Monasterio de Piedra

Monasterio de Piedra Review

An hour's drive south of Zaragoza brings you to the Cistercian Monasterio de Piedra, a lush oasis on the arid Aragonese meseta (plain). Founded in 1195 by Alfonso II of Aragón and named for the nearby Río Piedra (Stone River, so called for the calcified limestone deposits along its banks), the monastery has a 16th-century Renaissance section that is now a moderately priced private hotel (rooms range in price from €98 to €136; 62 rooms; facilities include bar, restaurant, parking; the rooms are still somewhat monastaic and austere). If you can't stay for the night, come to visit the 12th-century cloister, wine museum, and park—the caves, waterfalls, and walkways suspended over the riverbed are spectacular.