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Sleeping in Convents and Monasteries
Bill Parsons - February, 2007
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Here's a copy of Bill's tips on overnight accommodations in convents and monasteries, presented at the February, 2007 meeting of the Travel Club:
Convent and monastery lodging has three basic attractions: Cost, convenience, and (hopefully) comfort.
The cost is a very big factor for us. For example, this past September we stayed in a convent in the very heart of Rome at a cost of 75 Euros for a double room. This past year friends of ours stayed in convents in Siena and Venice for 60 Euros and 70 Euros respectively for double rooms. These costs compare very favorably with a one star hotel and we would rate the average convent as better lodging than the average one star hotel.
The convenience of convent lodging is primarily in the location. The main attraction of the convents that we and our friends have used is that all have been extremely well located for sightseeing. For example, our Rome convent is literally around the corner and less than a minute away from Piazza Navona, and within 30 minutes by foot of the majority of the sights of Rome.
The comfort can be a little bit uncertain, and this is always a subjective evaluation anyway. We find the convents to be safe, secure, and welcoming. The rooms are spare, with serviceable single beds, nightstands, and a wardrobe. Most have ensuite bathrooms with updated fixtures, but when that is not the case we have at least had a sink in the room and a bright clean bathroom down the hall. Most have a curfew of 23:00 or 23:30 but we find that after a full day of sightseeing we are always in before the gate is locked.
Convents that we or friends have stayed in that we can vouch for include:
Rome:
Instituto Santa Giuliana Falconieri
Via Calasanzio,1
00186 Rome (Roma)
011-39-06-687-1471 (fax) or email: s.giuliana@tin
Florence:
Istituto Oblate dell’Assunzione
Borgo Pinti, 15
Florence 50121 (Firenze)
011-39-055-234-6291 (fax) or 011-39-055-248-052 or 248-053 (phone)
Siena:
Santuario S. Caterina
Alma Domus
Via Camporegio, 37
Siena 53100 (Siena)
011-39-0577-47601 (fax) or 011-39-0577-441-44 or 444-87 (phone)
Venice:
Instituto San Giuseppe
Ponte della Guerra, Castello, 5402
Venice 30122 (Venezia)
011-39-041-520-5286 (fax) or 011-39-041-522-0829 (phone)
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Bed and Blessings: Italy
A Guide to Convents and Monasteries Available for Overnight Lodging
Authors: June Walsh, Anne Walsh
Format: Paperback, 222 pages
Publication Date: January 1999
Publisher: Paulist Pr
ISBN: 0809138484
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The Guide to Lodging in Italy’s Monasteries
By Eileen Barish
2nd Edition
ANACAPA PRESS
PO Box 8459, Scottsdale, AZ 85252
ISBN: 1-884465-13-7
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http://www.monasteriesofitaly.com/
http://www.santasusanna.org/comingToRome/convents.html
http://savvytraveler.publicradio.org/show/features/1999/19990731/interview-1.shtml
These are good sites for lodging in Italy, as well as other handy information.
Elizabeth Johnston, a new travel Club member, shares the following:
The seminary I stayed at in Rome this past January is the one associated with the Rosminians, a group of missionary priests, with seminarians from India, Africa, Italy and England. Their e-mail address is: collegio.missionario.rosmini@virgilio.it Father Anthony Furlong is the rector. The rooms are simple with private bathrooms, plus breakfast is available. I paid 40 Euros for a single; a shared twin bedroom runs 25 Euros per person. Cash only. There is a TV room with satellite in English. Next to the seminary is St. John's Church at the Latin Gate, a lovely 1600 year old basilica with 12th and 16th century frescos. Tombs dating from the time of the Scipios are adjacent, and there is one tomb on the college grounds. Bus transportation to the downtown area is nearby and frequent. I plan to return this October for two weeks.
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