Klooster Nieuw Sion in Diepenveen
A working monastery and retreat centre in Diepenveen, open to visitors Wednesday to Sunday, with guided tours, vegetarian food, guest rooms and rooms for groups.
Photo credits
A Christian meditation session at Klooster Nieuw Sion.: Klooster Nieuw Sion; fotografie Jan Buitinga en Luuk Klein Hofmeijer
Quick answers
- Address
- Vulikerweg 6, 7431 PJ Diepenveen
- Address
- Vulikerweg 67431 PJ Diepenveen
- Open
- Wed-Sun 10.00-17.00; Tue from 14.00
- By bus
- Bus 165, stop Klooster Nieuw Sion, 12 min walk
- Parking
- Free on the monastery grounds
- Retreats
- From €395 for three days, all meals included
- Stay
- Guest rooms from €79 a night
- Access
- Café and church accessible; grounds uneven
- Contact
- +31 6 83 10 96 04
Holidays at Klooster Nieuw Sion
Open on the holidays: these nights are in the agenda.
Personal Development at Klooster Nieuw Sion: upcoming events
Tonight, this week and the months ahead at this venue in Diepenveen.
Last night at Klooster Nieuw Sion: Monastery Meal Special
Plan your visit to Klooster Nieuw Sion
How many people fit at Klooster Nieuw Sion?
The Refter is the largest indoor space, with 125 to 200 people; the monastery does not publish a whole-building capacity.
- Largest room
- Refter, 125-200 people
- Whole building
- No published capacity
For a conference or dinner, the Refter is the room to book. The Kapittelzaal (up to 50) and Poortkamer (up to 20) suit smaller sessions; the church is used for services and only hired for special occasions.
Compared with the theatres nearby, the Refter is smaller than Schouwburg Deventer (940) and Hoftheater Raalte (310), but it is the largest room at the monastery. The New Sion capacity comes from the room-rental page; the nearby capacities and distances come from OpenStreetMap and Wikidata (30 October 2026).
| Venue | Type | Capacity | Distance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Klooster Nieuw Sion, Refter | Monastery hall | 125-200 | On site | Room rental page |
| Schouwburg Deventer | Theatre | 940 | 6.2 km | OpenStreetMap / Wikidata |
| Hoftheater Raalte | Theatre | 310 | 11.9 km | OpenStreetMap / Wikidata |
Opening hours and the daily rhythm
The grounds and café are open Wednesday to Sunday, 10.00-17.00, and Tuesday from 14.00; the church and Mariakapel keep their own rhythm.
The café and the grounds are open Wednesday to Sunday 10.00-17.00. On Tuesday they open at 14.00 and close at 17.00 in summer time or 16.00 in winter time. Monday is given to the prayer services, so do not plan a café visit.
The community prays at 08.00, 12.00 (Wednesday, Friday and Saturday), 18.00 and 21.30. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday the midday prayer is a silent meditation at 12.00. Visitors may join; a liturgy book is available, and the church bell rings ten minutes before.
The Mariakapel is open 24/7. Between 11.40 and 12.15 the café pauses for the midday prayer, so service is quiet then.
- Wednesday-Sunday
- 10.00-17.00
- Tuesday
- 14.00-17.00 (16.00 in winter)
- Prayers
- 08.00, 12.00, 18.00 and 21.30
- Mariakapel
- Open 24/7
- Come before 11.40 if you want a quiet coffee; the café pauses for the midday prayer.
Retreats and programmes: how a stay works
Most people come for a multi-day retreat or a single themed day; both follow the monastery rhythm of prayer, work, silence and meals.
Eating at Nieuw Sion: lunch, dinner and Sion beer
The café in the former outer chapel serves lunch, cake and coffee Wednesday to Sunday, and a vegetarian evening meal at 17.00, except Friday.
Lunch is 12.30-15.00, after the midday prayer, with vegetarian dishes and cakes made by volunteers in the baking studio. The kitchen uses vegetables, herbs and fruit from its own garden.
The evening meal is at 17.00 from Wednesday to Sunday, except Friday. Friday is the Kloostermaal: two courses with buffet and dessert on ordinary Fridays, three courses plus a fourth course of music, a talk or theatre on the last Friday of the month.
