70
million at the Kumbh Mela | Lourdes
150th anniversary | DJ
Nihal in Buddhist India | Welsh
party pilgrims
Santiago de Compostela, Spain
The Camino de Santiago de Compostela, also known as the Way of St James,
attracts more than 100,000 pilgrims a year. To qualify for the
1,000-year-old compostela, the traditional Latin certificate of pilgrimage,
you must carry the pilgrim passport, have walked or ridden on horseback the
previous 62 miles (100km), or ridden 125 miles by bike, and have declared a
spiritual or religious motivation (for more details visit www.csj.org.uk).
The Camino Frances, which traditionally starts in St Jean Pied de Port, is the
most popular of all the Camino routes and is so busy in July and August that
accommodation is in short supply.
Iberia (0870 609 0500, www.iberia.com)
flies to Santiago from Gatwick. Ryanair (www.ryanair.com)
flies from Stansted.
Tro Breiz, France
The seven founders of Christianity in Brittany, bishops of the early Celtic
church, are venerated in the Tro Breiz - tour of Brittany in Breton.
Pilgrims visit the tombs of each saint in their own cathedrals: Samson at
Dol, Malo at St Malo, Brioc at Saint-Brieuc, Tugdual at Tréguier,
Pol-Aurélien at Saint- Pol-de-Léon, Corentin at Quimper and Patern at
Vannes. The route, which is 375 miles long, was popular in the 16th century
when it took a month or more and was relaunched in 1994 by Les Chemins de
Tro Breiz. Now lovers of hiking and spirituality complete one section of the
route each year. The pilgrimage from Vannes to Quimper will take place from
July 27 to August 3 this year.
Details: www.tro-breiz.com. Ryanair (www.ryanair.com)
flies to Dinard and Brest. Brittany Ferries (0871 244 1400, www.brittanyferries.co.uk)
sails to St Malo and Roscoff.
Varanasi, India
According to legend, the city on the Ganges was founded by the Hindu deity
Shiva, and is one of the most sacred places of pilgrimage, with more than a
million devotees a year coming for ritual bathing or to throw the ashes of
their loved ones into the holy waters. Tourists, lured by the spectacle,
take trips along the river at dawn when it seems as if most of the city is
performing its ablutions.
Transindus' 16-day Northern Highlights of India tour starts at £2,595pp
(020-8566 2729, www.transindus.co.uk).
Kandy, Sri Lanka
The golden temple of Sri Dalada Maligawa on Kandy Lake is revered as the home
of the left upper canine tooth of the Lord Buddha - smuggled into the
country in AD300 in the hair of a princess. This relic attracts a daily
procession of pilgrims, dressed in white and carrying lotus blossoms. The
Esala Perahera festival in August synthesises Buddhist and Hindu beliefs in
ten nights of spectacular parades with decorated elephants.
On the Go Tours (020-7371 1113, www.transindus.co.uk)
includes Kandy, as well as other Buddhist sacred sites in Dambadeniya and
Anuradhapura, in its 14-day Sri Lanka Unplugged tour, which starts at
£799pp, excluding flights.
Djenné, Mali
The oldest city in sub-Saharan Africa, was a centre of Islamic learning and
pilgrimage and its first mosque was built in 1240 by the sultan Koi Kunboro,
who converted to Islam. Now it is a Unesco World Heritage Site and the Grand
Mosque is the tallest dried-earth building in the world. The current mosque
was built in 1907, with three towers, each topped by an ostrich egg. Every
spring it is replastered in a spectacularly messy festival.
Djenné is part of Explore's Timbuktu and Dogon Trails tour, which starts at
£1679pp, including flights (0845 013 1537, www.explore.co.uk).
Mount Athos, Greece
Mount Athos in Halkidiki is the oldest surviving monastic community in the
world, still out of bounds to any woman other than the Virgin Mary. There
are 20 monasteries, which can be visited by outsiders for a maximum of four
days. Visitors receive free basic board and lodging and the freedom to
travel around the peninsula. There is a daily quota of 120 Orthodox pilgrims
and 10 non-Orthodox, but the admission process is long and complicated.
Details: www.ouranoupoli.com. EasyJet
(www.easyjet.com) flies to Thessaloniki
from Gatwick.
Bukhara, Uzbekistan
With hundreds of mosques and madrassas, this is the most complete example of a
medieval city in Central Asia. Since the 14th century it has been the home
of Sufism, a mystical brand of Islam, and pilgrims flock to the birthplace
and tomb complex of the Sufi saint Bahauddin Naqshbandi. It was reopened in
1989 after the break-up of the Soviet Union.
Cox & Kings (020-7873 5000, www.coxandkings.co.uk)
includes Bukhara in its ten-day Uzbekistan tour, which starts at £1,125pp,
including flights.
Jerusalem, Israel
Visits to the Western Wall (or Wailing Wall), the holiest of Jewish prayer
sites, will have an extra resonance this year when Israel celebrates its
60th anniversary. The wall, which is a major part of the line that separates
the Old City's Jewish and Muslim quarters, doubles as an outdoor synagogue
with separate prayer areas for men and women. You don't need to be Jewish to
pray at the wall, but you do need to meet Orthodox dress requirements -
paper skullcaps are on hand.
Three nights at the Dan Panorama Hotel costs £641pp, including flights in
April, with Superstar Holidays (0207-121 1500, www.superstar.co.uk).
Who cares what Ken Livingstone thinks? Really, what sort of soft logic is that?
