Italy celebrates its 150^th birthday – a long and complicated political process which lead to the birth of our nation proclaimed on March 17, 1861.

Italy is a complicated country to understand – this excellent blog draws a pretty accurate picture for outsiders to understand why it is so different compared to what you hear and read …

To celebrate this historical event (and take advantage of the only long week end of the year) the Fortress Monastery of Santo Spirito is offering:   

Read more »

Tags: abruzzo holidays, castle hotels in italy, holiday abruzzo, l'aquila hotel, sleep in a castle

Welcome to one of the most exclusive and unique castle hotels of Italy: The Fortress Monastery of Santo Spirito.

With nearly eight hundred years of history, this small charming hotel situated in the central Abruzzo was built in 1222 by Placido of Roio on a piece of land donated by Count Berardo of Ocre.

After the founder’s death in 1248, the monastery came under the auspices of the Cistercian Order and the Convent of Santa Maria in Casanova, near Penne. In 1330 it was already given in trust to the cardinals Maffeo and Francesco Barberini; in 1652 it was included in the list of the small monasteries abolished by Pope Innocent X. Read more »

Tags: bed and breakfast castle, castle hotels italy, italian castle hotels, romantic hotels italy