A temporary getaway - three monasteries in Austria

Experience a break in a monastery in Austria

Do you want to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and immerse yourself in an oasis of peace? Then a retreat in a monastery in Austria is just the thing for you! There are many monasteries in Austria, but only a few offer guests the opportunity to experience monastic life firsthand for a while.

In many monasteries, you can participate as a guest in prayer and meditation times, practice silence, or simply enjoy the beautiful nature around the monastery.

 

 

Melk Abbey in Lower Austria is one of the most famous monasteries in Austria, which also accepts guests. Here you can stay in one of the guest rooms and take part in the daily services and prayer times. Guided tours through the impressive monastery complex and the baroque garden are also offered.

If you like it a little more secluded, you should take a look at the St. Georgen Monastery on Lake Längsee in Carinthia. Here you can stay in simple rooms or even in the guest house of the monastery and relax in the idyllic landscape of Carinthia. A meditation room is also available.

A time out in the monastery not only offers a welcome change from everyday life, but also the opportunity to find yourself and recharge your batteries.

Map of the monasteries in Austria

 

 

Three monasteries in Austria - a temporary break

These three monasteries in Austria could hardly be more different. We met them with Elena from Creativelena and Angelika from Wieder unterwegs on a tour through the Styria and Mühlviertel in Upper Austria met.

KlösterreichThe woman with whom we had already explored the monastery gardens in Lower Austria had invited us to visit three monasteries. We were hoping for a few days of peace and quiet behind monastery walls.

The three monasteries in Austria offered us that, but in different ways. Let yourself be transported to three monasteries in Austria. We visit

• St. Lambrecht Abbey in Styria
• the Sisters of Mary of Carmel in Bad Mühllacken
• and in Bad Kreuzen in Upper Austria

 

 

St. Lambrecht Abbey in Styria

We travel via the A10, which takes us south from Salzburg until our navigation device directs us onto the main road near Altenmarkt im Pongau.

Just beyond Radstadt, we are sent up the B99 federal highway into the mountains until we pass the last remnants of winter snow near Obertauern, before descending through lonely mountain landscapes and remote mountain villages towards Murau.

 

 

The route gives us the feeling of leaving the modern world and of going back in time to a life without hassle. The people of this region lead a hard life. If we can judge by the deserted mountain farms, many have given up and moved out to find a lighter life elsewhere.

 

 

This is how we live in the Benedictine monastery

A few kilometers beyond Murau, the Benedictine Abbey of St. Lambrecht finally appears in the town of the same name. It dominates the town. A monastery building, enclosing several courtyards, towers over all the surrounding buildings.

We ask our way to the chancellery, where we are received by Father Gerwig Romirer, Prior, Master of the Household, head of the "School of Being", chaplain, priest and spiritual assistant at the Catholic Education Center.

After a lunch consisting of pumpkin soup and roast beef with bread dumplings, which was not at all the kind of food we would expect in a monastery, we moved into our rooms in one of the monastery's outbuildings.

Our room

Our room is simply furnished. We only have a table, a bed, and a shower.

“Just twenty years ago, our guests – even if they didn’t know each other – were accommodated in double or multi-bed rooms. The washing facilities in the room consisted of a sink. The shower and toilet were located in the hallway. Today, nobody is willing to accept such accommodation,” laughs Father Gerwig.

You adapt. In our case, it even went so far that he had planned two single rooms for Petar and me. But since a double room is available, we gladly accept it.

 

 

Don't expect luxury, though; there's no television or radio. Internet access is only available in the rooms of the School of Being in the main building of the monastery.

Those who come here seek peace and quiet. And they find it. For us, who only stay for a day, it's an unusual experience. Whether we could endure it in the long run, however, I dare to doubt.

The baroque garden of St. Lambrecht Abbey

 

 

In the afternoon, we will visit the abbey's baroque garden. After decades of neglect, it is being brought back to life by the Domenico Association. The garden is divided into four sections, each dedicated to one of the elements: earth, fire, air, and water.

