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6 SECLUDED MONASTERIES YOU HAVE TO VISIT IN ITALY

Alexander Meddings

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Cloister of Saint Francis of Assisi
Italy is home to innumerable sites of natural beauty that few travellers ever visit. Of course, the main artistic cities occupy pride of place on Italian travel itineraries for good reason, and everybody should make time to explore the Catholic treasures of Rome, the Renaissance heritage of Florence, and the winding canals of Venice. But the effects of overtourism are stripping these cities of some of their magic, and shifting the focus onto the peripheries instead.

For travellers seeking to explore beyond the usual tourist destinations, this guide to secluded monasteries in Italy showcases some lesser-known yet remarkable sites. From the shores of Lake Garda to the olive groves and vineyards of Fasano, here are some of our top secluded monasteries that offer insight into Italy’s heritage and serve as tranquil travel retreats.


Locanda al Santuario, Peschiera del Garda
Nestled at the foot of Lake Garda in the northern region of Lombardy, Peschiera del Garda offers an enticing blend of natural beauty and historical charm. Its surrounding 17th-century Venetian walls seemingly isolate the town from Garda’s more bustling tourist spots, even with Gardaland – Italy’s main amusement park – just a few miles away.

Renting a boat and venturing out onto the lake is a great way to spend a morning, as is exploring the Venetian fortifications which have since been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Christian travellers should make time to visit the 16th-century Sanctuary of Madonna del Frassino (Sanctuary of the Virgin Mary of the Ash Tree), which is situated just outside the town and accessible via a picturesque cypress avenue.
According to the sanctuary’s foundation legend, a shepherd named Bartolomeo Broglia was tending to his flock near Peschiera del Garda when he was threatened by a venomous snake. In his distress, he called upon the Virgin Mary for help. Miraculously, a small statue of the Madonna appeared in the branches of a nearby ash tree (frassino in Italian), which put the snake to flight. Broglia retrieved the statue and brought it to the local community, who recognised the event as a divine sign and built this sanctuary on the site.
Sanctuary of Madonna del Frassino
Where to stay in Peschiera del Garda

Locanda al Santuario, Peschiera del Garda

Locanda Al Santuario, Peschiera Del Garda

The Locanda al Santuario Monastery offers a serene retreat on the outskirts of Peschiera. Situated a short walk from the Sanctuary of Madonna del Frassino and just 1km from the city walls, this charming monastery combines historical elegance with modern comforts, providing a peaceful haven in which to unwind and rejuvenate. This accommodation also features a restaurant that specialises in typical Northern Italian cuisine.

Book your stay now and experience the peace and tranquillity of this secluded monastery.



Casa Diocesana – Lucca
Lucca might just be the most enchanting city in Tuscany. Granted, it does not have the reputational pull of neighbouring Florence, Pisa and Siena. But as an unpresumptuous, prosperous and unspoilt city, it offers plenty for those seeking a taste of slow Tuscan life.

Lucca has no shortage of things to see. Its main attraction is the Church of San Michele in Foro, which stands on the site of the city’s Roman forum. Though funds ran out before the eleventh-century church could be finished, the façade is simply stunning—a collonaded masterpiece exhibiting the finest example of Pisan-Romanesque architecture anywhere in Italy.
Piazza dell'Anfiteatro
Just as popular is the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro, another relic of Lucca’s ancient Roman past, which adopts the shape of the ancient amphitheatre that belies it. But as with all Tuscan towns, it’s worth whiling away an afternoon or evening without a fixed itinerary: wandering its medieval streets and alleys, popping into shops and gelaterias, and dining al fresco in its restaurants or trattorie. One thing you must do, though, is see Lucca from above by walking or cycling its surrounding Renaissance walls – the only ones to have survived intact to the present day.

Where to Stay in Lucca

Casa Diocesana, Lucca

Casa Diocesana, Lucca

Situated a few miles outside Lucca’s city walls, and a 30-minute drive from Pisa International Airport, the Diocesan House is the perfect monastery accommodation for travellers looking to explore Tuscany from a peaceful woodland retreat. The accommodation also features two dining rooms, an internal chapel, and spacious garden areas for relaxation and meditation. We would recommend that guests here hire a car since public transportation connections are poor.



Montecassino Abbey - Montecassino
Situated at the southern tip of the region of Lazio, the town of Montecassino is home to perhaps the most famous abbey in Italy. Founded in the 6th century by Saint Benedict, the abbey was synonymous throughout the Middle Ages with quality craftsmanship (especially the art of brewing) and furnished several cardinals who went on to become popes.

Montecassino and its abbey came to global attention in 1944 when it became the site of one of the Second World War’s most destructive battles. The reconstructed monastery is now fully functioning and the public can visit its church, monastic library, museum, and the Loggia of Paradise, which offers stunning views over the central Italian countryside.

Visitors will find plenty to do in Montecassino and its vicinity. Lovers of contemporary art should check out CaMusAC (Cassino’s Museum of Contemporary Art) which exhibits impressive indoor and outdoor works by Italian and international artists, while Christian travellers should make time to visit Cassino’s Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo: Located in the nearby town of Cassino, this church has historical significance and offers a peaceful setting for worship.

If you’re travelling by car, make the short trip north to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Graces in the town of Isola del Liri. It’s also worth driving down to the town of Capua near Naples (once the terminus of the Appian Way) and visiting the Sanctuary of Sant’Angelo in Formis which is famous for its beautiful frescoes.