Reserve dinner by 3 hours beforehand; groups of more than 10 should email [email protected]. The café also serves home-roasted coffee, herbal tea and Sion beer from the monastery brewery.
- Lunch
- 12.30-15.00, Wednesday-Sunday
- Dinner
- 17.00, Wednesday-Sunday except Friday
- Friday
- Kloostermaal, 2 or 3 courses
- Reserve
- By 3 hours beforehand
- Kitchen
- Vegetarian, own garden
- Friday evening is the Kloostermaal, not the regular evening meal; book ahead.
Walking at Klooster Nieuw Sion: the guided Kloosterwandeling
For a guided walk around the monastery, join the Kloosterwandeling on the second Saturday of the month.
The walk starts at 09.00 and costs €7.50; book through the programme page. The programme describes it as a guided walk around Klooster Nieuw Sion.
- Guided walk
- 2nd Saturday, 09.00
- Price
- €7.50
- Booking
- Programme page
- Route
- Around the monastery
Accessibility: what works and what to plan
The café and church are accessible; the grounds are less easy, and accessible guest rooms are on the ground floor of the Poortgebouw.
The café is reached by a ramp at the front, with the entrance through the Mariakapel. The monastery church is accessible for people with disabilities. The grounds, garden and cemetery are less easy to walk.
The Poortgebouw has accessible ground-floor guest rooms for guests with disabilities; ask [email protected] about availability before booking.
- Café
- Ramp at the front, via the Mariakapel
- Church
- Accessible for people with disabilities
- Grounds
- Less easy to walk
- Accessible rooms
- Ground floor of the Poortgebouw
- Ask about the ground-floor rooms before booking; the venue asks you to check availability.
Staying overnight: guest rooms, hermitages and camping
Guest rooms start at €79 a night, including breakfast; the self-catering Davidskluis is €64.50, and camping reopens in May 2027.
The Poortgebouw and Gastenhuis have modern guest rooms from €79 a night; the Gastenhuis has 14 rooms. The Davidskluis is a small self-contained house from €64.50, with the option to self-cater. Breakfast is included except when self-catering in the Davidskluis.
Check in between 14.00 and 17.00 and check out before 10.00. Guests can stay up to 10 nights. There is no guest night from Sunday to Monday, except in July and August.
The Kloostercamping is closed for 2026 and reopens in May 2027; pitches take tents, caravans and motorhomes up to 6 metres and cost €30.75 a night including breakfast. There is free Wi-Fi, and free parking on site.
- Guest rooms
- From €79 a night
- Davidskluis
- From €64.50 a night
- Camping
- €30.75, from May 2027
- Check-in
- 14.00-17.00
- Check-out
- Before 10.00
| Accommodation | From | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Poortgebouw | €79 | Modern rooms at the front |
| Gastenhuis | €79 | 14 guest rooms |
| Davidskluis | €64.50 | Self-contained, self-catering option |
| Kloostercamping | €30.75 | From May 2027, pitches up to 6 m |
Getting to Klooster Nieuw Sion by bus or train
The monastery is in the countryside between Deventer and Raalte; bus 165 stops on the Vulikerweg, and the walk up the drive takes about 10-12 minutes.
From Deventer station, take bus 165 (RRReis) towards Raalte and get off at Klooster Nieuw Sion. From Raalte station, take the same bus towards Deventer. The stop is on the Vulikerweg; from there it is 870 metres, about 12 minutes, up the drive. The venue itself says about 10 minutes; the 870 metres and 12 minutes come from the OpenStreetMap route.
By car, set the satnav to Vulikerweg 6, 7431 PJ Diepenveen. There is free parking on the grounds.
Bus
165 (RRReis), Deventer-Raalte
Stop
Klooster Nieuw Sion
Walk
870 m, about 12 minutes
- The last stretch is the drive up to the monastery; wear shoes that can handle uneven ground.
Parking at Klooster Nieuw Sion: free on site
Parking is free on the monastery grounds, a short walk from the gatehouse and café.