In one section of the garden, medicinal herbs are planted according to the principles of Hildegard von Bingen. The next section symbolizes creation as a gardener. In this part of the garden, the celestial bodies are represented by stones.

The next section features a rose garden, whose blossoms are used to make rose salt, rose jelly, and rose vinegar. We'll try the rose jelly for breakfast the following morning.

The final quarter represents the element of water, depicted in the central fountain and in the paths that symbolize the four rivers of paradise. The garden is part of a project that reintegrates the long-term unemployed into the workforce.

 

 

Well worth seeing is the Abbey Museum

Worth seeing is the Abbey Museum, where you can see works of art from the chapel of St. Peter, which is also located on the abbey grounds. It is currently being restored and is therefore closed. In the museum, the altars and sculptures can be visited.

Benedictine monastery St. Lambrecht
Hauptstraße 1
8813 St. Lambrecht
[email protected]
T + 43 3585 / 2305 - 0

 

 

 

Sisters of Mary of Carmel offer Kneipp and Traditional European Medicine (TEM)

The other monasteries we visit on our trip to Upper Austria are quite different. Both are run by the Carmelite Sisters of Mary. The first of these nunneries is located in Bad Mühllacken at the entrance to the Pesenbach Valley, the second sits atop a hill in Bad Kreuzen and offers a view of the Alps on the horizon.

At first glance, neither of the monasteries looks like a religious institution. They resemble spa or wellness hotels and are situated in a beautiful landscape. Only when we meet the sisters does it become clear that they are run by the Order of the Sisters of Mary.

 

 

Treatments according to Traditional European Medicine

The sisters work in the spa. They administer showers and help with the Kneipp treatments. They also look after the herb garden.

Both facilities offer treatments based on Traditional European Medicine (TEM). These begin, for example, with the movements of Wyda, a type of Celtic yoga. This practice was already used by the Druids and is still passed down through Irish families today.

Other sources for this treatment approach include the Greeks. Hippocrates' theory of the four humors is incorporated, as is the monastic medicine of Hildegard von Bingen, with its cupping, bloodletting, and herbal remedies used by the bathhouse attendants and herbalists of her time.

Alternative influences come from Paracelsus with his doctrine of signatures, from Rudolf Steiner and Father Sebastian Kneipp, who with his 5 pillars of life, water, exercise, nutrition and our medicinal herbs provides the basis for traditional European medicine.

Holistic treatment in TEM

Traditional European Medicine (TEM) focuses on treating the whole person, not just the symptoms. It aims to restore the balance between the four humors: sanguis, phlegma, cholé, and melancholé.

First, the archetype of each guest is determined. Are they sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric, or melancholic? Or – even better – a mixed type?

 

 

This is how a TEM scrub works

We're getting a Traditional European Medicine (TEM) peel, where we'll learn about this method. The whole thing seems a bit mysterious to me, though.

Daniela, the therapist, first takes my pulse, looking deeply into my eyes. "You're a mixed type, part sanguine and part phlegmatic," she says, without ever having seen me before. "A scrub made with thyme and almond-olive oil would do you good."

He says this and disappears, only to then mix the concoction. I can't quite grasp how this particular mixture is supposed to be good for me. In any case, after the treatment my skin is as soft as a peach.

 

 

 

Nutrition in Traditional European Medicine

Nutrition is important in traditional European medicine. In Bad Mühllacken, this is the main focus. In the herb garden, which was until recently looked after by Sister Johanna, the current superior, local herbs are grown. These can also be found in the dishes served in the restaurant.

The dishes are then cooked by Martin Thaller, who has also completed training as a nutritional consultant. He has also developed many of the recipes himself.

Here, guests can enjoy everything from lactose-free and gluten-free to vegan options. Our lunch provided a cross-section of what's on offer: celery schnitzel, chicken drumsticks, bread dumplings, and a salad decorated with herb blossoms from the garden. Those interested can also participate in a fasting retreat in Bad Mühllacken.

