In the Eternal City and all over Italy, convents open their doors to guests, at a bargain compared to hotels. Last winter and spring, I made it my mission to stay at a few in Rome to get a “Holy Digs” experience.
Casa Santa Brigida
Craving nuns, I make a lunch reservation at Casa Santa Brigida, probably the most well known of Rome’s convent hotels, that sits in a great location off Piazza Farnese.
The sisters here win hands down for the best outfits: crisp gray robes, black and white wimples adorned with red studs. They’re a Swedish order, founded by Saint Bridget (called The Mystic of the North), who lived and died here in the 14th century. The downstairs rooms are richly appointed with dark wood antiques and oriental rugs.
The most simpatica dark-eyed nun who welcomes me says unfortunately I can’t have a look at the rooftop, as it’s under repair. (I’d heard from friends who’ve stayed here that the upstairs terrace and rooms are beautiful). And La Suora can’t show me any rooms either, because they’re all booked. Even in off-season February, this place needs to be reserved far in advance.
In the dining room, I sit facing a long table that gets filled up with handsome young men. It turns out they’re the rooftop workers. Some have that Sopranos style ponytail going on, that I find quite attractive. I feel lucky to have stopped by on the day these men are treated to a special lunch, complete with the portly, formidable Mother Superior giving them a heartfelt Grazie toast.
Like Fraterna Domus, but with more formality, the nuns serve us family style: a simple pasta with tomato sauce, grilled beef, spinach, vanilla gelato for desert. Honestly it’s bland compared to Domus, and with so many great restaurants right out the door off the Campo de’ Fiori, I’m kicking myself for spending twenty euros here. But then again those rooftop workers are so good on the eyes ... Is it sinful to have such thoughts in a convent?
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