Spiritual retreat in Italy, 5 trends of a growing fascinating phenomenon

Traveling to rediscover yourself, traveling to cultivate your faith in a new and original way, or more simply traveling to disconnect from the frenzy of work and cities, finally giving yourself a break for wellness and inner peace. All these experiences are connotations, different yet profoundly similar, of an interesting new branch of the world of travel and tourism of which Italy is the main protagonist: it’s spiritual retreat.

In recent years this tourist phenomenon has been constantly rising, an effect of the growing attention of some kinds of travelers from all over the world towards new intense, strictly personal (and personalized) travel experiences, seeking places of the heart and destinations capable of inspiring and exciting. An opportunity that puts the most spiritual side of travel back to the core, redesigning the patterns of Italian tourism from north to south.

Let’s check out in this article the 5 fundamental trends that characterize the dynamics of the spiritual retreat in Italy and explore new, interesting possibilities to join authentic travel experiences between prayer and meditation.

Before analyzing the main tourism trends that distinguish the new and particular meaning given to holidays by travelers of soul, as well as discovering some ideal destinations to experience this real journey within journey, it is necessary to check out some interesting data to frame the phenomenon of the spiritual retreat in Italy at the moment.

First of all, an identikit of the spiritual traveler. According to Isnart, the curiosity and desire to undertake a trip of faith, self-reflection, introspection and spiritual well-being is a phenomenon that embraces tourists of all age ranges, in particular adults of Generation X and Millennials (60% of the total) from all over the world (especially Europe, USA and South America). It’s interesting to note that around 65% of foreign travelers fall within the so-called return tourism, a recent tourism form developed by the wish of descendants of Italian emigrants to return and visit and experience the places dear to their family.

Another peculiar factor concerns the travel preferences of spiritual travelers, where 50% decide to enjoy this intense experience as a couple, or in the company of a parent or sibling, while about 9% prefer to face their introspective journey alone, in a perfect search for intimacy with themselves.

The Italian Religious Hospitality Association emphasizes that 89% of tourists interested in spiritual retreats in Italy choose destinations related to the christian religious faith (in all its varieties), considering the immense and prestigious Italian artistic and cultural heritage made of churches, monasteries and sanctuaries spread throughout the territory, even in the smallest villages. An increasing phenomenon that between 2023 and 2024 grew by 46% in terms of requests and by 20% in terms of online searches, certainly a positive trend destined to grow more in 2025 on the occasion of Jubilee; a great growth opportunity also for the hospitality world, according to the Ministry of Tourism, which estimates 35 million international arrivals, 105 million travelers and 17 billion euros of tourism spending.

But Italy is a perfect destination for spiritual retreats for people following unconventional religious faiths and beliefs, too. In fact, CESNUR - Centro Studi Nuove Religioni estimates that today in Italy there are more than 1 million yoga practitioners, about 340K buddhists and several thousand people interested in alternative forms of worship based on the mysticism of nature and Eastern philosophies, a very interesting niche of travelers potentially interested in discovering new places where to isolate, rediscover themselves and practice meditation.

Whether it’s a spiritual path based on faith following the example and tradition of monastic life that has its roots precisely in Italy, an ascetic journey to discover one's deepest Self, or simply a solution to respond to the physiological need to rebalance the harmony between mind and body, joining a spiritual retreat in Italy is the ultimate experience for an authentic and personal trip.

The first trend of spiritual retreats in Italy to consider refers to the escape from cities, increasingly less hospitable and quiet for people seeking a restorative trips, towards charming and picturesque villages, a true Italian heritage - Bel Paese boasts over 5000 villages, that is 70% of the municipalities, including more than 1500 so small and little inhabited that they risk disappearing in a few years - which offers travelers a slow lifestyle, on a human scale, often in close touch with nature and with places of faith and mysticism.

An exceptional destination for a spiritual retreat to discover extraordinary villages is indeed North Sardinia, a land rich in magical places that have always been in perfect and balanced dualism between delicate opposites that keep attract each other: seaside and mountains, past and present, cities and villages, but also and above all smart set and spiritualism.

All this (and much more) is an integral part of the events of Salude & Trigu, an ambitious project made by the Chamber of Commerce of Sassari to promote the region, nationally and internationally, as a destination of excellence to enjoy ever more authentic, fulfilling and enriching travel experiences, with particular emphasis on supporting the many small inland villages that enliven the island, and that make it a place of incredible charm for a journey of faith and introspection.