Park on the monastery grounds at Vulikerweg 6; there is no charge. The grounds are less easy to walk, so allow extra time if you have limited mobility.
The café entrance is at the front, via the ramp through the Mariakapel.
| Car park | Address | Walk | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klooster Nieuw Sion | Vulikerweg 6, 7431 PJ Diepenveen | On the grounds | Free |
- Parking
- Free, on the monastery grounds
- Address
- Vulikerweg 6, 7431 PJ Diepenveen
Rooms for groups: capacities and hire rates
The former monastery has several hire spaces; the Refter is the largest, seating 125 to 200 people.
- Refter
- 125-200 people
- Kapittelzaal
- Up to 50 people
- Poortkamer
- Up to 20 people
- Guest-house meeting room
- About 10 people
- Part-days
- 08.00-12.30, 13.00-17.00, 18.00-22.00
- Smederij
- €245 / €430
- Eetzaal & Bibliotheek
- €310 / €545
| Space | Capacity | One part-day | Two part-days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refter | 125-200 people | €495 | €870 |
| Kapittelzaal | Up to 50 people | €235 | €435 |
| Poortkamer | Up to 20 people | €185 | €325 |
| Guest-house meeting room | About 10 people | €95 | €170 |
| Smederij | Not published | €245 | €430 |
| Eetzaal & Bibliotheek | Not published | €310 | €545 |
What Klooster Nieuw Sion is
A former Cistercian abbey that is still a place of prayer, now with a café, guest rooms and a public programme.
Klooster Nieuw Sion is a working monastery and guest house in Diepenveen, north of Deventer. The former Cistercian Abbey of Sion became an ecumenical centre in 2015, when the last monks left and Stichting Nieuw Sion took over the buildings. The community still prays four times a day, and visitors are welcome to join.
The complex is a national monument: the monastery church, gatehouse, Refter, chapter house and guest house stand around the monastery garden and the monumental berceau. The church, garden and cemetery are free to visit; the rest of the complex is shown on a guided tour.
Three overlapping communities keep the place running: a prayer community, a residential community and a working community, with Jong Nieuw Sion for adults in their twenties. Guests come for a quiet day, a tour, a retreat or an overnight stay; groups can hire the Refter, the chapter house and other rooms.
- Former abbey
- Cistercian Abbey of Sion
- New community
- Stichting Nieuw Sion since 2015
- Heritage
- National monument
- Grounds
- 58 hectares between Diepenveen and Wesepe
From Cistercian abbey to a new community
Klooster Nieuw Sion is the former Abdij Sion, a Cistercian abbey whose buildings date partly from the end of the nineteenth century; the last monks left in 2015.
The community manages 58 hectares between Diepenveen and Wesepe. The buildings date partly from the end of the nineteenth century and are a national monument. The monastery became an abbey in 1935, and the complex once had room for about 120 monks.
The last monks left in 2015. The order sold the buildings to Stichting Nieuw Sion, which continued the daily prayers in an ecumenical tradition; the guest house stayed open and a café and brewery were added. The place now runs as three overlapping communities — prayer, living and work — with Jong Nieuw Sion for adults in their twenties.
The monastery is important religious and cultural heritage in Salland, and the community wants to preserve this heritage and build on the legacy the monks left.
- Abbey
- Cistercian, abbey from 1935
- Last monks
- Left in 2015
- Grounds
- 58 hectares
- Monks' rooms
- About 120
Photos
Photo credits
A Christian meditation session at Klooster Nieuw Sion.: Klooster Nieuw Sion; fotografie Jan Buitinga en Luuk Klein Hofmeijer
The gatehouse and entrance of Klooster Nieuw Sion in Diepenveen.: Klooster Nieuw Sion; fotografie Jan Buitinga en Luuk Klein Hofmeijer
The monastery church of Klooster Nieuw Sion in Diepenveen, used for the daily prayers.: Klooster Nieuw Sion; fotografie Jan Buitinga en Luuk Klein Hofmeijer
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Frequently asked questions about Klooster Nieuw Sion
Where is Klooster Nieuw Sion?
