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Top 10 Historic Pilgrimages
1. March for Jobs & Freedom, Washington, D.C.
2. Mormon Pioneer Trail, United States
3. Bodh Gaya, Gaya District, Bihar, India
4. Salt Satyagraha, India
5. St. Paul Trail, Turkey
6. Route of Saints, Krakow, Poland
7. Canterbury Cathedral, Kent, England
8. Eleanor Crosses, England
9. St. Patrick's Footsteps, Ireland
10. Moffat Mission, Northern Cape, South Africa
March for Jobs and Freedom, Washington, D.C.
Photos of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom show a sea of people flooding the National Mall and enjoying the festive mood. More than 250,000 joined the rally between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, some having traveled up from the Deep South. Their reward—Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech—is surely one of the most stirring orations ever delivered.
Planning: The National Mall and Memorial Park is open 24 hours a day. A ranger is on hand from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. to answer questions. www.africanamericans.com, www.crmvet.org
Mormon Pioneer Trail, United States
In 1864, more than 70,000 Mormons, driven by a wish to find somewhere they could follow their creed in peace, traveled west from Nauvoo, Illinois, to Salt Lake City, Utah. Using wagons and handcarts, they crossed 1,300 miles of rough terrain. The lucky ones reached Utah in 1847.
Planning: The trail passes through Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Utah, and Wyoming; Wyoming has some original trail segments that are still unspoiled. www.nps.gov/mopi
Bodh Gaya, Gaya District, Bihar, India
India's spiritual center of Buddhism is Bodh Gaya, whose bodhi (fig) tree, it is said, sheltered the meditating Buddha Guatama for seven weeks in his quest for enlightenment. Today the tree (a descendent of the original) and the nearby pyramid-shaped Mahabodhi Temple are among Buddhism's holiest sites.
Planning: Visit in October to April. Nearby Patna is also associated with Buddha, and its museum houses his ashes. www.buddhanet.net
Salt Satyagraha, India
In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi set out with 78 followers from Sabarmati Ashram to walk to the sea at Dandi, Gujarat, in nonviolent protest against the British sales tax. The 248-mile Salt Satyagraha march lasted from March 12 to April 5 and instigated widespread resistance to British rule of India.
Planning: The Sabarmati Ashram houses a museum of Gandhi's life. Both are open daily 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. www.saltmarch.org.in
St. Paul Trail, Turkey
This rugged 310-mile trail partly follows St. Paul's footsteps as he set out to preach Christianity. Leading from Perge or Aspendos, both near Antalya, to Antioch in Pisidia, near Yalvaç, the route forges through dramatic landscapes—from fragrant forests of pine to crystal clear lakes.
Planning: Red and white blazes mark the paths. www.stpaultrail.com
Route of Saints, Krakow, Poland
Nowhere else in Europe mingles religion and royalty more richly than Wawel Hill. The dreamy 14th-century cathedral has 18 chapels and an alluring cluster of tombs—one of Poland's patron, St. Stanislaus. The cathedral museum has a 500-year-old robe, Kmita's chasuble, embroidered with intricate scenes from his life. Away from the hill, follow Krakow's Route of Saints, linking its 16 beautiful churches.
Planning: Climb the cathedral's Sigismund Tower to see its famed bell, tolled only on special occasions and audible 50 miles away. www.cracow.org, www.wawel.krakow.pl/en
Canterbury Cathedral, Kent, England
A pilgrimage to Canterbury pays homage to a beloved saint, a glorious cathedral, a giant work of literature, and simple human history. Archbishop Thomas Becket's murder on the altar by four knights of Henry II in 1170 almost immediately secured his fame as a miracle worker. His shrine drew pilgrims seeking cures—or simply a roistering good time—as immortalized in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.
Planning: Take any route you like. Although Chaucer's pilgrims set out from the erstwhile Tabard Inn in London's Southwark, he did not disclose their route. The cathedral has tour guides. www.canterbury-cathedral.org
Eleanor Crosses, England
Devoted to Eleanor of Castile, his queen and mother of his 16 children, Edward I was distraught when she died of a sudden fever in 1290. He had her body carried from Lincoln to London, 108 miles south, for the funeral. He ordered a memorial cross to be built wherever the cortege rested. One even gave its name to London's official center, Charing Cross.
Planning: Of the 12 original crosses, just three remain—at Geddington, Hardingstone (Northamptonshire), and Waltham Cross (Hertfordshire). www.historic-uk.com/DestinationsUK/EleanorCrosses.htm
St. Patrick's Footsteps, Ireland
Retracing St. Patrick's steps in Ireland is serious spiritual—and physical—exercise. You can undertake an austere retreat on the island of Lough Derg or you can climb—barefoot is the painful custom—Croagh Patrick. But other sites associated with him require less effort to visit, such as the Northern Irish town of Downpatrick, site of his grave, near the ancient Down Cathedral, and a museum with an exhibition dedicated to the saint.
Planning: Start at Campbell's Pub in Murrisk, County Mayo. www.saintpatrickscountry.com, www.loughderg.org
Moffat Mission, Northern Cape, South Africa
Located on the Kohala Coast of the Aloha State's Big Island, Kauna'oa Bay is the quintessential Hawaiian spot. The .25-mile-long, crescent-shaped beach has plenty of white sand, palm trees, and calm, clear, blue water. In addition to swimming and sunbathing, beachgoers here can snorkel or ride boogie boards. (Be careful swimming, however, because there are no lifeguards on this public beach.) At night, nestle into the sands and peer out into the water to see if you can catch a glimpse of manta rays swimming. www.places.co.za