In the heart of the medieval town of Cáceres, Spain, lies a hidden gem: the Convento de las Carboneras. Behind secluded walls, nuns reside, devoting their lives to traditions and sustenance.In the heart of the medieval town of Cáceres, Spain, lies a hidden gem: the Convento de las Carboneras. Behind secluded walls, nuns reside, devoting their lives to traditions and sustenance. Amidst the ancient cobblestone streets, tourists whisper a secret phrase at an intercom: “Ave María Purísima.” A response echoes, “Sin pecado concebida.” With these words, a clandestine transaction unfolds. A door creaks open, revealing a hidden menu of delicacies crafted by the nuns’ hands. Marmalade, jam, cakes, biscuits, and sweets dance upon the menu. Visitors select their treats, depositing their coins into a rotating tray. The nuns, cloistered in their haven, receive the offerings and return the requested items. These Poor Clares, members of the Franciscan Order of Saint Clare, have vowed to live in poverty and chastity. Their sustenance lies in the sale of their handmade creations, a testament to their dedication and resourcefulness. As more pilgrims and tourists flock to Cáceres, these nuns have transformed their hobby into a profession. Their cookies, infused with centuries-old traditions, have become synonymous with the town’s allure. And so, in the hushed confines of the Convento de las Carboneras, the sweet scent of homemade treats lingers, a testament to the enduring spirit of cloistered nuns and the enduring charm of medieval Spain.
THIS medieval Spanish town offers tourists the chance to taste homemade cookies baked by hidden nuns.
The Convento de las Carboneras, a convent of secluded nuns in Cáceres, Spain, sells handmade cookies and other sweets to tourists through small curtained windows.
Cookies handmade by the nuns of the San Pablo Convent, CaceresCredit: Alamy The Convento de San Pablo where the cookies are soldCredit: Alamy Roofs of the old town of Caceres, SpainPhoto: Getty
Nuns in the monastery maintain the age-old traditions of making marmalade, jam, cakes, biscuits and sweets.
And as more and more tourists visit the fairytale town of Caceres, where House of Dragons was filmed, these nuns have turned their hobby into their profession.
Marco Mangut, born in Cáceres and working as a tour guide in the city, told Food&Wine: “I remember as a little boy walking through the old town with my father and his groups, stopping at the convents to buy biscuits from the nuns.
“This was a common activity for us, the locals, and it is something that is still in my earliest memories.”
The Convento de las Carboneras, or Monastery of Saint Paul, is located at the highest point of the picturesque town.
Upon arrival, tourists are directed to a sign that reads “Se Venden Dulces Artesanos,” which means candy sale.
There is an intercom near the sign that tourists can use to order cookies.
But it’s not that simple.
Tourists must first say the unique phrase “Ave María Purísima,” which means Holy Mary, most pure and wait.
A nun then responds, “Sin pecado concebida,” which means received without sin.
Then a door opens to a hidden menu of products, handmade by the nuns.
Visitors can then select the items and place the money on a tray, which will continue to rotate until the order arrives.
The Poor Clares who make these iconic treats are members of the Roman Catholic Franciscan Order of Saint Clare, who have vowed to live a life of poverty, chastity and obedience.
Their only way to make money is by selling handmade products to tourists, who often come to the monastery to enjoy traditional Spanish recipes.
There are still a few monasteries in Spain that sell cookies, including the famous Monasterio del Corpus Christi in Madrid.
