Are you looking to take a Christian vacation? With the current on-goings around the world, I guess, it’s time to reach out to your Christian faith and travel to some of the best Christian vacation destinations around the world.
How about a spiritual journey this time to a Christian vacation destination? Below are some of the best Christian spots for singles, couples, and families.
Christian Spiritual cruises
Christian vacation cruises are a perfect way to balance your holiday with spiritual growth and well being. Learning Christianity while sailing in azure waters is a definite remedy to uplift oneself.
These Christian vacation cruises are a beautiful blend of modern indulgences along with teachings from the Holy Bible. There are morning devotions, Christian concerts and other spiritual activities held on the cruise. Some even have a Priest or Pastor on board.
Bible discourses from revered speakers and other spiritual activities amidst nature far away from the chaotic cities will surely calm all your senses and help you focus on yourself.
You can choose from a variety of exotic locales featuring Hawaii, Caribbean Islands, Alaska, Europe, Middle East and more. At every port/Island that you disembark, you will get to see beautiful creations of God.
These Christian cruises are also recommended for children as the Bible teachings can be playfully imbibed in them at an early age while on holiday.
Set out on a holistic journey to unrivalled pristine beaches, turquoise waters, stunning views and feel closer to God than ever.
You can consider these websites for planning your perfect Christian cruise.
1- Inspiration Cruises & Tours. Exceptional Christian Travel Experiences.
2- KLOVE Cruise. Premier Christian Cruises.
3- All Christian Cruises provides spiritually uplifting, wholesome, fun programs, including teachings and workshops led by dynamic speakers as well as concerts and sweet times of praise and worship by outstanding Christian contemporary and gospel singers.
And if you want to revive yourself spiritually on land, here’s a list of must see Christian vacation destinations for couples, families, and singles from around the world:
Christian Vacation Destinations in the Middle East
Israel – Holy Land pilgrimage
Israel is the most revered place of pilgrimage for all Christians and one of the best Christian vacation destinations.
A Christian, on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land starts with Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ. It’s the ultimate place to be during Easter and Christmas.
The must see here is The Church of Nativity. Built by Constantine the Great, it is located over the cave in which Christ was born.
It encompasses two cathedrals. The main Cathedral, known as Basilica of Nativity may be entered through the Door of Humility. Staircases lead the visitors down to the Holy Crypt, the precise place where Jesus was born.
The Shepherd’s Field Church of Bethlehem is built where the angels appeared in front of the shepherds to announce the birth of Christ.
Another interesting place in Bethlehem is the Milk Grotto or Grotto of Our Lady, where the Holy Family found refuge on the way to Egypt. Tradition says that a drop of milk from Mary fell on the floor while nursing Jesus and turned the whole cave white.
Nazareth, another town in Israel is the childhood home of Jesus. The main sites here are the Church of the Annunciation and Mary’s Well.
The Church of the Annunciation is the site where the future birth of Jesus Christ was announced by the angel Gabriel to Mary. Mary’s well is from where Mary drew water with young Jesus.
Many of Jesus’ miracles like walking on water and calming the storm have taken place in the region of Galilee. Capernaum, on the northern shore of Galilee, is believed to be the town selected by Jesus for ministry affairs after he left Nazareth.
The places to visit here are The Ancient Synagogue, built by a Roman officer in gratitude when Jesus healed his servant and The House of Peter, a residential house believed to have belonged to Peter whose ruins can still be seen.
In Lower Galilee lies the ancient city of Cana, the place where Jesus performed his first miracle. He turned water into wine at a wedding when the bridegroom ran out of wine.
Tabgha, on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, is famous for the miracle of Multiplication of Fish and Loaves. The Church of Multiplication symbolizes this miracle in form of Mozaic design of small fishes and loaves.
Not very far from Tabgha is the Mount of Beatitude where Jesus delivered his sermon on the mount.
The holy city of Jerusalem holds an extremely significant place in Christianity. The city has many holy sites. Pilgrims walk the Via Dolorosa street in the old city of Jerusalem.
It is believed to be the path where Jesus walked on his way to crucifixion. The winding road leads to the Church of Holy Sepulcher where Jesus was crucified and buried.
The Church of Holy sepulcher is also the traditional site of the resurrection. The River of Jordan holds a revered place in the Bible as the baptizing place of Jesus Christ. Al-maghtas is the name given to the baptism site.
You can end your holy land tour at The Dead Sea, the lowest spot on the surface of the globe and float on the mineral-rich waters to conclude this magical experience of the Holy Land.
