Monasterio de Santa María de las Escalonias

Monasterio de Santa María de las Escalonias is a Trappist monastery in the municipality of Hornachuelos, in the province of Córdoba, close to the town of Palma del Río. The buildings sit in the middle of an extensive orange grove estate, well off Andalusia's usual tourist routes — which is exactly the appeal for travelers looking for quiet.

Where does this community come from?

Written records of the Escalonias estate go back to 1441, linked to Lope Gutiérrez de los Ríos, a canon-schoolmaster of Córdoba Cathedral who, upon being elected bishop of Ávila, passed the property to his nephew. The estate changed hands over the following centuries until around 1902, when it was bought by the García-Verde family, who had settled in Argentina. Their descendants, the García Llorente family, later donated the manor house and part of the land to the Abbey of Santa María la Real de La Oliva in Navarre so that a monastery could be founded here.

The monastic community itself was established in 1986, when monks from La Oliva settled on the property. Today around fifteen Cistercian monks of the Strict Observance (Trappists) live at Escalonias — the only male monastic community left in all of Andalusia, since the closure of the old Carthusian monastery in Jerez.

What will you find on site?

The monastery isn't a monument in the grand architectural sense — its appeal lies in the atmosphere: simple buildings surrounded by orange orchards, the rhythm of the monks' prayer and work, and the silence typical of the Trappist rule. Since 2003 a new guesthouse building has operated here — a two-storey hospedería with a spacious dining room and sixteen rooms, accommodating more than twenty guests. It welcomes visitors looking for spiritual retreat and the chance to join the community's prayers.

It's also worth stopping at the monastery shop, where the monks sell their own produce alongside goods brought in from their brothers in Navarre: honey, homemade marmalades, oranges from the surrounding groves, and wine and cheese made at the mother house in La Oliva.

How to get there and when to visit?

Escalonias lies near Hornachuelos and Palma del Río, in the western part of Córdoba province, on the edge of the Sierra Morena. A car is the most practical way to get there — this is farmland with limited public transport.

The monastery grounds are open to visitors and worshippers daily from 6:30 am to 9:00 pm. Mass is held Monday to Saturday at 7:00 am, and on Sundays at noon. It's worth timing a visit around these hours if you want to attend the liturgy or simply share in the community's silence. Spring, when the orange trees are in bloom, and winter, during the fruit harvest, are the best times to come.

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit the monastery without booking ahead? The grounds are open to visitors during set hours, but if you're planning a longer stay at the hospedería or want to join a retreat, it's best to contact the monastery in advance.

Can you stay overnight at the monastery? Yes — since 2003 a hospedería with sixteen rooms has operated there, for guests wishing to take part in the community's life of prayer.

What's worth buying at the monastery shop? Honey, homemade marmalades, oranges from the estate's own groves, and wine and cheese brought from the mother monastery of La Oliva in Navarre.

Is this really the only male monastery in Andalusia? Yes — since the old Carthusian monastery in Jerez closed, the community at Escalonias remains the only male monastic community in the entire region.