Stay in Spanish Monasteries
Eileen Barish - The Guide to Lodging in Spain's Monasteries - Review
A book Review of accommodation in Spanish Monasteries. Unique, different and affordable places to stay in Spain, castles, palaces and monastry stays at pleasing prices.
Staying in monasteries is an age-old tradition, when weary foot-travellers were given shelter and sustenance before continuing on their journey, it’s a type of accommodation almost forgotten about today.
Eileen Barish has produced a packed informative and well-researched guide to Convent and Monastery accommodation across Spain - The guide to Lodging in Spain's Monasteries. As many religious institutions look for ways to upkeep their often splendid buildings and way of life, opening their accommodation up to all travellers seems to be a hit on both sides.
Barish takes us through the Spanish landscape from Andalusia to Galicia and across to the Balearics Islands in the Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Islands off the African coast, exposing rural hilltop sanctuaries with sea-views and medieval walled city convents.
Accommodation in monasteries is inexpensive, basic and welcoming, chiming bells and all-encompassing restfulness in wonderful historical buildings is what Barish reveals in this fascinating guide to these ancient places of rest for the weary traveller.
The guide is arranged in Spanish regions, giving a history of the building and its religious order, and the type the lodgings on offer. The majority of which are open to all, the minority available only for spiritual retreats.
This book is an informative read, with a low-down on the surrounding areas and places of interest to visit, as well as comments from the monks and nuns themselves on the building or the history of their order.
Listing over 150 monasteries, with details of costs, directions to get there, amenities, whether meals are available and costs and the curfew hour, detail and ease of being able to make yourself a booking and follow in her footsteps has been well-achieved.
These accommodations are unique, accessible and very friendly, but they are not as Barish points out hotels, and as such should not be treated as somewhere to give you service, but as a resting place, and a serene one at that.
Most lodgings have a curfew hour that varies between 9pm and 11pm, so for a relaxing, quiet and very reasonably priced cultural trip around Spain you can’t do better. But if noise and nightlife is your ideal holiday monastery stays aren’t for you.
From hilltop to white-washed town, medieval city to quaint fishing port you can criss-cross the country staying in stylish and historic buildings.
The guide is well detailed with pertinent information on whether it’s male or female only, a minimum number of nights as well as who to contact to make a booking. It comes complete with a reservation letter and translations so you can write a letter of enquiry in Spanish to make your booking.
This is a novel and well-produced book, which contains more than 350 photographs and even more interesting information. To get your own copy or for more information see the monasteries in Spain internet guide, there are also guides to France and Italy.
For more on monastery stays in Spain.
