Discover a simple life around a monastery near Parma, Italy
Última atividade
: 17 jun. 2025
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Nº de ref. de anfitrião: 691258484734
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Comentário (11)
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Leticia) para o anfitrião
I spent two weeks in March at the convent.
The best part of all was getting to know the community of kind sisters from all over the world and discovering their way of life. Perhaps because of the busy time of year during the trip, they didn't have much time to spend with us or participate in workshops, but whenever they had the opportunity, they
… read more always invited us to the various activities held at the convent: mass, package jams, etc. -you are free to choose if you want to participate-. We also had some beautiful conversations about spirituality and life.
I’m not a believer but for the sisters, this was not a problem. They were very welcoming and they even invited me to take part in some philosophy classes that I found really interesting and loved it!
The place is really big and beautiful. I had a private bedroom and bathroom and a shared kitchen with other visitors. But the sisters always cooked some delicious meals for us, everyday!
My work there was mainly gardening work (mowing, planting, building a fence, weeding, etc.) which I really enjoyed and a little bit of cleaning. The work was well-structured throughout the day to accommodate the sisters' routines too, and you had free time in between. On the weekend, I was able to travel to Parma and explore around Fontenatello and, on the last day, they drove me to the bus station -very kind!
You have to take it as a retreat and reflection experience as you spend a lot of time alone and not so much as a community thing - which is obvious and normal, but just in case.- but overall, it was a nice and interesting experience to life! Thank you!!
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Paula) para o anfitrião
I spent two peaceful weeks at the convent, and it was such a great experience! The sisters were incredibly kind and welcoming, always happy to share their way of life.
Most of my days were spent gardening (planting lots of flowers, weeding, mowing, etc.) but I also got to help make and package jams, which was surprisingly fun.
The work was
… read more satisfying but never too tiring, and there was plenty of time to just slow down and enjoy the quiet.
If you love nature, a relaxed pace, and a chance to reflect, I’d definitely recommend it!Esta pessoa escolheu manter o perfil privado, mas você pode entrar em contato a respeito de comentários deixados por outros workawayers.
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Alice) para o anfitrião
Je ne saurais exprimer à quel point je suis reconnaissante d'avoir passé un mois auprès des soeurs, dans le couvent de Fontanellato. Le séjour s'est passé à merveille, si bien que j'avais presque l'impression de faire partie de la communauté.
Les soeurs sont toutes adorables, très à l'écoute, attentives, attentionnées, et désireuses de partager
… read more leur style de vie, mais aussi de connaitre celui des personnes qu'elles reçoivent.
En ce qui concerne le travail, nous étions assez libre. Nos travaillions principalement au jardin (préparation du potager pour l’hiver, replantage d'un figuier, entretien de la pelouse, taille des buissons, organisation du jardin floral...), mais avons également eu l'opportunité de participer à des travaux d'artisanat, comme la confection de confiture, l'empaquetage d'encens et de cacao, un projet peinture... Nous avons aussi pu les aider quelques fois à la cuisine, et, mon activité favorite, participer aux séances d'épluchage!
Nous étions bien logées et (très) bien nourries; les petites attentions sur les plateaux repas, tel que les carrés de chocolat ou morceaux de gâteux nous ont fait sincèrement plaisir.
Les soeurs ont une vie monastique très chargée, mais ont tout de même pris le temps d'échanger avec nous sur des sujets philosophiques, ce qui m'a personnellement beaucoup touché. J'ai même eu l'occasion de participer à la soirée "pizza philo", ce qui fut l'un des moments les plus fort de mon séjour!
En prime, j'ai eu la chance incroyable d'être pour les deux premières semaines en compagnie d'Axelle et Louise, avec qui le contact est tout de suite bien passé et qui ont participé grandement à rendre cette expérience d'autant plus unique, ainsi que Patrizia!
Merci à toutes, chaque moment passé au monastère a été une source de joie, de la plus insignifiante des activités, aux plus importantes. J'espère pouvoir revenir très vite vous aider à nouveau!Comentário
Essas classificações são opcionais e foram dadas junto com os comentários dos membros.A classificação média deixada por cada opção é exibida.
Precisão do perfil:
(5.0)
Intercâmbio cultural:
(5.0)
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Leticia) para o anfitrião
I spent two weeks in March at the convent.
The best part of all was getting to know the community of kind sisters from all over the world and discovering their way of life. Perhaps because of the busy time of year during the trip, they didn't have much time to spend with us or participate in workshops, but whenever they had the opportunity, they
… read more always invited us to the various activities held at the convent: mass, package jams, etc. -you are free to choose if you want to participate-. We also had some beautiful conversations about spirituality and life.
