The Sacro Speco is the site where St Benedict went to be alone and to pray, and given the mountain he climbed to find his cave, he REALLY wanted to be alone. Yet people heard of this holy man and sought him out and so it was on this site that he wrote his Rule, than many live by still today, 1500 years later.

The monastery was formed around a series of caves that other lived in, hence why it is built over layers on the cliff face. The fact it still remains is rather remarkable. The frescos painted on the walls range from the 8-14th Centuries. There is also a painting of St Francis of Assisi from his visit here in the 13th C which I sadly failed to get a photograph of.

The monastery is home to four monks, who live apart from the community which is based down at St Scholastica’s monastery which houses 16 of them, forming a full community of 20. The site over looks green hills and is very peaceful and still.