Would you like to experience an exciting spiritual journey in Sardinia, but you still don't have clear ideas of which destination to choose for your retreat? Check out the fascinating history of the Monastery of San Pietro di Sorres!

Mountainside has always represented, in many different cultures, a place of detachment from the materiality and the fast pace of the world of big cities, as well as isolation from all that’s unnecessary in human nature, representing a perfect symbol of ascent and touch with divine. What better destination for a spiritual retreat in Italy than the majestic and wonderful Alps?

Regions such as Trentino Alto Adige and Valle d'Aosta are the best destinations for those looking for a spiritual holiday in the heights, with a wide choice of different solutions to satisfy the tastes and needs of every traveler. For example, you can choose to spend a few days of well-being and tranquility discovering fairy-tale hamlets such as Klausen or Étroubles, or to stay in tourist relais that make the care of body and spirit a true mission, offering spaces and services suitable for practicing yoga and meditation and itineraries to explore on foot the pure natural setting that surrounds these locations.

An interesting alternative for solo travelers more inclined to enjoy an experience of spiritual research and inner peace in the most authentic way, following the example of hermits, is the possibility of renting a small cabin or shelter in the heart of the mountains: an evocative opportunity to reflect, pray and free your mind immersed in the greenery.

For a journey of faith and meditation, however, it’s not always necessary to isolate yourself in remote valleys within the mountains. Sometimes, it’s enough to slow down your pace and allow yourself a little escape of introspection and relaxation, perhaps lulled by the melody of the sea waves in the background and the poetic suggestions of the lush mediterranean countryside.

A unique and exciting travel experience, a journey of harmonies between sea, land and sky, which you can experience in the heart of Apulia, more precisely in the lands of Valle d’Itria and Alto Salento, in a picturesque landscape made of farmhouses, rustic houses, small country churches and hermitages and, of course, the beautiful and iconic trulli.

Soul travelers looking for a spiritual retreat near the seaside can consider the idea of spending a few days of vacation in one of these small and symbolic houses in the Apulian landscape, experiencing firsthand the essence of rural life, taking slow and meditative walks among olive groves and visiting villages rich in history and culture, among natural wonders and beauties shaped by the work of man.

Regardless the type of destination chosen for the spiritual retreat, whether it’s small towns, villages, mountains or sea, a further and fundamental distinction concerns the type of “action” that characterizes the nature of your journey of introspection and well-being. One of the most interesting trends is the so-called retreat at rest, a travel formula proposed by relais and wellness retreat facilities to offer travelers a complete and immersive experience of full comfort, purification and rebirth, both for body and mind.

One of the most virtuous Italian regions for this peculiar category of travel is Umbria, in particular destinations of great symbolic and spiritual impact such as Assisi, a land gently hanging between the hills and woods of the Apennines, with a vast historical, artistic and cultural heritage related to the world of faith and spirituality, for centuries attentive to the needs of pilgrims and travelers in constant search of ideal places where to stop and recover, in body and soul.

These spiritual retreat formulas usually include the combination of the discovery of places rich in charm and aura, often immersed in greenery, with the practice of prayer, yoga, or several other meditation techniques of oriental origin, such as reiki and chakra alignment, sometimes with the addition of gastronomic experiences or wellness treatments specifically designed to promote psychophysical purification. A real energy recharge!

On the other hand, finally, it’s impossible not to mention another one, fascinating trend of spiritual retreats in Italy, conceptually the opposite to the kind of experience offered by relais but embodying the same profound aspects about the travel as an opportunity to rediscover oneself and one's faith, to seek one's well-being and psychophysical balance: we’re talking about the retreat in motion, which finds its best expression in the phenomenon of spiritual walks.

From north to south, every region of Italy boasts many hiking trails to be undertaken strictly on foot, with a backpack on your shoulders and a lot of force of will. It’s a type of travel that embraces the simplicity of moving only with one's own legs, to discover places of faith and mysticism, wonders in nature, breathtaking views, stories and cultures solemnly guarded by the villages that dot the whole Italian territory.

After all, walking and moving completely freely is perhaps the best you could wish for from a spiritual retreat: a totally immersive experience with a high physical and spiritual impact, step by step, where to experience your faith - whatever it is - in a profound and renewed way, finding new places for your heart and soul.