At Mandala Tours we specialize in religious tourism: in addition to creating specific itineraries for Jewish travelers, we have proposals aimed at Christian travelers, whether pilgrimage trips or simply cultural circuits focused on this religion. Here are some of our star circuits in this regard, covering all the countries in which we work.
Israel and the Holy Land
To speak of Israel is to speak of the Holy Land for Christians, where the main events of this religion took place during the life of Jesus. JerusalemThe Via Dolorosa (on the way to Calvary), the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher (where Christ was crucified and buried), the Garden of Gethsemane, the Abbey of the Dormition of the Virgin… and a long etcetera make up a route that every Christian should take at least once in his life.
In addition, Bethlehem (the birthplace of Jesus) and the surroundings of the Sea of Galilee (where he performed some of his most important miracles) are other extremely interesting complements to a Christian trip to the Holy Land. And the vestiges of the medieval Crusades are also an interesting addition, as in Acre.
Jordan: Old Testament and baptism
The proximity of today’s Jordan to the Holy Land means that this country also has places that are truly sacred to Christianity. Many of them have to do with Old Testament stories, ‘shared’ with Judaism and Islam, such as Mount Nebo from where Moses sighted the Promised Land.
But undoubtedly the most important place is Bethany Beyond the Jordan, where Jesus was baptized by St. John the Baptist. Located on the day bank of the Jordan River, it has been a World Heritage Site since 2015 for its enormous symbolism. In addition, in this country there are also different castles from the Crusader period and, above all, magnificent Byzantine mosaics, such as the one in the church of St. George in Madaba, considered the first cartographic representation of the Holy Land.
Egypt, a key player in the first centuries of Christianity
Coptic Christianity played a pivotal role in the early centuries of Christianity, driven by accounts that place the Holy Family in present-day Cairo and elsewhere in the Nile Valley. Some churches in the Coptic Quarter evoke this.
In addition, Coptic anchorites such as St. Paul of Thebes were the pioneers of the Christian monastic movement. In fact, visiting monasteries such as St. Paul’s, Wadi Natrun or St. Catherine’ s is a mystical experience. And very close to the latter is a transcendental episode of the Old Testament: God’s giving of the Tablets of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai, which can be visited in an exciting pilgrimage-like ascent.
The House of the Virgin, Ephesus (Turkey)
Turkey, a country with a history as rich as it is ancient, also has places sacred to Christianity. Specifically, the Casa de la Virgen in Ephesus which, according to tradition and the visions of the German nun Anne Catherine Emmerick in the 19th century, was the place where St. John the Apostle took Mary after the Crucifixion of Jesus and before returning to Jerusalem for his Assumption into Heaven.
In addition, the long tradition of Constantinople (ancient Istanbul) as the capital of the Byzantine Empire (heir to the Roman Empire after assuming Christianity as the official religion) means that important traces of the earliest Christianity can also be traced in the city on the Bosphorus Strait, such as Hagia Sophia (later converted into a mosque). And we cannot forget Mount Ararat, whose ascent is only suitable for expert mountaineers and was the resting place of Noah’s Ark.
These are just some of the proposals that we have already implemented and that our customers enjoy every day. But if you have any other suggestions in these countries or if you wish to join several of them in a magnificent combined trip, do not hesitate to let us know and we will get to work with it to offer you an experience full of spirituality and culture.
