The most serene monasteries in Spain

A Benedictine abbey perched 720 metres up on the mountain of Montserrat, a symbol of Catalonia, a destination for pilgrims and home to one of the oldest boys' choirs in Europe.

A former Franciscan convent in Segovia that now houses the Artillery Academy, an intriguing example of how a religious building can take on a new life while remaining part of the city.

Palace, basilica, royal pantheon, library and monastery all in one: Philip II's great Renaissance dream, dubbed the Eighth Wonder of the World, set in the heart of the Sierra de Guadarrama.

A former 12th-century Cistercian monastery beside the River Piedra in Nuévalos, where Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles sit side by side in one of the most visited spots in Aragon.

The archetypal Cistercian abbey and former burial place of the kings of Aragon, Poblet is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is still home to a community of monks in the heart of the Conca de Barberà.

A former Benedictine abbey built between the 9th and 14th centuries, once the most important in the County of Barcelona, with a cloister that alone makes the visit worthwhile.

The first Cistercian foundation in the Kingdom of Navarre, this 12th-century monastery in Carcastillo preserves one of the purest Cistercian ensembles in Spain, complete with monks and vineyards.

In the heart of the La Vera district, the monastery and palace residence where Charles I of Spain and V of Germany spent the last two years of his life in retirement after abdicating.

A Benedictine monastery within the Sanctuary of El Miracle, in Riner, where a small community of monks linked to Montserrat keeps monastic life alive.

Sanctuary of the Virgin of Guadalupe, patron saint of Extremadura, this World Heritage monastery brings together six centuries of history and art, from Gothic to Neoclassical.

An abbey of Benedictine nuns perched on a slope of Montserrat, a place of silence and prayer renowned for its handmade ceramics: vases, painted tiles and small sculptures.