Massaging nuns, Austria

Photo © okeefew

If you think massage is good for the body and soul, just wait until you’ve been massaged by a nun.

Sisters at the Cistercian Abbey of Marienkron in Monchhof, Austria, run a popular spa hotel to raise funds for their order. And far from conforming to the retiring, contemplative stereotype of nuns the world over, the sisters here are positively…well, hands-on.

The spa welcomes women, men, and children of all ages. It costs roughly £100 a night, which includes treatments such as massage, meditation, sauna, yoga, water therapies and exercise classes. The nuns also lead hikes and cycle rides.

The spa has certainly proved more lucrative than the nuns’ previous business: chicken-breeding.

Written by - Photo by okeefew

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