Though spiritual philosophies may differ, most share a common thread; the belief that some locations on Earth hold a spiritual power. The faithful make pilgrimages to these sacred places for healing, guidance, or divine inspiration, and their significance cannot be expressed in words or pictures. They must be visited in person to fully feel and comprehend the sense of awe, peace or majesty they convey.
There are varying degrees of accessibility to these locations; some are available almost immediately upon leaving your ship, while others may require additional travel from the itinerary's port city. (To see the cruise itineraries, click here: http://www.cruisecompete.com/sacred_places/).
Sacred places where the legends that transcend time were born that may visited by cruise ship are:
Asia/Far East: 1. Beijing, China, Hanging Monastery. A gravity-defying monastery built into the side of a sheer cliff. 2. Beppu, Japan, Beppu Onsen. Geothermal region with reputed medicinal powers. 3. Delhi, India, Taj Mahal. Shaj Jahan's magnificently beautiful tribute to his wife, who died in childbirth. 4. Delhi, India, Rishikesh. Center of yoga and Ayurvedic healing and site of the annual International Yoga Festival. 5. Hiroshima, Japan, Peace Memorial Park. World peace monument, dedicated to a young girl who died of radiation poisoning from the bombing of Hiroshima.10. Shimizu, Japan, Mt Fuji. This Mountain is sacred in Shintoism and Buddhism and every year more than 200,000 hike to the top.
11. Taipei, China/Taiwan, Wenwu Temple. This temple is sacred to Taoists and Confucianists and sits over the waters of Sun Moon Lake.20. Madrid, Spain, Mezquita. Hundreds of stone columns, "Europe's most magnificent Muslim monument."
21. Beaches of Normandy, France, Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. D-Day Memorial to fallen soldiers.22. Paris, France, Chartres Cathedral. Legendary home of the Sancta Camisa (part of Mary's shawl worn at Jesus' birth.). This cathedral also has 28,000 feet of staiNed Glass.
23. Paris, France, Mont-St.-Michael. Site of a two-mile pilgrimage across a tidal flat, done to draw strength from Archangel Michael.
24. Southampton, England, Stonehenge. Sacred stone site in England. Its true purpose remains unknown
Mediterranean:
26. Haifa, Nazareth / Galilee (Haifa), Israel, Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberius). The site where Jesus chose his apostles and performed miracles.
27. Istanbul, Turkey, Blue Mosque. A mosque built in 1609 with more than 20,000 tiles and 260 staiNed Glass windows. 28. Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Cave of the Nativity. Said to be Jesus' birthplace, this cave (the former barn and manger) hosts the Altar of the Nativity. 29. Jerusalem, Israel, Western Wall. One of Judaism's sacred sites, it was built in 515 B.C., and was intended as the final resting place of the Ark. 30. Jerusalem, Israel, Holy Sepulchre Church. This church is known as the place Jesus' body was prepared for burial. 31. Jerusalem, Israel, Yad Veshem. This site hosts a cluster of museums and monuments in remembrance of the Holocaust. 32. Livorno, Italy, Chapel of the Stigmata. Site where St Francis received his stigmata - Mount La Verna. 33. Luxor, Egypt, Valley of the Kings. Home to Tombs of Pharaohs of the New Kingdom (i.e., Tutankhamun). 34. Rhodes, Greece, the Cave of the Apocalypse. St John allegedly wrote the book of Revelation here. 35. Rome, Italy, Abbazia Di San Galgano. Tuscan medieval abbey from 1218 (Ruins), and site of a "Sword in the Stone" left by Galgano. 36. Rome, Italy, St. Peter's Basilica. Home of Michelangelo's Pieta. The Pope delivers the Angelus blessing every Sunday at St. Peter's square.Videos