Religious tourism to Lourdes, fly with Albastar!

There are many religious tourism destinations in Italy and in Europe, and millions of pilgrims travel far and wide to visit churches, sanctuaries and hermitages to witness the history of Christianity.

Not to mention those who set off along ancient paths rediscovered by trekking enthusiasts, such as the Via Francigena linking Canterbury to Rome in the Middle Ages or the Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James), the route that the pilgrims took to reach the sanctuary preserving the remains of the Apostle James the Greater.

Italy is one of the most popular destinations: the Bel Paese has a rich religious tradition and numerous sanctuaries that are the stops of spiritual journeys and attract significant numbers of tourists. These religious itineraries also include:

• Assisi, the beautiful town of San Francesco in Umbria
• San Giovanni Rotondo, famous worldwide because it houses the remains of Padre Pio, a Capuchin friar who lived for a long time in the city
• Rome and the Vatican City, home to the papacy from the 2nd century AD, is the undisputed centre of Christianity. Here, in fact, millions of pilgrims visit the splendid churches, basilicas and places of worship.

These are all destinations that, together with Lourdes, attract 300 million visitors a year, generating a turnover of around eighteen billion dollars, of which four billion is generated in Italy.
If this is the first time you are travelling with Albastar you may not be aware that we are the best company to fly to the beautiful French town located in the High Pyrenees.

We are the leading carrier of tourists travelling to pilgrimage destinations with crew members trained to care for and transport people with reduced mobility.

If you require information on our special assistance, we suggest you read the dedicated section on our website. Our goal is to offer the best possible flight experience to all passengers, in addition to meeting the specific needs of each passenger.

If you have already booked a flight to Lourdes you probably know that this town is inextricably linked to the figure of Bernadette Soubirous: she was the one that, in February 1858, in the cave of Massabielle, had a vision of a lady dressed in white who appeared poor and illiterate: this was the first of another eighteen apparitions!

These apparitions have become famous because, since they began, there have been around seventy miraculous cures of very serious diseases, which have been verified by a panel of doctors and academics, members of the Medical Bureau.

To conclude the story of this young devotee, it is important to remember that Bernadette, who died before she was 40, was beatified in 1925 by Pope Pius XI, who proclaimed her Saint Bernadette on 8 December 1933.

What are the religious itinerary stop offs do we suggest you take in Lourdes?

Among the sacred places that are unique in creating a deep religious atmosphere, the following are a must:

• the neo-Byzantine Basilica of Notre-Dame
• the Basilica of our Lady of the Immaculate Conception named after the mosaic of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
• the shrine of our Lady of Lourdes, which is the third in the world in terms of number of pilgrims visiting it per year
• the famous miraculous cave where the apparitions took place
• the underground Basilica of St. Pius X with an oval nave
• the Via Crucis with its fifteen Stations of the Cross that create a path of almost two kilometres.

However, Lourdes is not just a destination dedicated to religious tourism.

The whole region stretching around the grotto of Massabielle is interesting both from a cultural and naturalistic point of view. Here you can visit:

• the museum of the Pyrenees located inside the castle, dedicated to the arts and local traditions
• the seismic risk museum which even has an earthquake simulator.

Do want a rush of adrenaline? If you are a mountain bike enthusiast, you can go up with the Pic de Jer funicular, 1000 meters above sea level, and descend along the path used by the champions of this sport during the world championships.

Where do Albastar flights depart from for Lourdes?

Albastar always has more than one flight to choose from! You can purchase a charter flight departing from Milan Bergamo, from April to May and from September to October, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Do you prefer direct scheduled flights? Fly from Rome Fiumicino, between May and October, on Mondays and Thursdays
Please remember that all of our airline’s planes land at Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées airport, which is about 11 km from the French city.

Do you need more information? Our Call Center is ready to respond to all of your requests.

If you already know when you want to depart, book now: we will do our best to ensure you a pleasant and relaxing flight experience.