Italy’s monastery stays offer something unique that hotels simply cannot match. These sacred spaces provide authentic accommodations, combining centuries of hospitality tradition with surprisingly affordable rates.
From ancient hermitages in Tuscany to canal-side convents in Venice, these religious communities welcome travelers of all backgrounds seeking peaceful lodging. Many of these monasteries are located within walking distance of major tourist attractions, while offering a complete escape from tourist crowds.
Here is a list of 15 verified monasteries across Italy that definitively open their doors to travelers looking for an authentic experience.
Camaldoli Hermitage
Founded around 1012 by St. Romuald in the Tuscan Apennines, this site operates both in cenobitic (monastery) and hermitage forms, offering guest accommodations including single rooms, dorms, and meals for individuals, families, and groups year-round.
Guests can choose between participating in the monastic rhythm or enjoying silent retreats in the hermitage setting. The ancient forest location provides a complete escape from modern life, while the historic herbal pharmacy on site continues traditional medicine practices passed down through centuries.
Istituto San Giuseppe
Located in the heart of Venice, this convent offers clean, simple accommodations just a 2–5-minute walk from Piazza San Marco. The Sisters provide a warm welcome in basic rooms without television or breakfast service, maintaining a peaceful atmosphere with an 11 pm curfew.
Despite the minimal amenities, guests consistently praise the exceptional location and the opportunity to experience authentic Venetian neighborhood life away from tourist crowds while remaining steps from major attractions.
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Casa per Ferie Santa Elisabetta
This religious guesthouse run by the Sisters of Saint Elizabeth sits on Viale Michelangiolo 46, just outside Florence’s historic center. Rates are around €40 per person with breakfast included and private bathrooms available in most rooms.
The serene setting features garden views and easy access to both the city center and the famous Piazzale Michelangelo viewpoint, creating an ideal base for exploring Renaissance Florence.
Casa di Santa Brigida
Located near Campo de Fiori in Rome, this Bridgettine convent has operated since medieval times and continues welcoming pilgrims and visitors today. The accommodation features no curfew, includes breakfast, and a rooftop terrace overlooking Piazza Farnese.
The Sisters provide helpful advice about papal audience tickets and Rome’s religious sites, making this perfect for visitors interested in combining spiritual and cultural experiences.
Sanctuary of La Verna
Built on the clifftop site where St. Francis received the stigmata, this monastery offers full board accommodation for €57 per person. The 72 guest rooms along arcaded cloisters feature heated chambers with tiny private bathrooms, while all meals bring guests together at small tables, encouraging conversation between visitors of diverse backgrounds.
The mountain setting in the Casentino hills provides excellent hiking opportunities and houses remarkable della Robbia sculptures.
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Monte Oliveto Maggiore
This abbey in the Crete Senesi hills of southern Tuscany offers monastery guest accommodations in single, double, and triple rooms, some with en-suite facilities and others with shared bathrooms. Guests can participate in spiritual retreats or simply enjoy the tourism experience amid the abbey’s celebrated Renaissance frescoes by Signorelli and Sodoma.
Access is via a historic drawbridge into the red-brick abbey complex, creating a truly medieval atmosphere.
Monastero di Bose
Established in 1965 as an ecumenical community, Bose welcomes both monks and nuns from different Christian traditions about 40 miles northeast of Turin. The guesthouse accommodates visitors for retreats and spiritual communion experiences, though bookings must be made by phone or fax rather than email.
This contemporary approach to monastic life offers insight into 21st-century religious community while maintaining traditional hospitality values.
Foresteria Del Monastero Santa Scolastica
Located close to the center of Subiaco, this breathtaking lodging features plenty of history, fine hospitality, and picturesque grounds. There are three separate sets of cloisters, all built in different centuries, including the ‘First Cloister’, which contains photographs from Pope John XXIII’s 1960 visit.
Built on the side of a mountain, construction began in the 12th century, with additional cloisters added in the 14th, 16th, and 20th centuries.
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Foresteria Casa Valdese di Firenze
Located in a beautiful 17th-century palazzo near the river and historic center of Florence, this Waldensian guest house offers welcoming and comfortable hospitality open to all. The building maintains its history while providing modern facilities, having served as a residence for noble Florentine families before becoming the seat of the Waldensian Faculty of Theology in 1922.
The facility now supports various social service programs while hosting travelers.
Foresteria Del Monastero Di San Girolamo
Located within the walls of San Gimignano, this monastery offers splendid views of the Tuscan landscape from the Chianti hills to the mountains of Tuscany. The medieval architecture complements San Gimignano’s famous towers, while the location provides easy walking access to the town’s central sights.
First established in 1337, the nuns were forced to leave during the Napoleonic Wars but returned to continue their hospitality tradition.
La Foresteria di San Leo
Located in the warm climate of Southern Italy, this guest house offers accommodation in a beautiful 14th-century Benedictine lodge in Basilicata. The mountain location provides a peaceful retreat in Italy’s lesser-known southern regions, offering travelers authentic experiences away from crowded tourist destinations while maintaining traditional Benedictine hospitality customs.
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Santuario di Oropa
Set against emerald lawns and soaring Alpine peaks in Piedmont, this sanctuary offers luxurious accommodation that rivals royal apartments. The complex features over 300 rooms furnished with antiques, from austere Camere Turistiche to extraordinary suites with elegant period furnishings.
The Baroque and Rococo architecture designed by royal architects Pietro Arduzzi and Filippo Juvarra creates one of Italy’s most opulent monastery stays.
Foresteria Valdese Venezia
Located in the historic Palazzo Cavagnis, a typical 18th-century Venetian palace in the Castello district, this Waldensian guest house offers comfortable accommodations just minutes from St. Mark’s Square and Rialto Bridge. Many rooms feature original 18th-century frescoes and canal views, with rates starting around €100 for doubles.
The facility allots its earnings to Waldensian social projects for older people, migrants, refugees, and disabled people, making every stay a contribution to worthy causes.
Centro Culturale Don Orione Artigianelli
Built in the 13th century as a Jesuit convent, this Venice accommodation was acquired by priest Don Orione in 1923 and reopened in 2006 after extensive restoration. Located in the Dorsoduro district near the Accademia Gallery, the center offers about 80 rooms with air conditioning, private bathrooms, and views of gardens or historic cloisters.
The complex develops around three 18th-century cloisters and one 15th-century cloister near the Church of Santa Maria della Visitazione.
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Monastero Santa Maria della Purità
Though the last nuns left this monastery in 1976, the Catholic association managing it transformed the complex into a religious tourism center. Located in southern Italy, guests, including lay people, can stay in one of the monastery’s 34 simple rooms throughout the year.
The facility also manages the nearby Baroque sanctuary, creating a complete spiritual tourism experience for visitors seeking both accommodation and cultural heritage.
Where Verified Tradition Meets Modern Travelers
These fifteen monasteries represent confirmed opportunities to experience authentic monastic hospitality throughout Italy. Each has been verified through multiple reliable sources, including MonasteryStays.com booking platform, traveler reviews, and established travel guides.
While Italy contains hundreds of religious houses, these specific communities have established clear guest programs welcoming visitors of all backgrounds and faiths. The simple rhythm of monastic life often provides exactly what busy modern lives most need: space for reflection, authentic community, and connection to living traditions that have welcomed travelers for centuries.
When booking any monastery stay, always contact the community directly to confirm current availability, rates, and house rules, as these can change seasonally.
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