Italy stands at the heart of Catholic pilgrimage. As home to Vatican City and the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul, it has drawn pilgrims for nearly two thousand years. Beyond Rome, the Italian peninsula holds an extraordinary concentration of sacred sites—from alpine sanctuaries in the north to ancient Greek-Christian heritage in Sicily.
The country's pilgrimage landscape includes major Marian shrines, the birthplaces and burial sites of beloved saints, Eucharistic miracle locations, and some of Christianity's oldest monasteries. Whether following the footsteps of St. Francis in Umbria, St. Padre Pio in Puglia, or the early martyrs in Rome, pilgrims find Italy's Catholic heritage unmatched in depth and diversity.
Rome remains the ultimate Catholic pilgrimage destination. The Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica, the four major basilicas, and the catacombs draw millions annually. Pilgrims can venerate relics, visit papal audiences, and walk where martyrs died for the faith. The Church of the Gesù holds the tomb of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, while Chiesa Nuova contains the body of St. Philip Neri, the beloved "Apostle of Rome."
Assisi preserves the legacy of St. Francis and St. Clare. The Basilica of St. Francis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, contains Giotto's famous frescoes depicting the saint's life. The town has gained new significance as the resting place of St. Carlo Acutis, the teenage "cyber apostle" canonized in 2025, whose incorrupt body lies in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, drawing young pilgrims from around the world. Nearby Santa Maria degli Angeli shelters the tiny Porziuncola chapel where Francis founded his order.
Loreto houses the Holy House of Nazareth—tradition holds this is where the Annunciation occurred, miraculously transported from the Holy Land. The shrine ranks among Italy's most visited Marian sites.
Cascia draws devotees of St. Rita, patroness of impossible causes. Her incorrupt body rests in the basilica, and pilgrims come seeking intercession for desperate situations.
La Verna marks where St. Francis received the stigmata in 1224. This remote Franciscan sanctuary in the Tuscan hills offers profound silence and natural beauty.
San Giovanni Rotondo has become one of Italy's busiest pilgrimage sites since St. Padre Pio's canonization. The Capuchin friar who bore the stigmata for fifty years is buried in the modern church designed by Renzo Piano. Nearby Pietrelcina, his birthplace, preserves his childhood home.
Monte Sant'Angelo in the Gargano peninsula hosts the oldest shrine to St. Michael the Archangel in Western Europe. The grotto where Michael appeared in 490 AD became a model for Mont Saint-Michel and other Michaeline shrines.
Lanciano contains the world's most studied Eucharistic miracle. Scientific analysis of the 8th-century host-turned-flesh confirms it as human cardiac tissue—evidence that draws both pilgrims and the curious.
Naples holds extraordinary treasures: the blood of St. Januarius that liquefies three times yearly, the body of St. Giuseppe Moscati (the "holy physician"), and numerous early Christian catacombs.
Pompeii surprises many as a pilgrimage site. Beyond the ancient ruins, the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompei, founded by Blessed Bartolo Longo, is among Italy's most popular Marian destinations.
Bari guards the relics of St. Nicholas, brought from Myra in 1087. The Basilica di San Nicola draws both Catholic and Orthodox pilgrims to venerate the beloved saint.
Mugnano del Cardinale houses the Sanctuary of St. Philomena, the young virgin martyr whose relics were discovered in the Roman catacombs in 1802. St. John Vianney attributed his miraculous healings to her intercession, making her shrine a place of powerful devotion.
Amalfi Cathedral holds the relics of St. Andrew the Apostle, brought from Constantinople in 1208.
Padua centers on the Basilica of St. Anthony, one of the world's most visited Catholic shrines. The Franciscan preacher's tomb draws pilgrims seeking his intercession, particularly for lost items and desperate causes.
Milan contains significant treasures in the Duomo, Sant'Ambrogio (tomb of the great Church Father), and the Biblioteca Ambrosiana. The city shaped Western Christianity through St. Ambrose's influence.
Turin preserves the Holy Shroud, displayed rarely but venerated as Christ's burial cloth. The city also holds relics of St. John Bosco and houses the Salesian headquarters. Turin Cathedral contains the tomb of St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, the young mountaineer and social activist canonized in 2025, whose joyful faith inspires a new generation of Catholics.
Venice guards the relics of St. Mark the Evangelist in its iconic basilica. St. Lucy's body rests in the Church of San Geremia.
Oropa in Piedmont ranks among Italy's most important Marian sanctuaries. The "Black Madonna" statue, tradition says, was carved by St. Luke and brought here by St. Eusebius in the 4th century.
Varallo Sesia hosts the first and finest of the Sacri Monti—"Sacred Mountains" with chapel complexes depicting scenes from Christ's life. Nine Sacri Monti in Piedmont and Lombardy hold UNESCO World Heritage status.
Palermo contains the Cathedral with royal Norman tombs, the Capuchin catacombs, and the shrine of St. Rosalia, the city's patron.
Syracuse holds the oldest Christian community outside the Holy Land. The Basilica of Santa Lucia guards the body of the virgin martyr, and the Shrine of the Madonna delle Lacrime commemorates a weeping statue in 1953.
Tindari overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea from its clifftop sanctuary. The Black Madonna here draws pilgrims to one of Sicily's most dramatically situated shrines.
Italy preserves more documented Eucharistic miracles than any other country:
Italy has produced more canonized saints than any nation. Key figures with major shrines include:
Founders and Doctors:
Modern Saints:
Founders and Religious:
Early Martyrs:
Via Francigena - The medieval Canterbury-to-Rome route enters Italy at the Great St. Bernard Pass and traverses Tuscany and Lazio. Pilgrims today can walk the Italian section in approximately 40 stages.
St. Francis Way - Multiple routes connect Franciscan sites: Florence to Assisi, Assisi to Rome, and La Verna to Assisi.
St. Benedict's Path - Connects Norcia (birthplace) to Subiaco (first monastery) to Montecassino (greatest foundation).