Visit Montecassino on a day trip from Rome.
Montecassino Abbey

Il Trullo dell’Immacolata – Fasano
The region of Apulia (Puglia, as it’s more commonly known) encapsulates the best of Southern Italy: stunning stretches of coastline, whitewashed hilltop towns, and delicious and affordable Mediterranean cuisine.

Puglia’s best-known cities are Bari and Brindisi, each served by an airport and ferry connections across the Adriatic Sea. Situated between the two is the lesser-known town of Fasano, a quaint hilltop settlement that serves as the perfect base from which to explore the Puglia region.

Fasano borders the municipality of Alborebello, which is famous for its Trulli-type houses with their distinctive conical roofs, and Polignano al Mare, the coastal town with perhaps the most iconic beach in Puglia and the home of the Italian singer Domenico Modugno who brought the world the song commonly known as “Volare”. Fasano is also a 90-minute drive from Matera, perhaps the most impressive city in Southern Italy.

History buffs should visit the nearby archaeological site of Egnazia, which contains a mix of ancient Roman ruins and Christian relics against a stunning backdrop of the Adriatic Sea. Fasano itself doesn’t have many churches of note, but the nearby Basilica of Saint Nicholas in Bari is worth visiting (especially for its Romanesque sculptural works and tomb of Saint Nicholas). A day trip to Matera is a must, not least for its many rupestral churches which have been hewn into the ravine.

Where to Stay in Puglia

Il Trullo dell'Immacolata, Fasano

You can’t visit Puglia without staying in a Trullo, and the Trullo dell’Immacolata monastery provides a fantastic, reasonably priced accommodation option. Situated at the top of Selva di Fasano hill, it offers excellent views over the Apulian countryside and is strategically positioned a few minutes from the centre of Fasano and just 15km from the sea – making it a great base to combine cultural itineraries around Puglia with some quality time at the coast. 

Be sure to book this monastery accommodation well in advance if you’re visiting in early August. Local accommodation gets booked out quickly by festival-goers attending VIVA! Fest.



Casa della Convivialità – Alessano
Situated at the southernmost tip of the Italian peninsula, Alessano boasts a truly stunning landscape, surrounded by olive groves, vineyards, and the crystal-clear waters of the Adriatic Sea to the east and the Ionian Sea to the west. Its historical centre is typical of many Puglian towns, with whitewashed Baroque-era houses flanking expansive piazzas and narrow streets, and churches and aristocratic residences (16th - 18th centuries) interspersed among them. 

Visitors to Alessano have a wealth of things to do in the vicinity. The nearby coastal towns of Santa Maria di Leuca and Gallipoli boast some of the most stunning beaches in Southern Italy, perfect for swimming. For those interested in history and culture, the city of Lecce, often referred to as the "Florence of the South," is just a 45-minute drive away and boasts magnificent baroque architecture with its distinctive white and amber palette resulting from its local “Lecce” limestone. The region is renowned for its culinary delights, not least its typical orecchiette (ear-shaped) pasta, soft Apulian focaccia, and caciocavallo cheese. 
Where to Stay in Alessano

Casa della Convivialita` Don Tonino Bello, Alessano

For an unforgettable stay in Alessano, consider Casa della Convivialità Don Tonino Bello, situated in the heart of the village as part of the ancient Franciscan Convent complex. This beautifully renovated building, retaining its baroque architecture and serene atmosphere, offers modern comforts in rooms featuring typical star or barrel vaults, with balconies or windows overlooking the cloister or lush Salento countryside. 

Located near Don Tonino Bello's birthplace and significant sites, guests can immerse themselves in the local history and culture. Personalized services and testimonies about Don Tonino's message of peace enrich the experience, making it an ideal secluded base for exploring Alessano and the surrounding Salento region.


Villa Crawford – Sorrento
Sorrento hardly needs an introduction, since it is perhaps the most picturesque town perched along the Amalfi Coast. Overlooking the Bay of Naples, Sorrento offers it all: stunning vistas of the azure Tyrrhenian Sea and the silhouetted distant Mount Vesuvius, charming whitewashed streets lined with shops specialising in ceramics, lacework and marquetry woodwork, and some of the fattest, sweetest lemons you’re ever going to taste.

Sorrento is also the perfect base from which to explore nearby Capri, Pompeii, Herculaneum and the grittier but grandiose regional capital of Naples. Within Sorrento itself, you should make time to visit the town’s Romanesque-style cathedral (the foundations of which date to the 11th century) and the serene, ivy-clad Cloister of Saint Francis of Assisi, a 14th-century cloister built on the ruins of a 7th-century monastery.


Where to Stay in Sorrento

Villa Crawford, Sorrento

Perched on the Amalfi Coast in the Marinella area of Sant'Agnello, the charming residence of Villa Crawford is an excellent place to stay in the vicinity of Sorrento. Surrounded by a lush garden, and with a private beach just 100 metres away, Villa Crawford offers guests panoramic terraces and serene green spaces for relaxation, making it the perfect monastery accommodation for a relaxing stay. 

Villa Crawford’s rooms include private bathrooms, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, TV, hairdryers, and fresh linens. The villa also features an internal restaurant with half-board and full-board options. Guests can also choose from an a la carte menu for more flexibility.


Whether you’re coming to Italy on pilgrimage or for a vacation, it’s worth your while venturing off the beaten path. The cultural and religious heritage of Rome, Florence and Venice cannot be passed up, especially off-season. But while travelling between the three, it pays dividends to spend some time staying in these secluded monasteries and immersing yourself in an authentic, slower way of life as you explore their stunning environs.