I thought I might share this link with you, the website of the Buddhist Temple just an hour from Rome www.santacittarama.it.

I'll post some of my own photos on the weekend.

We visited the temple in 2003 and stayed there for a couple days. The temple is a branch temple of Wat Pah Nanachat (International Forest Monastery). We met two monks--one westerner and one Thai. The abbot who was a westerner was very helpful and friendly. The monks and one nun stayed at the main house, and visitors sayed at a separate two-bedroom cottage. Contact the abbot in advance if you plan to stay overnight. Very quiet and peaceful although a bit difficult to get there from the bus stop--it took us about half an hour walking. Be Happy!