Monasteries in Italy provide a unique vacation opportunity for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Monastery buildings include convents and abbeys, and most are historic buildings. Travelers should note that many of their websites are in Italian only, and often the staff only speak limited English. All the properties listed require advanced booking and have private rooms available as well as housing for groups. They provide lodgings for the general public as well as group accommodations for retreats and spiritual programs.
Benedictine monks have operated a monastery in San Biagio for centuries. San Biagio is in Italy’s Piedmont region, near the Alps and many of the largest Italian lakes. Extensive restoration work began in 1973, and the monks have looked to share their spirituality with visitors since the 1980s. Anyone is invited to attend daily mass at San Biagio. Overnight accommodations are inside the monastery or in an adjoining campground.
Monastero di San Biagio
Madonna della Fiducia
12084 Pogliola (CN)
+39-174-686298
monasterosanbiagio.com
The Casa Santo Nome di Gesù is the Convent of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena. The building is a fifteenth century palace located in the heart of the city of Florence. It is walking distance from the Pitti Palace, Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio and all of the city’s great art museums and churches. Because of the convent’s prized location it is important to make reservations well in advance.
Suore Domenicane di Santa Caterina da Siena
Piazza del Carmine, 21
50124 Florence
+39-55-213856
fmmfirenze.it
The Abbey of Casamari is one of the best preserved examples of Gothic architecture in Italy. It is an active Cistercian monastery whose monks sell liquors and herbs. The abbey is in a wooded valley in the Lazio region. The property has two buildings: one houses guests who want to experience monastic life, and the other is for guests seeking rest and relaxation.
Abbazio di Casamari
Veroli
Lazio-Frosinone 03029
+39-775-332371
casamari.it
The Barnabiti Friars of Genoa run the Casa Alpina, a wooden building in a typical architectural style for the Aosta region. It is half a mile from the center of Courmayeur, one of Italy’s premiere ski resorts. A nearby cable car ascends Monte Bianco (Mont Blanc). The house was once part of the larger Great St. Bernard Abbey. Vacationers can ski, explore pretty nearby villages, or in summer they can play in the on-site soccer field. The friars especially welcome youth groups, but anyone can book a stay.
Casa Alpina Padre Semeria
Via Valsapin, 2 - Villair Superiore
11013 Courmayeur (AO)
+39-165-846718
lastellalpina.it
The large Benedictine Abbey of Vallombrosa hosts conferences and meetings, spiritual exercise programs and overnight stays. The abbey is in the Tuscany region and is surrounded by several other monasteries and sanctuaries, which can be visited during the day. Vallombrosa sponsors concerts and musical events and has an art museum open to the public.
Abbazia di Vallombrosa
Via San Benedetto, 2
50066 Vallombrosa
+39-55-862251
monaci.org/index1.asp
The Carmelites house guests at the Monastery of Santa Croce, in a castle-like building in the south of the Liguria province and a few miles from the Cinque Terre. Santa Croce is right on the Mediterranean coast and is surrounded by a vast park, which guests are welcome to explore. The monastery is known for its unusual, artistic wooden cross dating to the twelfth century. Spiritual retreats for religious and lay people are hosted throughout the year, and there are special programs during holidays.
Monastero Santa Croce
Via S. Croce, 30
19030 Bocca di Magra (La Spezia)
+39-0187-60911
monasterosantacroce.it
