Ancient monasteries. Candlelit chapels. Stone corridors worn by centuries of prayer. Retreat alone or with a friend into contemplative depth.
A silent monastery founded in 1848, home of Thomas Merton. Ancient stone buildings, peaceful woods, and a profound atmosphere of contemplation.
Features:
Deep silence • Ancient tradition • Solitude
12th-century abbey nestled in lavender fields. Romanesque architecture, Gregorian chant, and the scent of lavender create an otherworldly retreat.
Features:
Medieval beauty • Lavender-scented • Timeless
Remote desert monastery accessible only by dirt road. Adobe walls, candlelit chapel, endless sky. A place for profound encounter with silence.
Features:
Desert silence • Stark beauty • Radical simplicity
Built into a mountainside where St. Benedict lived in a cave. Ancient frescoes, mountain air, and a palpable sense of sacred history.
Features:
Sacred history • Mountain peace • Mystical
13th-century abbey in the Scottish Highlands. Stone walls, peat fires, and monks chanting in a language older than English.
Features:
Celtic spirituality • Highland mist • Sacred song
Modern monastery with mid-century architecture set in rolling hills. Beautiful chapel, contemplative atmosphere, peaceful grounds.
Features:
Architectural beauty • Quiet woods • Gentle rhythm
Join monks for Lauds, Mass, Vespers, and Compline. Let the liturgical hours structure your days. Experience prayer as the heartbeat of the day.
Most monasteries observe the "Great Silence" from night prayer until morning. Days are largely silent—time to listen to God and yourself.
Many monasteries offer spiritual direction with experienced monks. Bring your questions, your struggles, your seeking heart.
We provide detailed travel instructions, coordinate transportation from nearby towns, and help with logistics so you can arrive peaceful and ready.
Simple, modest clothing (shoulders and knees covered). Bible or prayer book if you have one. Journal for reflection. Most monasteries provide bedding and towels. Leave work behind—many have limited or no Wi-Fi.
Most Catholic monasteries operate on a freewill donation basis. Suggested donations typically range from $50-$100 per night, but no one is turned away for inability to pay. Give what you can.
You don't need to be Catholic—just respectful of the monastic way of life. Come seeking, come questioning, come needing rest. The monks welcome sincere seekers of all backgrounds.
Ancient walls hold space for your seeking. Candlelight illuminates the path. The monks are waiting to welcome you.