Abbazia Greca di San Nilo
Abbazia Greca di San Nilo
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
475 reviews
Excellent
354
Very good
110
Average
9
Poor
0
Terrible
2
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701SergioB
Palestrina, Italy1,220 contributions
Nov 2024 • Friends
An unplanned visit: returning home and in transit to Grottaferrata I saw this complex that had made me think of a fortified city with walls and battlements. It 'was a very interesting stop although it would have been better to have a guide to better understand and understand the importance of the Monastery. Anyway it was not wasted time and for lunch a fabulous sandwich with porchetta .....
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Written November 15, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gio5462
Grottaferrata, Italy672 contributions
Jan 2025 • Couples
On the morning of January 11, we finally visited the Abbey museum (I say finally because despite living in Grottaferrata for a long time and knowing the Abbey very well, we had never been able to visit it). The museum contains many very interesting finds from the point of view of history, archaeology, myth. A particular fascination, probably also for the setting, emanates from the sarcophagi found in Decimum. Luckily, we were also given the presence of Codex Purpureus Rossanensis. It is all interesting and engaging, but we could not have fully enjoyed the beauty of the museum without the involvement of the volunteers of the Bruno Martellotta Archaeological Group; kind, professional, helpful, they try to transfer to us lay people some of their knowledge. For this they should be thanked and metaphorically embraced. Thanks to the Abbey for all the beauties it preserves inside is that they deserve more and more visits.
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Written January 13, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bruno Bartolomucci
Frosinone, Italy1,547 contributions
Mar 2024 • Solo
It was founded by a group of Greek monks, including San Nilo from southern Italy, with the Byzantine rite. It is surrounded by numerous defense towers and walls with battlements and numerous loopholes. Inside there is an iron crypt and a particular altar in Byzantine style with numerous ancient Greek inscriptions.

Written March 2, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paloma P
8 contributions
Feb 2024 • Friends
Magnificent site full of art, history and ancient culture and magnificent guide Silvia. All in the wonderful natural and cultural context of I Castelli Romani (Grottaferrata). A few kilometers from Occhialone, where the sacred Altar of Jupiter Laziale was and from where we can see the two beautiful volcanic lakes Nemi and Albano.

Written February 15, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rickman5112
Rome, Italy1,228 contributions
Dec 2023 • Family
A beautiful look at the nativity scene in the outside chapel and then a fantastic visit to the Byzantine Catholic church. The gold of the large icons and the blue of the columns and side walls stand out. A dive into a mystical atmosphere accentuated by the prayers of the monks