 

 

Movement plays a role

Movement is a key focus in both establishments. In Bad Mühllacken, visitors can enjoy Kneipp water treading in the herb garden and in the house, while the neighboring [venue name] also offers additional opportunities for exercise. Pesenbach Valley invites you to enjoy relaxed walks and hikes in the river valley.

In Bad Kreuzen, the views of the surrounding area entice guests to go for walks or hikes. large backpack However, one should not forget this.

Wyda exercises are offered in the morning, for example. Those who wish can also do a Kneipp walk in the Kneipp pool before going to bed.

 

 

Further treatments

Other treatments include the hay bag, which is still filled by hand in both houses today. Friedrich Kaindlstorfer, the managing director of Bad Kreuzen, also swears by the salt coat, a linen coat that is dipped in ice-cold salt. Wrapped up in it, you are covered with blankets. This treatment is then said to have a detoxifying effect.

You can try out the methods of Traditional European Medicine yourself, for example, at:

Sisters of Mary of Carmel
Peace Square 1
4020 Linz
Austria
(T) + 43 (0) 732 775654
(F) + 43 (0) 732 775654-21
[email protected]
Curhaus.at

In the Mühlviertel we have now discovered another monastery that is worth a visit: Schlägl Abbey in the Bohemian Forest.

 

 

Questions and answers about a monastery holiday in Austria

Can you stay overnight in Austrian monasteries?

Yes, many monasteries in Austria offer guests the opportunity to stay overnight for a few days or even weeks. These stays are often simple but comfortable and allow for a conscious break from everyday life.

Some monasteries offer special programs such as silent retreats, meditations, or communal prayer times, while others simply provide a peaceful retreat in nature. Abbeys like St. Lambrecht or Göttweig are particularly popular, welcoming both tourists and those seeking spiritual guidance.

Which monasteries in Austria are particularly worth seeing for visitors?

Austria boasts an impressive landscape of monasteries, featuring architectural masterpieces and spiritual centers. Particularly worth visiting are Melk Abbey with its magnificent Baroque architecture, Admont Abbey with its world-famous library, and Heiligenkreuz Abbey, where Gregorian chants are still sung daily.

Those who prefer a quieter atmosphere will also find smaller, less well-known monasteries, often hidden away in idyllic landscapes and offering a special ambiance.

Which monasteries offer special programs for travelers?

Many monasteries have opened their doors to travelers and offer programs for body and mind. Besides classic spiritual offerings such as retreats or meditation weeks, some monasteries also offer creative workshops, herbal seminars, or even yoga retreats.

St. Florian Abbey invites you to organ concerts in its impressive church, while Gut Aich Monastery teaches about natural healing and monastic craftsmanship. This way you can not only find peace and quiet, but also take new inspiration home with you.

What should you keep in mind when visiting a monastery?

A monastery is a place of silence and contemplation, therefore it is important to behave respectfully. This means wearing appropriate clothing, avoiding loud conversations, and adhering to the rules of the community.

In some monasteries, certain areas are off-limits to visitors because monks or nuns live their daily lives there. If you would like to attend a service, find out about the procedures beforehand so you can integrate well into the community.

What role do monasteries play in Austria today?

Monasteries are not only historical buildings, but also vibrant centers of faith, education, and culture. Many monasteries run schools, libraries, or art collections and are important cultural hubs.

Other monasteries are involved in social projects or offer a retreat for people seeking respite. At the same time, they are tourist attractions that draw numerous visitors every year – be it because of their impressive architecture, the spiritual atmosphere, or the beautiful monastery gardens.

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Travel organization for the three monasteries:

Parking at the airport

Here you can reserve your parking space at the airport.

Getting to the three monasteries:

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Hotels:

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• Do I need an ETIAS Weaver to enter Europe?

 

Slow Travel Tips you can also find it here. Also discover Monasteries and churches. Do you also know Admont Abbey in Styria?

Not enough of monasteries? Anita from Gailtal on Tour was also there Monastery Wernberg near Villach.

Source: own research on site. We would definitely like to thank Klösterreich for inviting us on this trip to the three monasteries in Austria. However, our opinions remain our own.

Text: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Video: © Copyright Petar Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline