So, in Spain and Portugal, back in the early 1980s, many medieval castles were converted into a kind of inn. Let this name not confuse the reader, who associates it with the flophouses where the Knight of the Sad Countenance stayed during his wanderings. In fact, these are expensive luxurious hotels, whose comfort is not inferior to modern five-star hotels, and at the same time, a tourist staying in a castle can feel like a medieval traveler who has found shelter with a local feudal lord. And in Italy, in local working monasteries, for a relatively small fee (about $35 per person) you can now spend the night in a clean, neat cell.
The hotel services of monasteries are so far used mainly by Europeans themselves, but those Ukrainians who have ever stayed in a quiet cloister remember it with admiration and delight.
"In church shelters you will find silence, cleanliness and the hospitality of the hosts. It is very cozy here. Monks and nuns will help you appreciate their way of life. The cells are kept in impeccable cleanliness. Monks believe that cleanliness is a step toward the divine," writes Eileen Barish, author of a guidebook to Italian monasteries open to tourists. Monastery shelters accept everyone, regardless of faith. Hospitality is an ancient tradition of monks, dating back to the times when pilgrims traveled all over the world and needed rest on their way to shrines.
Many monasteries open for tourists to spend the night have an ancient history. For example, the "Casa Ospitaliera del Gran San Bernardo" (Casa Ospitaliera del Gra Sa Berardo), located near the Swiss border in the small Italian town of Saint-Oyen, is situated where Hannibal crossed the Alps in the third century BC. Here, since the 11th century AD, the famous rescue dogs — Saint Bernards — have been bred.
Monasteries are usually located in the most picturesque places, in green valleys or snow-covered mountains. Monks consider the beauty of nature to be one of the evidences of God's blessing.
Conditions in monastery accommodations for tourists vary from Spartan to luxurious. The price of the room usually includes breakfast. The popularity of monastery shelters among Europeans is so high that it is recommended to book a room in advance.
Although monks strictly refrain from attempts to convert tourists to their faith, they will not mind if you want to attend a service.
In monasteries, tourists are treated exactly as tourists, not as undemanding pilgrims. Monks understand what primarily attracts vacationers to them: the silence and the beautiful view. Moreover, the atmosphere here is completely different: guests who do not know each other, people from different countries, quickly get acquainted and find common ground at a large table in the refectory.
Another important advantage of monastery shelters is home cooking, many recipes of which are passed down from generation to generation in each monastery and kept in the strictest secrecy for decades or even centuries. Organic vegetables and fruits come to the table straight from the monastery garden.
In Western European monasteries, they are not too strict about food. The founder of monasticism in Western Europe, Saint Benedict (480-543 AD), rejected the asceticism of his Eastern brothers in faith. Being a practical man, he advocated a moderate lifestyle that implied plentiful food and drink.
"When you stay in a monastery on the Apennine Peninsula, you completely immerse yourself in the Italian way of life. You learn about the life of another country. And this will remain in your memory for a long time," notes Eileen Barish in her book.
Tourists who have stayed in such shelters, in addition to the beauties of architecture, landscape and good cuisine, fondly recall the courteous treatment of the monks, who are always ready to tell about interesting places to visit. There is much to learn from the brethren, who are imbued with the wisdom and tranquility of the monastic rule.
For those interested in such a holiday, the magazine 'Europe' offers the addresses of nine of the most famous European monasteries, always ready to receive weary travelers. However, be careful: in some monasteries in non-English-speaking countries, a monk who does not speak English may answer the phone (although this is more likely the exception than the rule). A number of monasteries are located far from the city. And also: it is advisable to observe the schedule to which monastic life has been subordinated for centuries.
If you are ready for such sacrifices, then nothing will prevent you from making the right choice...