Written December 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Zalton101
Canberra, Australia69 contributions
May 2012 • Couples
Settled high in the hills of Rome, next to Grottaferratta's town centre and surrounded by urban life the Abbazzia Greca di San Nilo sits behind formidable in-tact medieval battlements.
At the location one will find, the church, a monastery and well ordered and detailed medieval battlements. You'll also find a prominent view of the surroundings.
The Abazzia itself pre-dates the battlements, being built in the 11th century while the battlements were order later by the papacy nearer the middle ages. The Abazzia is a mostly Byzantine creation and supports an order of Greek Christian tradition. In the 20th century the abbey was restored closer to it's original form being stripped of the embellishments of the renaissance and later eras - although traces remain in its interior.
The Abbey is clearly off the tourist map and is principally focussed on it's historic role as a church and monastery. With the exception of the church the site is maintained rather than restored. The Abbey, however, welcomes public access.
Getting to the Abbey can be challenging unless you are well familiar with Rome and it's surroundings. There is no train service that we are aware of, the buses need some research, a taxi fare is expensive and it takes confidence and nerve to drive in Rome. We chose the latter after spending a month driving the cities of Italy.
If you decide to visit the Abbey you'll find it's proximity to the old town centre useful. There are a number of shops, cafes, bars and restaurants within 200 meters of the battlements. Street parking is available although it is in high demand.
To make the most of the day we'd suggest combining a visit to the Abbey with a prior trip to Casa Di Papa (two hills away) and take an evening meal or afternoon drink at Grottaferratta.
At the location one will find, the church, a monastery and well ordered and detailed medieval battlements. You'll also find a prominent view of the surroundings.
The Abazzia itself pre-dates the battlements, being built in the 11th century while the battlements were order later by the papacy nearer the middle ages. The Abazzia is a mostly Byzantine creation and supports an order of Greek Christian tradition. In the 20th century the abbey was restored closer to it's original form being stripped of the embellishments of the renaissance and later eras - although traces remain in its interior.
The Abbey is clearly off the tourist map and is principally focussed on it's historic role as a church and monastery. With the exception of the church the site is maintained rather than restored. The Abbey, however, welcomes public access.
Getting to the Abbey can be challenging unless you are well familiar with Rome and it's surroundings. There is no train service that we are aware of, the buses need some research, a taxi fare is expensive and it takes confidence and nerve to drive in Rome. We chose the latter after spending a month driving the cities of Italy.
If you decide to visit the Abbey you'll find it's proximity to the old town centre useful. There are a number of shops, cafes, bars and restaurants within 200 meters of the battlements. Street parking is available although it is in high demand.
To make the most of the day we'd suggest combining a visit to the Abbey with a prior trip to Casa Di Papa (two hills away) and take an evening meal or afternoon drink at Grottaferratta.
Written May 17, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tmacquiban
Rome, Italy152 contributions
Jul 2019 • Couples
We loved this ancient church founded over 1,000 years ago, with beautiful Reniassance additions from the Borghese and Barbarioni patron. The mosaics, early font and doorway, and then the side chapel with the Domenichino frescoes not to mention the grotto dating back to the earliest centuries of the Christain era, all these made for a wonderfully peacful and enjoyable church art/architecture experience.
Written July 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jononna
El Dorado, CA66 contributions
Nov 2017 • Friends
The first time I saw this sacred site I did not know it's history from 600BC during the time of Byzantium, through the rise and fall of the Roman empire (the Roman's built the Solarium that looks out over Rome which serves as part of the protective wall around the entire site. The walls themselves are picturesque 14th centuryand photo worthy. If you are lucky enough to be there when the museo is open (best luck on Saturdays and Sundays), you will find Greek Marble works dating back to a Greco-Roman Villa with a temple to the Mother of God. The upstairs contains a library of ancient scripts collected by the Monks and transcribed into Latin during the 800's AD. Grottaferrata's has the oldest manuscript in Europe. The history of the St. Nilo and the church are available on other sites and cover so much more than Is appropriate here. The church (still a functioning Greek Byzantine Church ) is sacred, holy, ancient and accentuated with art from over the centuries. Walk to the edge of the site and look down over the expanse of Rome to the sea, as they did back in ancient times. If you enjoy seeing worship in different countries, visit on Sundays. My favorite Pizza shop is across the street. To visit the piazza, walk up the Corso di Popolo and have a prosecco or espresso by sitting in one of the outdoor seating areas.
Written January 5, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
traveltheworldcs
California438 contributions
Jul 2013 • Solo
I was the only visitor while I was there but the church is wonderful with a Greek influence. The grounds are beautiful and I am glad I visited.
Written July 17, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SimplyFred
Shrewsbury, UK960 contributions
Aug 2012 • Family
The abbey is quite beautiful & so ornate in the byzantine tradition. There is part of a roman aqueduct which you can just spy through the gates (but this may be only when the gates are open) The church itself is wonderful. There is often a large market at the bottom of the road that the Abbey is on.
Written December 9, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Buonasera vorrei info riguardo battesimi.
Mi sono sposata in abbazia nel 2014 ed ora mi piacerebbe battezzare mia figlia nel mese di maggio.
Written January 16, 2019
Il rito greco prevede tutti i sacramenti nel momento del battesimo
Written April 21, 2019
My husband and I will be taking a private car tour to the Grottaferrata and the Abbey; Nemi (town and lake) and Castelgandolfo this October. First question: How/where do you buy tickets to see the Abbey? Also, is there any other interesting sights to see in that general area?? Thanks!
Written August 31, 2015
Buonasera, per vedere l'Abbazia di san Nilo NON si paga.
Tutta la zona è da vedere soprattutto per il paesaggio.
Written March 1, 2017
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