Christian Vacation Destinations in Europe
France
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, Lourdes.
Lourdes, a small town in France attracts a lot of pilgrims every year as it is associated with many Marian apparitions. This is the second most visited pilgrimage site in Europe.
The sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes is a place of mass pilgrimage. It has several churches and a grotto known as the grotto of Massabielle.
A 14-year-old peasant girl Bernadette Soubirous was walking with her sisters when she saw visions of the Virgin Mary near the grotto.
Many sick pilgrims visit the sanctuary to get healed. Besides drinking the holy water, pilgrims also immerse themselves in the holy baths.
Italy
Basilica di San Francesco, Assisi.
Assisi, a town in Central Italy is where the famous Catholic saint, St Francis was born. The Basilica di San Francesco in Assisi is a memorial to this revered saint.
This basilica is one of the oldest pieces of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. It is divided into 2 levels, upper church, and lower church. It also has an underground crypt housing the tomb of St Francis.
Turin Cathedral, Turin.
Turin Cathedral is located in the town of Turin in Northern Italy. This is the home of the Shroud of Turin. The shroud is a cloth believed to bear the imprint of the body of Jesus Christ.
Catholics come here to view the shroud. However, the shroud on display is not original but a copy. The original shroud is kept locked in a bullet proof casket inside an iron box and is rarely available for public display.
St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, Rome.
Rome, the capital of Italy is also known as the Eternal City. The papal enclave of the Vatican also lies within boundaries of Rome.
Rome is also the home to 4 major Basilicas – Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, St Peter’s Basilica and the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. One of the prominent of all 4 is St Peter’s Basilica.
It is the second most visited pilgrimage site after The Holy Land. St Peter’s Basilica is the site where St Peter, the first Pope was crucified and buried.
The tomb of St Peter is directly under the high Altar. Many other popes are also buried in this basilica. The basilica is an amazing feat of architecture and art.
Poland
Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa.
Jasna Gora monastery is located in the Polish town of Częstochowa. It is famous for the miraculous Black Madonna or Our Lady of Częstochowa.
The Jasna Gora monastery was founded in 1382 by Pauline monks from Hungary and has been a Christian pilgrimage site since then. The icon of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus is displayed in the Altar.
It was painted by Luke the Evangelist on a tabletop built by Jesus himself. Many devout Catholics walk from different towns of Poland to this site every year.
You can also join the annual walking pilgrimage from the Polish town of Wroclaw to Jasna Gora monastery. The most preferred day of worship is the day of the Feast of the Assumption.
Portugal
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima, Ourem.
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima is one of the most famous Marian shrines in the world. Our Lady of Fatima is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary after she was seen by three shepherd children Jacinta, Francisco, and Lucia.
The children saw apparitions for 6 consecutive months starting May 13th until October 13th, 1917. The Virgin Mary revealed 3 secrets to these children during her apparitions which had future prophecies.
Large numbers of Pilgrims visit this shrine on May 13th and October 13th. The Chapel of Apparitions is at the center of the basilica and the exact location where Mary appeared is marked by the statue of the Virgin Mary. The tombs of the three visionaries are also present in the Basilica.
Spain
The Cathedral of St James, Santiago de Compostela.
The old city of Santiago de Compostela in Northwestern Spain is the home to the Cathedral of St James. The cathedral is known to be the burial site of St James, the beloved apostle of Jesus.
History says that a hermit called Pelagius saw a mysterious light shining over a Roman tomb in the middle of the forest. Very soon everyone became aware that the tomb was of St James.
Thereafter it became famous and many people visited the place. The cathedral is also the final destination on the route of the famous walking pilgrimage – Camino de Santiago or the Way of St James.
This is an ancient pilgrimage route which ends at St James Cathedral. There are many such pilgrimage routes. The ancient route begins in a city of Oviedo, Spain.
The most popular route begins in France and takes 30 days. Some European Pilgrims also start walking from their homes to the shrine.
England
Basilica of Our Lady of Walsingham.
Walsingham, a village in Norfolk English county is known as Nazareth of England. According to legend, a widow named Richeldis was a noble lady and was known for her devotion to God.
The Virgin Mary appeared to her and took her in spirit to the Holy House of Nazareth. Mary asked Richeldis to build a similar structure in Walsingham. Lady Richeldis built a structure named “The Holy House” in Walsingham which became a pilgrim shrine later.