I’m not a believer but for the sisters, this was not a problem. They were very welcoming and they even invited me to take part in some philosophy classes that I found really interesting and loved it!
The place is really big and beautiful. I had a private bedroom and bathroom and a shared kitchen with other visitors. But the sisters always cooked some delicious meals for us, everyday!
My work there was mainly gardening work (mowing, planting, building a fence, weeding, etc.) which I really enjoyed and a little bit of cleaning. The work was well-structured throughout the day to accommodate the sisters' routines too, and you had free time in between. On the weekend, I was able to travel to Parma and explore around Fontenatello and, on the last day, they drove me to the bus station -very kind!
You have to take it as a retreat and reflection experience as you spend a lot of time alone and not so much as a community thing - which is obvious and normal, but just in case.- but overall, it was a nice and interesting experience to life! Thank you!!
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Paula) para o anfitrião
I spent two peaceful weeks at the convent, and it was such a great experience! The sisters were incredibly kind and welcoming, always happy to share their way of life.
Most of my days were spent gardening (planting lots of flowers, weeding, mowing, etc.) but I also got to help make and package jams, which was surprisingly fun.
The work was
… read more satisfying but never too tiring, and there was plenty of time to just slow down and enjoy the quiet.
If you love nature, a relaxed pace, and a chance to reflect, I’d definitely recommend it!Esta pessoa escolheu manter o perfil privado, mas você pode entrar em contato a respeito de comentários deixados por outros workawayers.
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Alice) para o anfitrião
Je ne saurais exprimer à quel point je suis reconnaissante d'avoir passé un mois auprès des soeurs, dans le couvent de Fontanellato. Le séjour s'est passé à merveille, si bien que j'avais presque l'impression de faire partie de la communauté.
Les soeurs sont toutes adorables, très à l'écoute, attentives, attentionnées, et désireuses de partager
… read more leur style de vie, mais aussi de connaitre celui des personnes qu'elles reçoivent.
En ce qui concerne le travail, nous étions assez libre. Nos travaillions principalement au jardin (préparation du potager pour l’hiver, replantage d'un figuier, entretien de la pelouse, taille des buissons, organisation du jardin floral...), mais avons également eu l'opportunité de participer à des travaux d'artisanat, comme la confection de confiture, l'empaquetage d'encens et de cacao, un projet peinture... Nous avons aussi pu les aider quelques fois à la cuisine, et, mon activité favorite, participer aux séances d'épluchage!
Nous étions bien logées et (très) bien nourries; les petites attentions sur les plateaux repas, tel que les carrés de chocolat ou morceaux de gâteux nous ont fait sincèrement plaisir.
Les soeurs ont une vie monastique très chargée, mais ont tout de même pris le temps d'échanger avec nous sur des sujets philosophiques, ce qui m'a personnellement beaucoup touché. J'ai même eu l'occasion de participer à la soirée "pizza philo", ce qui fut l'un des moments les plus fort de mon séjour!
En prime, j'ai eu la chance incroyable d'être pour les deux premières semaines en compagnie d'Axelle et Louise, avec qui le contact est tout de suite bien passé et qui ont participé grandement à rendre cette expérience d'autant plus unique, ainsi que Patrizia!
Merci à toutes, chaque moment passé au monastère a été une source de joie, de la plus insignifiante des activités, aux plus importantes. J'espère pouvoir revenir très vite vous aider à nouveau!
Nous avons passé deux semaines au couvent, et ce fut une expérience inoubliable. Toutes les sœurs sont incroyablement bienveillantes. Au début, il est un peu étrange de vivre dans un couvent, mais dès le deuxième jour, nous nous sommes sentis comme chez nous.
Nous avons eu la chance de travailler à l’extérieur chaque jour : jardiner, tondre la
… read more pelouse, désherber, déraciner un figuier 😉, prendre soin du potager… Nous avons également participé à la préparation des gâteaux, travaillé avec de l’encens, des bougies.
Un immense merci pour votre accueil chaleureux, votre gentillesse, et vos précieuses explications sur la vie religieuse. Merci aussi pour les délicieux repas que vous nous avez offerts quotidiennement et pour tout ce qui était à notre disposition. Nous avons également beaucoup apprécié les discussions philosophiques enrichissantes auxquelles nous avons eu le privilège de participer. Très belle rencontre également avec Alice, elle aussi venue aider au couvent.
Le travail était bien organisé, clair, et nous avions la liberté de l’accomplir à notre rythme, ce qui était très agréable. Nous avons assisté à certaines messes, qui étaient tout simplement magnifiques.
