Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa, Via Roma, Conca Dei Marini, Salerno, Italy

Everywhere the Santa Rosa gardens’ intoxicating perfume encircles brimming with the fragrant botanical wonders of bougainvillea, lavender, agapanthus, coreopsis, rosemary, roses, and local-origin lemon trees, just to name a few of the many botanical wonders that grace the grounds. Approximately 5,000 plants were imported for the gardens from 10 different countries to flourish in cycles throughout the year, growing in beauty season by season. Connecting to the property’s past, 20 percent of the Monastero’s garden plantings are therapeutic in nature or edible—reminiscent of the Santa Rosa nuns’ therapeutic creations back in the 17th century. Maintaining the local ties to Conca dei Marini, intrinsically Italian influences exist throughout the botanical art as well as local stones used to restore and rebuild the gardens’ walls, stairs, and paths. This elaborate downward illusion of a tumbling waterfall of gardens climaxes at the cliff’s rim in the elliptically shaped infinity pool embellished by a pool-side fountain.
Monastero Santa Rosa’s garden was the owner’s “biggest pleasant surprise” in the entire 10-year renovation project. This enchanted Mediterranean garden is truly a place to experience sheer moments of pleasure.