There are many reasons to travel the world. For some, it is the thrill of exploring new locales, learning about foreign cultures, sampling exotic cuisine, or any number of other attractions. For others, however, the reason to travel is of a religious significance. Pilgrimages and educational trips to the holiest locations in the world are common in many faiths, and these are just a few of the holiest travel destinations in the world.
The Saudi Arabian city of Mecca, revered in Islamic belief as the birthplace of the prophet Muhammad is widely considered the holiest place in the world for Muslim believers and a place to which they must make a pilgrimage during their lifetimes. In many ways the center of the Islamic faith, where millions of Muslims make their pilgrimage and many decide to stay for life, Mecca has grown over the years into an extremely diverse city where Muslims from all walks of life come together in the name of faith.
For many Christians, and Catholics in particular, the Vatican City in Rome is one of the most significant places in the world. As the headquarters of Catholicism and the residing place of the Pope, the Vatican is full of both religious history and present day significance. The Vatican's centerpiece, St. Peter's Cathedral draws tourists from all faiths
who come to marvel at its opulence and beauty--a place that, as many would say, is fit to be the house of God.
In all of the Abrahamic religions--Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, one of the most holy sites in the world is Mt. Sinai. This is believed to be the place where Moses received the Ten Commandments directly from the word of God, setting into place the moral code by which millions of people all over the world now govern their lives. Tours to the Egyptian mountain are available, leaving as early as 1:00 AM so that visitors can arrive at the mountain by sunrise. Many monasteries have been erected over the years in the surrounding area by Christian monks who believed this to be the site of the revered biblical mountain.
According to Buddhist belief, Prince Siddhartha took rest under a bodhi tree during his travels through what is now known as the Bihar region of India thousands of years ago. After three days of continuous meditation under the tree, the prince attained enlightenment, and the answers that he found at the bodhi became the teachings of Buddhism. Today, a beautiful temple has been built around what is believed to be the descendant of the very tree where the Buddha found the answers. This spot in the Bodh Gaya area is one of the most revered locations in all of Buddhism.
The eternal question "Is there a god?" is answered in many different ways by many different people of many different faiths. Each of these travel destinations, as well as the many others all over the world, offers a different set of answers to the most difficult questions in life. Visitors may come to find enlightenment or comfort, but they all agree that these are some of the most revered places on the face of the Earth.
The Saudi Arabian city of Mecca, revered in Islamic belief as the birthplace of the prophet Muhammad is widely considered the holiest place in the world for Muslim believers and a place to which they must make a pilgrimage during their lifetimes. In many ways the center of the Islamic faith, where millions of Muslims make their pilgrimage and many decide to stay for life, Mecca has grown over the years into an extremely diverse city where Muslims from all walks of life come together in the name of faith.
Vatican City
For many Christians, and Catholics in particular, the Vatican City in Rome is one of the most significant places in the world. As the headquarters of Catholicism and the residing place of the Pope, the Vatican is full of both religious history and present day significance. The Vatican's centerpiece, St. Peter's Cathedral draws tourists from all faiths
who come to marvel at its opulence and beauty--a place that, as many would say, is fit to be the house of God.
Mt. Sinai
In all of the Abrahamic religions--Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, one of the most holy sites in the world is Mt. Sinai. This is believed to be the place where Moses received the Ten Commandments directly from the word of God, setting into place the moral code by which millions of people all over the world now govern their lives. Tours to the Egyptian mountain are available, leaving as early as 1:00 AM so that visitors can arrive at the mountain by sunrise. Many monasteries have been erected over the years in the surrounding area by Christian monks who believed this to be the site of the revered biblical mountain.
According to Buddhist belief, Prince Siddhartha took rest under a bodhi tree during his travels through what is now known as the Bihar region of India thousands of years ago. After three days of continuous meditation under the tree, the prince attained enlightenment, and the answers that he found at the bodhi became the teachings of Buddhism. Today, a beautiful temple has been built around what is believed to be the descendant of the very tree where the Buddha found the answers. This spot in the Bodh Gaya area is one of the most revered locations in all of Buddhism.
The eternal question "Is there a god?" is answered in many different ways by many different people of many different faiths. Each of these travel destinations, as well as the many others all over the world, offers a different set of answers to the most difficult questions in life. Visitors may come to find enlightenment or comfort, but they all agree that these are some of the most revered places on the face of the Earth.