Nous gardons un souvenir extraordinaire de ce séjour et espérons avoir l’opportunité de revenir vous aider. Si vous hésitez à vivre cette expérience, foncez : la vie dans ce couvent est tout simplement exceptionnelle !
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Grzegorz) para o anfitrião
Amazing place and absolutely amazing people. Excellent communication. Delicious food. Beautiful area.
Highly recommended
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Elaine & Lauren ) para o anfitrião
Lauren and my stay here was amazing! we stayed a week and helped with gardening and preparing stuff in the kitchen. The sisters were super sweet and communicative and made us feel welcome. We had time to explore around Fontenatello and there were bus and train options for exploring other places. We each had our own bedroom and then shared a
… read more bathroom. There was a shared kitchen with food for breakfast and then the sisters made us lunch and dinners which were delicious. we were able to participate in the different masses and prayer times. definitely would recommend!Só é possível entrar em contato com Workawayers com assinaturas ativas.
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Charlotte) para o anfitrião
Je suis restée 8 jours chez les sœurs de Fontanellato et j’ai beaucoup apprécié ce séjour.
Les sœurs ont été vraiment bienveillantes, souriantes, et infiniment gentilles. Elles sont reconnaissantes du travail fourni, et remercie beaucoup.
Elles ont été attentionnées et voulaient que tout se passe bien pour moi. J’étais invitée aux offices mais
… read more il n’y avait aucune obligation. Peu importe vos croyances, les soeurs sont très ouvertes, elles viennent du monde entier !
Elles savaient que j’étais seule en workaway alors elles cherchaient à m’intégrer à des activités quand c’était possible.
Mais j’ai surtout fait plein d’activités différentes ! C’était très riche ! J’ai collé des étiquettes sur des bouteilles de sirop, j’ai mis en bouteille de la liqueur, j’ai fait des bonbonnières pour une communion, j’ai appris à mettre des tuteurs sur les framboisiers, j’ai désherbé à la main, j’ai fait du ménage… je ne me suis pas ennuyée et c’était super stimulant de changer d’activité toutes les demi-journées. Cela m’a fait découvrir que j’aime bien ce qui touche à l’artisanat et au jardinage. Je travaillais 5h par jour.
Les sœurs font beaucoup de produits artisanaux qu’elles vendent donc je suis sûre qu’il y a encore plein d’autres activités à faire !
En dehors de l’aspect du travail, j’ai vraiment découvert tout un monde, tout un mode de vie. Je crois que c’est assez hors du commun de vivre près des sœurs. Cela m’a ouvert les yeux, c’était inspirant d’écouter leurs histoires, leurs parcours. Elles ont facilement partagé leur chemin de vie, façon de voir la vie, c’était vraiment sympa.
Pour les repas, elles cuisinent midi et soir, c’est royal. Pour le petit déjeuner, vu que le couvent fait hôtel, il est possible d’aller manger « en self service » dans cette partie du couvent. C’est sympa, j’ai pu y faire plusieurs rencontres de bon matin de personnes de passage !
Le couvent est dans le centre de Fontanellato donc il est facile d’aller se balader dans le joli bourg médiéval ou s’acheter quelque chose si besoin.
Parme est à une trentaine de minutes en bus donc il est possible de s'y rendre facilement pendant les jours off du week-end.
J’ai été pas mal seule car il n’y avait pas d’autre workayers et les sœurs sont occupées à faire leurs activités aussi. Il m’a fallu un temps d’adaptation mais c’était bien. Ca a été aussi je crois comme une thérapie pour apprendre à vivre parfois seule.
J’ai vécu un moment hors du temps, plein d'humanité, tout en apprenant beaucoup, ça m’a beaucoup plu !
Merci beaucoup à toutes !
CharlotteSó é possível entrar em contato com Workawayers com assinaturas ativas.
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Eimear) para o anfitrião
A very beautiful experience. Grazie mille to all the amazing sisters. Fontanellato is a beautiful place and the monastery is a kind and caring place where you will be welcomed with open arms. Highly recommend this workaway :)
Feito pelo anfitrião para o Workawayer (Eden)
Thank you so much for the 2 weeks you spent with us, Eden.
You were a big help for us. We really enjoyed the perfect 'team' you formed with the two other volunteers. Thank you for your discretion and the respect of our life. And for all kinds of work so well done, with simplicity and joy, and always doing everything the best way you could,
… read more leaving everything cleaned up - well, doing everything 'until the end'.
It was great to have you here - you were the best volunteers we ever hai with Amanda and Kieley!
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Eden) para o anfitrião
Dear Sisters of Mary Morning Star,
Thank you so much for the wonderful past two weeks.
Staying in this convent has truly been a wonderful experience. The sisters are all very kind, inviting, and open. I felt very welcome and appreciated during my stay. The sisters are open and invite you into their way of life.
