The Monastery of Resurrection - Abadia da Ressurreição, in Ponta Grossa, is a Benedictine haven of peace tucked away in the Paraná countryside.
When traveling in southern Brazil, you may want to renew your spirit by staying for up to five days at the monastery, which is well known in Brazil thanks to CDs with Gregorian chants recorded by the Abadia da Ressurreição monks.
After 25 years at its current location, Abadia da Ressurreição is raising funds to move to an even more secluded area in Itaiacoca, a district of Ponta Grossa.
Ponta Grossa is just 114 kilometers (about 71 miles) from Curitiba.
You can visit the monastery just for the day - and join in prayers, perhaps with Gregorian chants - or stay overnight, for up to five days at a time.
Lodging at the Monastery of Resurrection allows guests to join the monks in prayer and enjoy the Chapel and the beautiful woods on the property.
Meals, prepared by the monks themselves, are served in the lodge cafeteria.
Lodging cost is not established by the monks. Guests offer a contribution within their means.
All visitors can buy crafts and liqueurs made by the monks, their CDs, and religious items at a small shop.
Rodovia do Café Km 5
Colônia Eurídice
84001-970
Ponta Grossa - PR
Phone: 55-42-9129-6422
E-mail (for lodging questions only): hospedaria@ressurreicao.org.br
Website: www.ressurreicao.org.br
From Curitiba, you can take a bus to Ponta Grossa (the trip lasts a little over an hour) and take a taxi to the Monastery at the Ponta Grossa Bus Terminal (a 20-minute ride, about $16).
This map of Ponta Grossa shows the bus terminal (Terminal Rodoviário) in the west part of town and the arrow to the monastery (Mosteiro da Ressurreição).
Two companies go to Ponta Grossa from the Curitiba bus terminal.
Graciosa has only two daily lines. Princesa dos Campos has several. The company uses "S" and "N" for "Yes" and "No" on their availability schedule (see the Curitiba-Ponta Grossa schedule).
Tickets cost about $11.
The Coffee Road (BR-277/BR-376), managed by RodoNorte, has been voted one of the 10 Best Roads in Brazil by Guia 4 Rodas.
If you choose to rent a car in Curitiba and drive to Ponta Grossa and the Monastery of Resurrection, you'll have the added flexibility to make a stop at Vila Velha State Park, which is on the way.
One of the car rental agencies at Afonso Pena International Airport (including Avis and Hertz) can give you maps and directions to the highway.
The road is a tollway. Bring cash for the two toll booths, charged each way (two at R$7,80 and two at R$5,50).
