For those who hate crowds…or have already seen the “biggies” such as Rome, Lourdes, Fatima, etc. we thought we would list a few less-visited, and therefor less-crowded, destinations in Europe.
OK, we cheated a bit here…we asked Grok (the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot from Elon Musk’s company xAI) the question: “Alternative catholic travel destinations in Europe” …we wondered if Grok knew as much as we did!
We got some interesting answers from Grok. Most were familiar to us, a couple were not…and some Grok missed entirely….
I guess Grok is human after all! But then, so are we. We’ll give Grok a grade of A- and ourselves a B+ ( because we are the experts and should have not missed those two).
Here, according to Grok, are some outstanding “alternative” Catholic pilgrimage or travel destinations in Europe—”places that are deeply Catholic, historically rich, and spiritually powerful”.
Note: We have also added links to pages on our site for more details (we’re working on the two that we missed).
Austria
Mariazell: The most important Marian shrine in Central Europe, revered by Hungarians, Croats, Slovenes, and Austrians alike. The miraculous image of Our Lady of Mariazell (Magna Mater Austriae) has been venerated since 1157.
Croatia
Križevc: Cathedral of the Holy Trinity.
France
La Salette (French Alps): 1846 apparition of the weeping Virgin.
Lisieux & Normandy: Home of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus (the most visited saint’s shrine in France after Lourdes). Grok missed a couple of other places in Normandy.
Paray-le-Monial: Sacred Heart apparitions to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.
Pellevoisin: Apparitions of Our Lady of Mercy to Estelle Faguette (1876), approved apparition.
Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Cap-de-la-Madeleine: (Quebec is too far, so European equivalent: the Tro Breiz in Brittany, France)
The ancient Breton pilgrimage circuit visiting the tombs of the seven founding saints of Brittany. A week-long walking route that is being revived. Well, we missed this one! But we do have the one in Quebec.
Souvigny the Cluniac “Holy Trinity”
And, another one we missed…we will get to work on it. The burial place of SS. Mayeul and Odilo, two of the greatest abbots of Cluny. Sometimes called the “Cluny’s “third mausoleum” after Rome and Santiago.
Germany
Altötting: Germany’s most important Marian shrine (the “Lourdes of Germany”) and the nearby birthplace of Pope Benedict XVI. The octagonal Gnadenkapelle with its silver urns containing the hearts of Bavarian kings is unforgettable.
Kevelaer: The largest Marian pilgrimage site in northwestern Europe (2nd only to Altötting in Germany). 17th-century “Consolation of the Afflicted” image that attracts over 1 million pilgrims a year—yet almost unknown outside the German/Dutch/Belgian border region.
Wigratzbad: Major apparition site of Our Lady (1936–) and the place where the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) was born.
Hungary
Máriapócs (Hungary): Weeping icon of the Mother of God (Byzantine Catholic)
Sire: National shrine of Hungary, coronation church of Hungarian kings. There are some popular guitars being sold in Hungary under the name Sire, but we think Grok actually meant The Matthias Church (Church of Our Lady) in Budapest’s Castle District,
Italy
Assisi….Grok called it “the Umbrian Holy Valleys”
Here is what Grok had to say…..Beyond the main basilicas of St. Francis and St. Clare, visit the hidden hermitages: Eremo delle Carceri, La Verna (where Francis received the stigmata), and the tiny Sanctuario di Greccio (the first living nativity scene in 1223).
Monte Sant’Angelo (the oldest Western shrine to St. Michael the Archangel) Grok got this one right..it is one of the most visited pages on our site (not sure why,with over 1,000 pages, but it is extremely popular).
San Giovanni Rotondo (Shrine of Padre Pio)
Subiaco & the Sacro Speco St. Benedict’s cave, cradle of Western monasticism
Slovakia:
Šaštin-Stráže. National shrine of Slovakia – Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows, patroness of the country. A beautiful baroque basilica that almost no Western tourists visit.
Slovenia
Žirovci National shrine of Mary Help of Christians
Spain:
Avila (Alba de Tormes). The walled medieval city of St. Teresa of Ávila plus the Carmelite convents where both she and St. John of the Cross lived and died. Much quieter than Seville or Toledo, yet intensely mystical.
Switzerland:
Einsiedeln. The “Black Madonna” abbey that has been the spiritual heart of Switzerland for over 1,000 years. Benedictine monastery with perpetual adoration since the 10th century and the largest nativity scene museum in the world.
Sire (Hungary) – National shrine of Hungary, coronation church of Hungarian kings
Wigratzbad (Germany) – Major apparition site of Our Lady (1936–) and the only place where the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) was born
Santo Stefano Rotondo & the Hungarian Chapel in Rome – For Hungarian Catholics, the ancient church with the tomb of St. Stephen of Hungary
Žirovci (Slovenia) – National shrine of Mary Help of Christians
Križevci the Greek-Catholic Cathedral (Croatia – Center of the tiny but vibrant Croatian Greek-Catholic Church
Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré & Cap-de-la-Madeleine (Quebec is too far, so European equivalent: the Tro Breiz in Brittany, France)
The ancient Breton pilgrimage circuit visiting the tombs of the seven founding saints of Brittany. A week-long walking route that is being revived.
Santo Stefano Rotondo & the Hungarian Chapel in Rome – For Hungarian Catholics, the ancient church with the tomb of St. Stephen of
– St. Benedict’s cave, cradle of Western monasticism