A Regenerating Break in Serre San Bruno

For those wanting to escape the crowds and spend some time in quiet contemplation surrounded by the stunning countryside of Calabria, Serre San Bruno is the perfect place to come for some spiritual regeneration.

Famous for its monastery, this is where St Bruno of Cologne came to found the Carthusian Order of monks. On seeing the location, set deep in the midst of the surrounding woodland, he described it as the ideal place from which to withdraw from the world and dedicate his life to silence and prayer: "This retreat, with its mild climate, is far away from the habitation of man, set amongst the beautiful plains that stretch into the distance until they reach the mountains. There are no words to adequately describe the beauty of the hills that rise gently from the recesses of the shadowy valleys filled with their riches of streams, rivers and springs".
He ordered the construction of the magnificent 'certosa' which became the most important monastery in Europe during the 11th century. Ironically the town of San Bruno grew up in the peaceful area surrounding the monastery with the arrival of the day labourers and craftsmen who came to build it.

Today's monastery is not the original. It has been rebuilt several times, the most recent following extensive damage caused by a huge earthquake in 1783 yet it remains a popular place for pilgrims with its most fascinating aspect remaining its impenetrability. Certosi Monks still live inside following a life of silence in complete isolation from the outside world, a way of life that San Bruno defined as a 'desert', and something destined to remain a mystery to most visitors.

Serre San Bruno is perfect for travellers who wish to leave the worries, stress and noise of the world behind them, at least for a few hours. As the saying goes, 'corpora sano' (physical health) is a good thing but when put together with 'mens sana' (mental health) the benefits cannot be underestimated.

Text by Laura Lavorato