Tom, Osaka,
Bizarre comments from Hiba Yahya!! Why on earth shouldn't the Western Wall in Jerusalem be described as the holiest Jewish prayer site? That's exactly what it is.
Eden, London,
"Visits to the Western Wall (or Wailing Wall), the holiest of Jewish prayer sites"
....Interesting how The jewish religion see to be takin credit of this land as being there holy place, yet many christians and muslims visit all year round as it is also there places of pilgrimage.
Lastly i cant really see this as being a holiday as it is should be in a list of one of the worlds danger zones, unless what is portrayed on the news constantly is make believe.
Hiba Yahya, London,
Comments state that Mecca isn't included because non-muslims aren't allowed to visit, yet Mount Athos is included though the article states that women are banned (unless you're the Virgin Mary).
I'm also a little surprised that Lourdes isn't included in the list; I'd question the motives of the author as to whether this is just a PR clip for the travel agencies mentioned?
Dave, Leeds, UK
Makkah and Madinah are open only Muslims to visit for their religious significance- there have been many attempts to destroy the 2 sacred cities, which is one reason why it has its travelling restrictions.
However, they are only 2 cities in a very large country- the rest of which is open to non-muslims. If anyone has ever been to Riyadh they will see just how many non-Muslims live there.
sam, manchester,
Guadalupe in Mexico has 12 million visitors a year. it is the most visited shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the world, recalling the events of 1542 when she appeared to a poor Indian, Juan Diego, at Tepeyac hill. She left her image miraculously imprinted upon his tilma, or shawl, and the image is still there, miraculously preserved, though it should have rotted within about 20 years. If you don't believe me, go see it for yourself.
Francis Marsden, Chorley, UK
Riyad, if you want to be legalist about it, jerusalem was declared a "separate entity" in the UN's 1947 plan for palestine. The plan was soundly rejected by the arab palestinians, who then lay siege to jewish jerusalem, tried to starve it out, and were later defeated in battle. the rest is history.
avi, jerusalem, israel
Mecca and Madina should be included ......over 3 million people visit those sites EACH year!!!
Irrespective
bev, glas, scotland
With such ignorance on display, t'is small wonder the human race is forever in conflict.
When will we ever learn !
Neil, Liverpool (UK),
Jerusalem (certainly the Old City, where the Wailing Wall is located) is not in Israel, as you suggest. The Old City is in illegally occupied (Palestinian) East Jerusalem.
Riyad Tibi, Marlow, Bucks,UK
Sarah are you suggesting that Muslims do not read this website and therefore the 3 odd million who attending hajj to Mecca last year should not even be mentioned?
Farrukh, Woking, UK
"The world's greatest religious sites
Our correspondent reveals the eight best locations for a pilgrimage or religious festival"
If the point of the article has more to do with travel opportunities that with the claims made by the title, I'd say the title's hopelessly misleading, not to mention insulting.
Jeffrey Smith, Toledo, Ohio
What about Adam's peak in Sri Lanka ???
said to be a holy site for Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and Muslims
And Also Touba, Senegal ???
which has an attraction of Muslim mureed's from all over the Islamic world
please feedback
thanks
Malik, london, uk
A rebuttal to all those who are claming that non-Muslims are not allowed in Islamic holy sites and those which are listed on this article are.
"Bukhara, Uzbekistan
With hundreds of mosques and madrassas"
Well, why is above place included on this list?
Gottcha!
jayil, london, uk
Why can't non muslims visit Mecca?Saudi Arabia should do the right thing and allow people of other faiths to visit Mecca.It would bring much needed harmony to the world.
James Currie, London, U.K
I assume the reason Mecca is not included is that it is not open to non-Muslims, ie, the curious traveller. All the other sites are. This article is in the travel section. Think about this before you have a rant.
Sarah J, Vienna,
The Golden Temple in Amritsar?
Richard, Bexhill, UK
you forgot to mention the world's largest single gathering, pilgrims who perform the Hajj pilgrimage...
Awais, Lancashire, UK
What about Fatima in Portugal?
jonh, Hartford , Connecticut
Can non-muslims visit Mecca?
Mark, London, UK
No mention of Saudi Arabia? Doesnt really surprise me.
George , london,
You forgot the Vatican, which gets more pilgrims than the rest combined.
Leaving Mecca out was odd, as well.
Jeffrey Smith, Toledo, Ohio
Isn't Mecca the greatest religious site of all?
Amreen, London, UK
RE - "Julia Brookes, Is there nothing in Saudi Arabia?" - jayil, london, uk
You appeared to have missed the point of this article. It was linked to travel offers. Furthermore, how many non muslims do you know that can visit Mecca? We're not going to see any travel offers there soon, are we Jayil. Islam has missed out on a slice of the tourism industry by refusing to allow non muslims there.
Alex, South West , UK
Julia Brookes, Is there nothing in Saudi Arabia?
jayil, london, uk
Mountain Kailash is another important sacred religious place in the world which is believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva but which is the least visited because of the mountain's remote location in far western Tibet.
There is also a newly discovered place in the Southern Urals, Russia called Arkaim where pilligrims from all Russia flock and claim to be healed and receive higher knowledge.
Julia, Dublin,
I would say the Golden Temple in Amritsar (the holiest shrine for all Sikhs) definitely ranks amongst the wolrds greatest religeous sites.
There isnt a nother place like it on the planet.
Even Ken Livingstone on a recent visit to india stated: It was a place he had to see at least once during his lifetime.
J Singh, London, UK