I’m a spiritual person but I’m
… read more not a practicing Catholic believer. For the sisters, this was not a problem, and we had a lot of beautiful conversations about spirituality and belief. I was invited to take part in some philosophy classes the sisters were having and also took part in mass. I found it interesting and inspiring to see the sisters practice their faith in their way of life, and it encouraged me and the other volunteers I was staying with to have a lot of interesting conversations about life and how to live.
You are free to choose if you want to take part in the religious events or if you don’t want that, there are no 'strict rules'. Every volunteer is respected, and no religious beliefs are forced upon you. There is room for everyone's own personal beliefs; it's a peaceful, kind, and respectful environment.
Accommodation:
I had the luxury of having my own room which was super nice. I had a private bathroom, and they were both super clean when I arrived.
Food:
You get served two delicious warm meals per day: a warm lunch and a warm dinner. Breakfast is self-service. The sisters provide you with bread, delicious jam, and other things to put on your bread, and you make your own breakfast every morning in the guest wing of the convent. On the weekend, they also provide you with food to cook for yourself.
Work:
I did a multitude of different tasks. I worked in the garden, in the kitchen, and helped them with the products the sisters sell. It was good, fair, and nice to do. You work for 5 days a week for 4 - 5 hours (sometimes even less) a day with a nice lunch break, and on weekends you are completely free, so you can also do an overnight trip to another city in Italy.
Location:
The location of the convent is great; there is a 30-minute bus that leaves for Parma every hour from the bus stop in front of the convent. From Parma, you can travel to different big cities in Italy.
Overall, this workaway is very well-organized and wonderful. You stay in a beautiful place in Italy, and you get the chance to live in a special way for the short time you are staying there. For me, it was an enriching life experience that I will never forget.
Thank you so much.
Love,
Eden
This is the review of Amanda & kieley (there workaway account expired so they can not post a review anymore)
Amanda:
To add to what Eden has already said, this has been the most wonderful experience for me. As a Christian, I was able to participate in mass, prayer times, Bible studies and Q&As with the sisters which helped me grow in my own faith. They were extremely generous with their time and resources and I felt very cared for the entire time I was here ❤️ the workaway felt like it was a retreat I didn’t know I needed until I arrived and a very needed time of relaxation after 8 months of continuous travel. I will always hold a special place in my heart for this convent and all the sisters in it. Thank you so so much! ❤️ Amanda
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Francesca Romana) para o anfitrião
Sono stata una settimana a gennaio e devo dire che è stata un'esperienza rigenerante, le sorelle sono super accoglienti, disponibili, creative. Hanno un modo di vivere nella gioia e nell'accoglienza che contagia chiunque. Consigliatissima anche la loro foresteria completa di tutto ed economica e ho incontrato ospiti meravigliosi. Le sorelle
… read more vengono da tutti i paesi del mondo e questo clima internazionale contagia ogni cosa. Esperienza super consigliata!!! Una "spa" dell'anima.Só é possível entrar em contato com Workawayers com assinaturas ativas.
Deixado pelo Workawayer (Claudia) para o anfitrião
Me quedé con las hermanas durante poco más de 5 días y, realmente, si hubiera tenido un plan de viaje diferente, ¡me habría quedado más tiempo! Me sentí plenamente incluida desde el segundo 0. Pude ver de primera mano un estilo de vida diferente al que muchos quizás conocemos, muy admirable desde mi punto de vista. Una muy simpática comunidad en
… read more la que me sentí mucho más que acogida. Sobre el monasterio, este se encuentra en una zona muy tranquila dentro de la ciudad, y cuenta con un muy amplio jardín. El trabajo que realice incluyo la preparación de las tarjetas de navidad, etiquetado y empaque de las conservas que ellas mismas preparan, así como cortar los rosales y recoger las hojas secas del jardín. Disfruté paseando por la ciudad, conociendo su historia (Castillo de Fontanellato), charlando con las hermanas. Pude visitar Parma, Bolonia y Milán (ciudades muy accesibles por tren). Fue una experiencia maravillosa para mí. Realmente disfruté mi estadía, les deseo todo lo mejor, y espero volver a verlas en algún momento.Só é possível entrar em contato com Workawayers com assinaturas ativas.
Join me and my cat in Genova, Italy
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Itália
Se não reside na União Europeia e estiver planejando visitar a Itália somente como voluntário e não como turista, você precisará do visto adequado. Para obter mais informações, é necessário entrar em contato com a embaixada localizada em seu país, antes de viajar.
Projetos artísticos
Jardinagem
Ajuda a cuidar da casa
Manutenção geral
