Mountain Monastery

The road curved away from the coast, climbing higher into the brush covered hills. We were in Catalonia, a region of Spain famed for food, Barcelona and a riotous independence movement. ‘FREE CAT’ was spray painted onto road sides and houses, much to Ben’s delight until he realised it wasn’t referring to a cuddly feline. His disappointment lasted at least 10 minutes as we drove the mountain road towards the monastery. Monastir De Sant Pere de Rodes, we well as being a mouthful to pronounce, is a Benedictine monastery with an ancient history that’s worth exploring. The founding of the monastery itself is a mystery, thought to date back to the year 900. It was once a rich complex, dedicated to St Peter. You can see the first foundations of the monastery carved into the rock and walk through a vaulted chapel that still stands from the 11th century. The morning was crisp and we had the place to ourselves, wandering through the ruins that gazed over the Mediterranean sea.