Sacred Places to Visit

Welcome to my Sacred Places to Visit category page. Here you'll find plenty of articles on trips to sacred spots around the globe. 

Sacred Places to Visit

The world is filled with sacred places to visit. There are pilgrimages to holy shrines, labyrinths to walk, megalithic stones to wonder at, ancient temples to see and sacred mountains to climb. While spiritual tourism often has a religious component, the 'sacred travel' niche can also relate to history, nature, architectural wonders and personal growth.

Spiritual travel can be New Age-y and weird. Making a trip to a sacred place can be uplifting, enlightening, uncomfortable, eye opening and mystical. You can laugh at it, be changed by it and be fascinated - all at once.

And that's why adding a sacred destination to your travels is so worthwhile.

Basilica Montserrat, Spain

What is a sacred place?

Sacred places are places with a kind of special energy. Think of ancient pagan sites such as Stonehenge or Avebury, places where ley lines (energy lines) intersect such as Glastonbury Tor. Sacred places can be power spots in unexpected places, such as a corner of Wawel Krakow, said to be the 7th chakra of the world.

They can be famous pilgrimage spots such as Mecca, Jerusalem and the Santiago de Compostela.

Glastonbury Tor

Spiritual places around the world

There are thousands of sacred places on earth and spiritual places to visit. In fact, you've probably been adding them to your travels without even knowing it. Have you been to, say, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris? Chartres Cathedral in Chartres, France? The Blue Mosque in Istanbul? Sacred places to visit can include holy shrines, temples and natural spots, such as willow groves, lakes and mountains. Hot springs, in a particular, were often considered sacred sites by the Romans, Druids, and Etruscans.

A sacred place, in essence, is a place where belief, energy and 'place' interact. Some call it a Place of Power.

Blue Mosque in Istanbul

Places of Power

How are Places of Power created? Whether they're created by magnetic energy, by the way the sun falls on them during winter solstice, by their natural beauty, uniqueness of their surroundings or simply from the combined energy of thousands of people who believe, no one is completely sure. Yet mystical places, spiritual destinations and 'power spots' are a fascinating part of our world.

Monastery with a view

What is Spiritual travel?

Spiritual travel simply means adding a sacred site or sites to your travels. It can be as simple as visiting a holy well in Ireland during a hike or as complex as devoting an entire journey to say, Christian sights in Israel. It can involve getting cleansed by a witch in Mexico City, sampling a healing with a Shaman in Peru or practicing English with novice monks in Luang Prabang to learn more about their Buddhism. Sacred travel can be as casual or as immersive as you want.

Ultimately, seeking out sacred places to visit can make a journey richer and more layered, just remember that it should always be done with respect.