Wales
St Winifred’s Well.
This well is the oldest site in Britain of Christian importance. It is located in Holywell, Wales. The healing waters have miraculously cured many.
According to legend, the son of a local prince severed the head of young Winifred after she spurned his advances. A spring rose from the ground at the spot where her head fell and she was later restored to life by her uncle, St Beuno.
The well is known as the “Lourdes of Wales”. The healing waters have attracted pilgrims for a very long time.
Christian Vacation Destinations in South America
Brazil
Christ the Redeemer and Basilica of the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida.
Rio, besides being famous for its party places, is also known for its massive statue of The Lord Jesus Christ.
Standing tall atop Mount Corcovado, overlooking the city of Rio di Janeiro, Jesus is seen calling out to the faithful with open arms.
While in Brazil you can also plan a trip to Aparecida, near Sao Paulo. The city has the second largest church in the world which has been erected in the 18th century. Three fishermen in search of large volumes of fish accidentally caught a beheaded statue of Mary and after a while found the head too.
Only to their surprise they thereafter caught a huge amount of fish. They brought the statue home and placed it in a shrine in 1945.
The new basilica was then later erected on the place of the shrine and has been revived several times. It has beautiful bronze work architecture.
Colombia
Santuario de Las Lajas.
This miraculous church is located in a canyon in Ipiales, Colombia. The basilica is named Las Lajas after a sedimentary rock called Lajas.
According to legend, a miracle occurred when a woman named Maria and her deaf-mute daughter Rosa were caught in a very violent storm.
They sought refuge in between the large rocks ’Lajas’ where they saw the apparition of the Virgin Mary. The image on the stone is still visible today. The church is famous among Catholic pilgrims and many come here for healing and worshipping.
Mexico
Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe is located on the outskirts of Mexico City. It is believed that the Virgin Mary appeared to a peasant named Juan Diego in 1531 and asked him to have a church built here.
When Juan Diego contacted the Spanish bishop, the bishop didn’t believe him and asked him to bring proof. The Virgin Mary appeared again and asked Juan Diego to present flowers to the bishop as proof.
Despite being winter Diego managed to get flowers. When he went to present these flowers, a miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary appeared on Diego’s cloth from which the flowers fell. Our Lady of Guadalupe has been a Christian pilgrimage destination since then.
Christian Vacation Destinations in Asia
India
Velankanni Church of our Lady of Health “Lourdes of the east”.
The Church of our Lady of Health is located in a small town of Velankanni in Tamil Nadu, India. Our Lady of Health Basilica is built on a site where Mary appeared with Jesus on three different occasions. People come here to get healed from various health issues.
This Basilica is located in Old Goa in India. This Basilica is more than 408 years old and has classic baroque architecture.
It holds the mortal remains of St Francis Xavier, the first Jesuit in India. The body of St Francis Xavier is placed in a glass casket for display to the pilgrims.
Christian Vacation Destinations in Africa
Egypt
Saint Catherine’s Monastery.
The city named Saint Catherine in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt is home to Saint Catherine’s monastery. It is one of the oldest working Christian monasteries.
Its location, high in the Mount Sinai range, has attracted adventurous Catholics and travellers. According to tradition, Catherine of Alexandria was a Christian martyr who had devoted herself to Jesus.
The Roman emperor Maxentius sentenced her to death on the wheel when he failed to convince her for marriage. However, the wheel shattered at the touch of Catherine. She was then beheaded.
According to tradition, angels took her body to Mount Sinai. Around the year 800, monks found her body and founded the monastery.
Christian Vacation Destinations in North America
Canada
Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.
The Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre is located in the small village of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre, 19 miles east of Quebec City, Canada.
The basilica is a shrine dedicated to Saint Anne and has been credited with many miracles of curing the sick and disabled.
Saint Anne was the mother of Mary and the grandmother of Jesus. The miraculous statue of Saint Anne is shown carrying her child Mary in her arms. Many pilgrims come here from all over the world to seek blessings and healing.
USA
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
The Basilica of the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception is located in the capital city of Washington DC, USA.
This basilica is the largest Church in North America. It’s constructed in Byzantine architecture. It is a massive structure with 70 chapels and beautiful interiors. Millions of visitors visit this basilica every year.
Have a blessed Christian vacation. Whether you are travelling alone, as a couple, or as a family to a Christian vacation resort, cruise or destination, remember to stay safe and spread the love of Jesus.
Blessings,
Mind On Jesus