Where the concierge points people first
- Chiostro del Monastero dei Ss. Quattro Coronati — The most rewarding visit on this list: a small medieval cloister kept by Augustinian nuns, a few minutes uphill from the Colosseum and almost always quiet. The frescoed Oratory of San Silvestro sits in the same complex; ask the nuns for access and keep your voice down. (41.8886, 12.4982)
- Oblate di Santa Francesca Romana — The community founded by Frances of Rome in the fifteenth century, at Tor de' Specchi below the Capitoline. Its frescoed rooms traditionally open to the public only around her feast day on 9 March, so confirm that year's arrangements. (41.8931, 12.4807)
- Monastero Mater Ecclesiæ — A small monastery inside the Vatican Gardens where Pope Benedict XVI lived from his resignation in 2013 until his death at the end of 2022. It is not open to visitors; it is on the map because people look for it. (41.9038, 12.4510)
- Casa per Ferie Mater Mundi — A casa per ferie is a religious-run guesthouse, and this is the sort of place to look at if you want a plain, quiet room run by a community rather than a hotel chain. (41.8629, 12.4393)
The rest of the monasteries in Rome — every one we hold
- Casa del Pellegrino San Sisto (41.8808, 12.4964)
- Casa Madre Speranza Guest Rooms (41.8829, 12.5356)
- Congregazione delle Suore Francescane Insegnanti (41.8905, 12.4419)
- Congregazione Sublacense Cassinese (41.8936, 12.4778)
- Congregazione Suore Apostole Sacro Cuore (41.9345, 12.5377)
- Convento dei Padri Minimi di San Francesco da Paola (41.9033, 12.4839)
- Convento San Fedele (41.8928, 12.5065)
- Curia Generalizia dei Frati Minori Conventuali (41.8982, 12.4830)
- Curia Generalizia dei Sacerdoti del Sacro Cuore di Gesù (41.8911, 12.4341)
- Monastero delle Benedettine di San Giovanni Battista (41.9485, 12.4314)
- Monastero delle Figlie del Cuore di Gesù (41.9109, 12.5078)
- Monastero DI Arsoli (41.8718, 12.4577)
- Monastero Santa Chiara (41.8797, 12.4418)
- Motherhouse of the Salvatorian Sisters (41.8830, 12.4633)
- Oblate Sisters of the Assumption (41.9097, 12.4515)
- Palazzo Dei Domenicani (41.8984, 12.4791)
- Residenza Santo Spirito Roma (41.9300, 12.4273)
- Suore Oblate Al Divino Amore, Roma, Via Marruvio (41.8824, 12.5066)
- The Guest House Ursuline Institute of Mary Immaculate (41.8844, 12.4679)
- Trinitari Scalzi (41.9017, 12.4906)
- Villa Benedetta (41.8689, 12.4846)
- Villa Maria Ines (41.9123, 12.4216)
- バチカン･サンピエトロ寺院 (41.9000, 12.5000)
Most of these are homes first, so knock like a guest
Rome has dozens of religious houses that take paying guests, usually listed as casa per ferie. Rooms tend to be simple and well kept, often cheaper than hotels in the same street, and the rules are the house's own: many lock the door at night and expect you back before a set hour, some ask for payment on arrival, and a few keep single-sex floors. Ask about the curfew before booking, not after. For visits, the dress rule is the one for any church in Rome: shoulders and knees covered, and no wandering during services.
Questions people ask
How many convents and monasteries are there in Rome?
Num's directory maps twenty-seven convents, monasteries and religious houses in Rome, including several that run guesthouses.
Can you stay overnight in a convent in Rome?
Yes. Many religious communities run guesthouses called casa per ferie. Expect simple rooms and house rules, often including a night-time curfew.
Which monastery in Rome can you visit?
The cloister of Santi Quattro Coronati near the Colosseum is the easiest to visit and one of the most beautiful. Others open only on particular feast days.
Ask Num for a convent guesthouse in Rome that suits your dates
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