Heavenly stays: 10 of the best monastery breaks in Europe
Benedictine Convent of St Johann in Müstair, Switzerland
This convent is said to have been founded by Charlemagne in the eighth century, and was recognised as a Unesco world heritage site in 1983. For 1,250 years Benedictine nuns have followed a structured monastic life here, which guests are invited to experience by staying in the convent guesthouse. Meals are provided, with fruit and vegetables from the organic garden. Guests are invited to take part in hourly prayers and spend time in the church, the Chapel of Grace, and the convent museum. Retreats are held throughout the year. If quiet contemplation doesn’t appeal, partner Hotel Chalavaina (doubles from £159 B&B) next door is livelier and has a restaurant and bar.
Doubles from 60 Swiss francs (£54),
muestair.ch
Hotel Loggiato dei Serviti, Florence, Italy
Visitors can stay in the heart of ancient Florence on beautiful Piazza della Santissima Annunziata in this former monastery. Built between 1517 and 1527 by the architect Antonio da Sangallo the Elder for the Servants of Mary religious order, for three centuries it was home to the order and travelling ecclesiastical dignitaries. It was converted into a hotel in 1924. The Renaissance interior has been sensitively preserved. Rooms are calm and classic, many with views of the Duomo. The central location is perfect for exploring Florence, with the Galleria dell’Accademia just a five-minute walk away.
Doubles from €150 B&B, loggiatodeiservitihotel.it
Het Rustpunt, Ghent, Belgium
In the heart of Ghent, Het Rustpunt boasts expansive, lush, walled gardens and an impressive ancient library. The 17th-century Carmelite monastery has 28 simple, recently renovated rooms with private bathrooms as well as a long-term lodging house for scholars in the grounds. Breakfast is included, with the option for full-board. Otherwise, the restaurants and cafes of the bustling city are on the doorstep. A small Carmelite community of monks still resides here, leading regular prayer and meditation sessions, which visitors are welcome to attend.
Singles from €93, doubles and twins from €133, hetrustpunt.com
Eremito, Umbria, Italy
The journey to Eremito, a remote “secular hermitage” deep in the Umbrian countryside, is part of the experience. The nearest town is Parrano, 20 minutes’ drive away, and pick-ups are available from Fabro-Ficulle station (direct trains to Rome take 90 minutes). The eco-hotel has 12 single rooms that are comfortable but bare and technology-free, with wrought-iron beds, stone desks and underfloor heating. Activities include yoga and walking in the woods, and there is a small spa with thermal plunge pool and stone steam room. Vegetarian meals are prepared with bounty from the organic gardens and guests dine communally and in silence in the refectory beside the vast stone fireplace, or in the gorgeous gardens in summer.
Singles €270 a night including all meals, eremito.com
La Cartuja de Cazalla, Seville, Spain
This monastery has had a chequered history, changing hands and religious denominations many times since it was built in the 15th century, before being abandoned. Restored from ruins, today it’s a peaceful place to stay, high on a plateau in the Sierra Morena mountains (1½ hour’s drive north of Seville) in an area renowned for excellent stargazing. No longer a working monastery, the grand chapels, cloisters and gardens host retreats and gatherings throughout the year, and can be hired for weddings and parties. The charming guesthouse rooms are converted cells built in 1416 by the Jerónimos order, with views of the gardens and cloisters. Breakfast can be arranged, but the guesthouse is set up for self-catering, making it a great base for walking or sightseeing.
Double rooms from €83, self-catering, lacartujadecazalla.com
Samye Ling, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
The Tibetan Buddhist monastery Samye Ling was founded in 1967 on the banks of the River Esk near Dumfries. It’s an important centre for Buddhist training, teaching and the preservation of Tibetan religion and culture. It is open to day and overnight visitors, who are welcome to listen to prayers and participate in meditation sessions. Samye Ling is home to about 40 people, a combination of monastic and lay volunteers. Throughout the year it offers Buddhist retreats as well as courses focusing on mindfulness, yoga and tai chi. Guests must agree to follow the monastery principles, which include no alcohol or tobacco. Retreat prices vary; accommodation is priced separately.
Dorm beds from £35, twins from £75, samyeling.org
Convent de la Missió, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Not all monastery stays are austere. The Convent de la Missió in the La Missió neighbourhood in central Palma – once a missionary training centre – is now a luxury hotel. Much of the original architecture has been preserved, and the white walls and high ceilings give the feeling of a sanctuary. After a day exploring the island, cool off in the rooftop pool or relax in the thermal spa. The Art Bar hosts exhibitions by contemporary artists, and you can enjoy a drink here or on its rooftop terrace. To blow the budget, the onsite Marc Fosh restaurant serves top Balearic Islands produce and has a Michelin star.
Doubles from €300 B&B plus spa access, conventdelamissio.com
Monastery Budapest, Hungary
Built for Capuchin monks in a baroque style, this 300-year-old abbey has been fully renovated, opening as a hotel in 2019. Today, although a small monastic community still lives on site and the order owns the hotel building, it is operated independently. Many original features remain, from the stone walls in the bedrooms to the grand staircases and marble floors, and the sign of the order, the round flower motif, is featured throughout. Rooms are simple and elegant, and the location, a short walk from the Danube and Buda Castle, is ideal for exploring Budapest.
Doubles or twins from €94, monasterybudapest.accenthotels.com
The Iona Community, Isle of Iona, Inner Hebrides, Scotland
The tiny island of Iona off the west coast of Scotland, accessible by ferry from the Isle of Mull, is home to a famous abbey, founded here in AD563 by Irish monk Saint Columba, and was the burial ground of Scottish kings for hundreds of years. Today, the abbey is at the heart of the Iona Community, an international Christian movement, which has restored ruined accommodation and some of whose members live there year-round. Participation in daily worship and guided reflections is optional, but guests need to be willing to contribute to tasks of communal living and upkeep, including helping with cooking and cleaning.
Single rooms from £127, doubles from £245, including all meals, iona.org.uk
Maison St Joseph d’Allex, Rhône-Alpes, France
The Sanctuary of St Joseph is an 18th-century castle in the peaceful village of Allex in the Drôme valley, 15 miles from Valence. The sanctuary was initially used by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans) to train young missionaries. In the past 20 years, the Spiritans have instead run a reception centre here, renting rooms to local groups and running ecology events in the gardens. Accommodation is open to all, with dormitories, single and family rooms, and in-house catering. Guests are welcome to join the Spiritans for daily prayers. The sanctuary also houses the Spiritan Museum of African Arts. From here, explore the historic streets of Valence, or use it as a base for walking or cycling in the foothills of the Vercors massif.
Doubles from €44 B&B, dorm beds from €24, stjoseph-allex.org