At Vulikerweg 6, 7431 PJ Diepenveen, between Deventer and Raalte. Bus 165 stops at Klooster Nieuw Sion, about 12 minutes' walk from the monastery.
What are the opening hours of Klooster Nieuw Sion?
The grounds and café are open Wednesday to Sunday 10.00-17.00 and Tuesday from 14.00; in winter it closes at 16.00. The Mariakapel is open 24/7, and the church, garden and cemetery can be visited during opening hours.
Can I visit without staying overnight?
Yes. The grounds, café, church and Mariakapel are open to visitors Wednesday to Sunday 10.00-17.00 and Tuesday from 14.00. The church, garden and cemetery are free; the rest of the complex is shown on a tour.
What time do retreats start and end?
Most retreats start at 13.30 or 14.00 on the first day and end between 13.30 and 15.30 on the last. Check-in is 14.00-17.00; the event page gives the exact times.
How much does a retreat cost?
A three-day retreat costs €395 and a five-day retreat €885, including a single room, bed linen, coffee and tea, and all meals. The winter festival for 19- to 39-year-olds starts at €169 and also includes all meals.
Can I stay overnight at the monastery?
Yes. Guest rooms in the Poortgebouw and Gastenhuis start at €79 a night, including breakfast; the self-catering Davidskluis starts at €64.50. Check-in is 14.00-17.00, check-out before 10.00, and stays are limited to 10 nights.
Can I camp at Nieuw Sion?
Not in 2026: the Kloostercamping is closed and reopens in May 2027. Pitches then cost €30.75 a night including breakfast and take tents, caravans and motorhomes up to 6 metres.
Is there parking at Klooster Nieuw Sion?
Yes, parking is free on the monastery grounds at Vulikerweg 6. The grounds are less easy to walk, so allow extra time if you have limited mobility.
How do I get there by public transport?
Take bus 165 (RRReis) between Deventer and Raalte and get off at Klooster Nieuw Sion. The stop is 870 metres, about 12 minutes' walk, from the monastery.
Can I have lunch or dinner at the monastery?
Yes. Lunch is served 12.30-15.00 Wednesday to Sunday; dinner is at 17.00, except Friday, when the Kloostermaal runs. Reserve dinner by 3 hours beforehand, and email [email protected] for groups over 10.
Can I walk around the monastery grounds?
Yes. The garden, cemetery and church are free to visit, but the wider grounds are less easy to walk. For a guided walk, join the Kloosterwandeling on the second Saturday of the month; it starts at 09.00 and costs €7.50, and you book through the programme page.
Is the monastery wheelchair accessible?
The café has a ramp at the front through the Mariakapel, and the church is accessible. The grounds are less easy to walk. The Poortgebouw has accessible ground-floor guest rooms; ask [email protected] about availability.
Can I join the prayers?
Yes. The community prays at 08.00, 12.00 (Wednesday, Friday and Saturday), 18.00 and 21.30; on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday the midday prayer is a silent meditation at 12.00. A liturgy book is available.
Do I need to book a tour?
Yes. Open tours are usually on the fourth Saturday at 14.00 and 15.30, last about 90 minutes and cost €11; book online. Groups can book a 90-minute tour with a guide from €110.
Can I hire a room for a meeting or funeral?
Yes. The Refter, Kapittelzaal, Poortkamer and guest-house meeting room are hired by the part-day; the Refter is used for funerals and lectures. The church is only hired for special occasions, in consultation and for a gathering with a praying heart.
Is there Wi-Fi and can I buy Sion beer?
There is free Wi-Fi on the grounds, though it is not equally strong everywhere. The café serves home-roasted coffee, herbal tea and Sion beer from the monastery brewery.
Sources: Nieuw Sion: our story (October 30, 2026) · Nieuw Sion: your visit (October 30, 2026) · Nieuw Sion: programme (October 30, 2026) · Nieuw Sion room rental (Refter); nearby data from OpenStreetMap/Wikidata (October 30, 2026) · Nieuw Sion: café (October 30, 2026) · Nieuw Sion: guided walks and tours (October 30, 2026) · Nieuw Sion: staying overnight (October 30, 2026) · Wikipedia: Abdij Sion (October 30, 2026)
