10 Faith-Based Tours to Feed the Soul

Faith-based travel is a niche that continues to grow by leaps and bounds, and tour operators are constantly updating their offerings.

Travelers are more frequently looking to make a spiritual connection when undertaking a journey and oftentimes, religion and faith-based experiences can give greater meaning to a trip.

When travelers think of faith-based travel, however, they often connect these trips to spiritual journeys to the Holy Land or an "Eat, Pray, Love" type adventure, but there is surprising diversity in destinations where religion, culture and history collide.

One of the most exciting faith-based experiences is the Oberammergau Passion Play, which takes place once a decade, with its next performances scheduled for 2020 in Oberammergau, Germany.

The best way to obtain tickets and experience the play is to visit with a tour operator. A number of operators, as well as river cruise companies, are offering Oberammergau already. Tickets frequently sell out, so if this is something on your bucket list, booking now is advised.

Central Holidays offers a 10-day trip to Israel that focuses on Jewish Heritage with stays in Tel Aviv, Galilee and Jerusalem, along with an overnight in a Kibbutz guesthouse.

Guests explore the Rosh Hanikra, stroll the alleyways of the Caro and Ari synagogues and visit the picturesque Artists' quarter in Safed. There is also a Jeep tour to the foot of the Golan, a visit to the four Sephardic Synagogues in Jerusalem and more.

Catholic heritage comes to life in Northern Italy and Rome with a nine-day tour from Globus. Guests visit Milan, Turin and Padua, as well as admire early Christian works of art from the Byzantine era in Ravenna. Travelers spend two days in Rome, including the Vatican, with a focus on the Papal legacies and places of worship with the opportunity to attend the Papal audience if possible.

Travel to Greece and Turkey with Collette on an 11-day journey that follows in the footsteps of Paul the Apostle, which includes a three-night cruise to the islands of Mykonos, Patmos and Santorini.

The itinerary retraces Paul's missionary journey and visits Ephesus, Turkey, the ruins of Delphi, the Acropolis in Athens, the Meteora Monasteries and more.

In 2020, travelers can spend Christmas in Bethlehem with Peregrine Adventures. The eight-day journey takes guests to Israel and the Palestinian Territories to explore the ancient sites of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Nazareth. Guests will also join pilgrims for the annual Christmas day procession to Bethlehem and partake in an atmospheric Midnight Mass at the site where Christians believe Jesus was born.

Join a spiritual pilgrimage that takes travelers to the birthplace of Pope John Paul II. Poland's resilience shows through as a city reborn after a tragic war.

Travelers with Trafalgar visit Niepokalonow, Czestochowa and Wadowice, Warsaw, the medieval Old Town of Krakow and Auschwitz on an eight-day journey.

Travel to Spain, Portugal, France and Italy with Insight Vacations for an 18-day pilgrimage that explores Lisbon, Santarem, Fatima, Oporto, Santiago de Compostela, Garababdal, Madrid, Toledo, Catalunya, Barcelona, Nice, Monaco, Pisa and Rome.

Visit Varanasi, Bodhgaya, Lumbini and more on a customizable itinerary from Zicasso. Guests follow in the footsteps of Siddhartha Gautama for a spiritual journey that explores Buddha's life as well as the landscapes and architecture that continue to inspire faith.

Travel through Ethiopia with Journeys Unlimited and explore the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. The itinerary includes Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Gondar, Lalibela, Axum and more. Guests visit the Sanctuary Chapel, which is the repository of the 'Ark of the Covenant, Queen of Sheba's palace ruins, Lalibela's beautiful rock-hewn churches, the 13th-century Monastery of Ura Kidane Mihret and Addis Ababa's Trinity Cathedral among others.

Journey from Zurich to Vienna with Cosmos on a seven-day itinerary that includes the majestic beauty of the Alps with pilgrimage sites in Switzerland, Germany and Austria.

Inspirational sites along the way include the Benedictine Abbey of Einsiedeln; the town of Oberammergau, home to the famous Passion Play, the 17th-century Salzburg Cathedral; the Benedictine Abbey in Melk; and Vienna's Cathedral of St. Stephen.