What Are the Top 5 Pilgrimages in Europe?


If you are fascinated by spirituality, history, or literature, or you just want to physically push yourself to the limits, then a European pilgrimage might be of interest to you. These cultural journeys teach you what you want to learn, and they let you see sights that inspire.

While most people think of Mecca or Canterbury, there are plenty of other places that serve as locations worthy of pilgrimage destinations. At Inspire4Travel, we can help you plan one of these epic adventures.

  1. To Stonehenge

There are several places to begin in Great Britain, but the destination of one of the ultimate pilgrimages is Stonehenge. This ancient site is still full of mystery, and reaching on foot, like the original inhabitants of the Salisbury plain once did adds to the allure. If you can visit during the summer solstice to get the best view of the sun between the monoliths.

The ideal starting point is Glastonbury Tor, which was supposed to be the original start of the pagan trail that ended at the iconic site. Rumor has it that faeries lived in Glastonbury Tor. The walking trail between the two historic sites is about 42 miles, enough for a two-day trek.

  1. To Mont-Saint-Michel

If you prefer a different type of spiritual journey, then the 200-mile walk from Rouen to Mont-Saint-Michel might do it for you. There is a shorter journey of 100 miles, beginning at Caen. When you walk on Les Chemins Du Mont-Saint-Michel, you are walking in the footsteps of the pilgrims of the Middle Ages who wanted to see the statue of St. Michael.

The church where the saint is commemorated is on an island about a kilometer off of the coast of Normandy. This island and the Benedictine abbey was important to the Merovingians when they held France for over 200 years.

  1. To Rome

There are several ways to get to Rome, as according to the sages who know Europe, all roads lead there. There are two worthy routes to the home of Catholicism: one that begins in Canterbury, England and another that begins in Florence, Italy. Both commemorate the original pilgrims who traveled the roads to Rome. Now they exist for history, spirituality, and challenge.

If you walk from Canterbury, you will traipse over 1180 miles that covers the Alps, Tuscany, and the battlefields of Normandy. This trek is a once-in-a-lifetime expedition, but worth every moment.

  1. To Lake Como

Once you get to Rome, you can keep on going to Lake Como for some peace and tranquility. It’s only about 6.5 miles, and the reward is spectacular.

  1. To Ostrog

This may be the most popular pilgrimage you’ve never heard of, as over 100,000 pilgrims visit the Serbian Orthodox Monastery of Ostrog easy year. The monastery is carved into a cliff and it is the home of Saint Basil of Ostrog. It’s a two-hour walk from the train station in Ostrog. Otherwise, there are longer journeys from Kotor and Podgorica in Montenegro.