to the Rila Monastery? | 3 ways to get to the Rila Monastery:
The cheapest. You can find the Facebook group share travel "СПОДЕЛЕНО ПЪТУВАНЕ" and write a short message: "Hello! Tarsya prevoz for the date (01.01.23) Sofia - Rilski manastir / Bansko - Rilski manastir / Burgas - Rilski manastir, etc. Also, see other users' group feed. They write short messages, so it will be easy for a foreigner to understand. |
What to see near the Rila Monastery? | The Rila National Park includes not only the territory of the Rila Monastery, but also the famous Seven Rila Lakes. Lakes of glacial origin are located in mountainous areas over 2000 m above sea level, making them ideal for a hike. This object is included in the 100 national tourist sites in Bulgaria. |
Is the tour suitable for children? | Day trip to the Rila Monastery will be interesting for children from 10 years old. |
How is the audio guide tour? | A map of the territory of the monastery will be sent to your mail. You will follow this map and understand where each object in the monastery complex is located and what record number it has. And when you get to the object, just turn on our audio guide for detailed commentary. |