Christmas in the monastery
The Benedictine monastery of Engelberg invites you to enjoy the hospitality of the monastery away from the hustle and bustle of Christmas. We offer you the opportunity to spend the night in our guest rooms and to get to know monastery life for a while during the contemplative period. We invite you to take part in the monks’ prayer times, the Christmas services and to learn more about the monastic community in Engelberg, their life and their tasks. The guest refectory is lovingly decorated with a nativity scene and a Christmas tree. In addition to the communal activities and festive spirituality, there is plenty of time to spend your stay in close contact with nature.
We will be happy to make you an offer for the Christmas holidays December 23-27, 2025 or for the turn of the year minimum 3 nights in a single room or double room with shower/WC or shared bathroom. You are welcome to extend your stay individually. We look forward to your visit.
Good for Guests to Know
Hospitality has been a living tradition at Engelberg Monastery since its foundation. The program “Time Out for Body and Soul” is open to all who are seeking God and who wish to step back from their everyday routines.
Individuals and couples in need of a retreat stay in former monks’ cells located in the now public part of the monastery. The rooms are spacious and simply furnished.
15 rooms available: 9 single rooms, 6 double rooms (with shower/WC or shared facilities)
Your stay can be guided or unaccompanied. The monks are happy to make themselves available for personal conversations, if desired.
Minimum stay: 2 nights
Time Out for Body and Soul
This program is for anyone wishing to take a step back from daily life. It offers peace, inner clarity, orientation in life’s questions, and new strength for the challenges of one’s personal journey.
If desired, the monks are available for conversation and spiritual guidance.
At the same time, the surrounding alpine landscape invites you to explore one of Switzerland’s most beautiful mountain regions—with hiking routes ranging from easy walks to challenging tours.
Arrival and Departure
All guests are kindly asked to check in at the monastery’s reception office (Klosterpforte).
Arrival: Rooms are available from 10:30–11:30 or from 15:00–17:30
Departure: Rooms should be vacated by 10:00 a.m. on the day of departure.
Useful information
- 07.30 a.m. Convent Mass
- 12.00 noon shore
- 18.00 Vespers
- 20.00 Compline
- 08.15 a.m. Breakfast
- 12.20 p.m. Lunch
- 18.30 Dinner
A WLAN network covers parts of the guest area. Please use your own devices.
A car parking lot is available to guests free of charge on the grounds of the Stiftsschule, right next to the monastery.
Bed linen and towels are provided
Engelberg – in the Heart of Switzerland
Engelberg lies in the very heart of Switzerland. Just 35 kilometers from Lucerne, the monastery village at 1,000 meters above sea level can be reached in only twenty minutes from the major north–south motorway connection, the A2. For more than a century, Engelberg has also been connected to the public transport network via the Zentralbahn railway.
The village is framed by an impressive mountain panorama, with the Benedictine Monastery at its welcoming center. Cable cars lead in all directions, while excellent restaurants, mountain huts, and hotels invite you to linger. In both summer and winter, sports opportunities are virtually limitless. Engelberg offers the perfect harmony of nature, sport, and relaxation.
Monastery restaurants
Whether you are traveling alone or with your family, Engelberg is the ultimate place for unique holiday experiences. The Benedictine tradition of hospitality in the monastery’s guest facilities is legendary.
In addition to the possibility of a retreat stay within the monastery, you may also choose to stay at the Hotel & Restaurant St. Josefshaus or the Hotel Sonnwendhof.
