The Most Beautiful Cathedrals in Europe You...

One of the great joys of travelling in Europe is the continent’s endless supply of audacious religious structures, often found dominating skylines and standing tall amid pretty little piazzas. From Italy to Spain and even Turkey, these are the best European cathedrals you can visit with Culture Trip.

View All Trips

View of Duomo Cathedral at sunrise from the piazza, Milan, Italy

Duomo di Milano, Milan

If there’s one country you can rely on when it comes to cathedrals, it’s Italy. The nation’s rich history in both catholicism and architectural flair are inseparable, with some of history’s greatest artists drafted in to design facades or paint high ceilings. Our nine-day Classic Northern Italy Rail Trip is like an unofficial tour of the country’s greatest hits, heading from Rome to Florence to Bologna and, finally, Milan. In the capital you’ll be able to spot the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Basilica, as well as Rome’s three other major basilicas. Florence, meanwhile, is home to the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower, with its gorgeous red-tiled dome and intricately designed Renaissance facade. Our Tuscan detour will take you to Siena, home of the underrated Duomo di Siena, but all roads in this case lead to Milan’s il Duomo. Stood dominantly in a classic Italian piazza, Milan’s cathedral is one of the largest on the planet, having taken nearly six centuries to complete. Its seemingly uncountable pinnacles, spires and statues are something to behold. It’s big, bold and utterly beautiful – the perfect symbol for Milan as a city.

From US$

Next available from 1st Jan 1970

Secure your spot with a low deposit

Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Rome, Lazio

ENDS AT

Milan, Lombardia

DURATION

9

GROUP SIZE

14

PHYSICAL RATING

Light

STYLE

Discovery

View Trip

Hagia Sophia, Istanbul

The colossal Hagia Sophia, stood across Sultanahmet Square from the similarly stunning Blue Mosque, has been a mosque itself since the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople back in 1453 (having also had a brief stint as a museum between 1935-2020). However, it was originally designed and constructed as a Greek Orthodox church almost 1,500 years ago, before becoming a Roman Catholic cathedral in the 13th century. Basically, few structures on Earth have seen as much history as this one, and to this day the Hagia Sophia’s beauty attracts millions of visitors a year. You’ll get a guided tour of the Byzantine masterpiece on our five-day tour of Istanbul, which also includes visits to the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar. You can also check out the Sophia on our 12-day Majestic Turkey trip, which starts in the continent-crossing mega city before embarking on an epic tour of Turkey.

From US$481

Next available from 8th Nov 2023

Secure your spot with a low deposit

Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Istanbul, Turkey

ENDS AT

Istanbul, Turkey

DURATION

5

GROUP SIZE

17

PHYSICAL RATING

Easy

STYLE

Culture

View Trip

A person standing in a large room with columns in the Mezquita Mosque-Cathedral in Cordoba, Spain

Mezquita Mosque-Cathedral, Cordoba

Let’s continue our exploration of cross-cultural religious buildings with one of the coolest examples on the planet. The city of Cordoba in Andalusia is the finest example of Spain’s Islamic past. To this day the city’s architecture showcases the region’s rich history, Cordoba being a city that once housed major Christian, Muslim and Jewish populations at the same time. The city’s crowning glory, the Mezquita, was originally a mosque and later converted into the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption. To this day it’s still widely referred to as the Mosque-Cathedral and it’s easy to understand why when you’re exploring the complex for yourself. There is still a fascinating blend of Moorish and Roman-Catholic styles at play here, making it one of the most unique structures in the world. You’ll get a guided tour of Cordoba and the Mezquita on our continent-crossing Madrid to Marrakech Rail Trip, which also stops off in Seville, home to one of the largest and most beautiful cathedral in the world.

From US$2635

Next available from 5th Nov 2023

Secure your spot with a low deposit

Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Madrid, Spain

ENDS AT

Marrakech, Morocco

DURATION

12

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Light

STYLE

Discovery

View Trip

St Vitus Cathedral, Prague

You’ll be able to visit a variety of Central European cathedrals on our Berlin to Budapest Rail Trip, which calls at Prague, Vienna and Bratislava in between the German and Hungarian capitals. All five cities are home to impressive Catholic churches and, while we do love St. Stephen’s in Vienna and St. Stephen’s in Budapest (confusing, we know), it’s hard to look past St Vitus in Prague as the pick of the bunch. This striking gothic masterpiece is rather impressively (and conveniently) located entirely within the walls of Prague Castle, so you can kill two architectural gems with one stone. An entry ticket to both is included in our Berlin to Budapest trip, as are guided tours of all cities mentioned above.

From US$2473

Next available from 13th Apr 2024

Secure your spot with a low deposit

Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Berlin, Germany

ENDS AT

Budapest, Hungary

DURATION

10

GROUP SIZE

18

PHYSICAL RATING

Light

STYLE

Discovery

View Trip

Saint Patricks Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland, founded in 1191, is the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland

St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin

This majestic structure has stood tall in Dublin since 1191, when it was first raised as a Roman-Catholic cathedral, on the grounds of a holy well said to have been used by St Patrick to baptise Christian converts. The weight of that sacred site, not to mention the sheer age of the place, is as powerful today as it ever was. The building has been remarkably well preserved, from its imposing pillars and dazzling ceiling curvature, to the huge organ and even huger church bells that keep St Patrick’s singing every Sunday. Our seven-day tour of Ireland starts in Dublin and includes entry to the cathedral, as well as St Audoen’s, Ireland’s oldest medieval church.

From US$

Next available from 1st Jan 1970

Secure your spot with a low deposit

Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Dublin, Ireland

ENDS AT

Dublin, Ireland

DURATION

7

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Light

STYLE

Discovery

View Trip

Exterior shot Hallgrimskirkja church in Reykjavik, Iceland

Hallgrimskirkja, Reykjavik

Admittedly, this is the one structure on this list with no claim to being a cathedral. Iceland doesn’t have much Catholic history – although it does have a relatively small Catholic church – but we just couldn’t leave Hallgrimskirkja out of the conversation. This Lutheran parish church in Reykjavik was built between 1945 and 1986 and feels super modern. Its curved spires and side wings make it one of the most strikingly unique religious buildings in Europe, with the design in classic Icelandic fashion said to be inspired by the country’s many mountains, glaciers and trap rocks. While our Volcanic Iceland trip is mostly centred around tackling the island’s spectacular waterfalls, glaciers and black sand beaches, we do take time out on day two to go on a guided tour of the capital, which inevitably includes Hallgrimskirkja. There’ll be plenty of time for snowmobiles and natural hot springs later, don’t worry, but no trip to Iceland is complete without first seeing this remarkable church in the flesh.

From US$2369

Next available from 21st Oct 2023

Secure your spot with a low deposit

Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Reykjavik, Iceland

ENDS AT

Reykjavik, Iceland

DURATION

5

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate

STYLE

Discovery

View Trip

Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip

meet our Local Insider

Hanna

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?

2 years.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?

It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.

WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?

I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!

Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.

map of volcanic iceland trip destination points

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.