European Churches Worth Visiting

I’m not religious, but somehow I always seem to find myself walking into churches when I travel.

Across Europe, I’ve visited more churches, cathedrals and basilicas than I could possibly count. Some I’ve sought out deliberately, while others I’ve stumbled across while exploring a new city.

For me, it’s the history, architecture, art and incredible attention to detail that makes them worth visiting.

I couldn’t begin to name the best churches in Europe, but there are some that have stayed with me long after I walked back out the door.

These are the European churches that have impressed me the most – and that I think are worth adding to your itinerary.

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Sagrada Familia – Barcelona, Spain

If there is one church in Europe that really does live up to the hype, for me it’s the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.

I’ve visited twice, both times in 2024. On my first visit I took a guided tour that included tower access, while the second time I bought a general admission ticket and explored at my own pace.

Designed by Antoni Gaudí, construction began in 1882 and continues today. It’s unlike any other church I’ve visited in Europe.

The exterior is incredibly detailed, but it’s the interior that really impressed me. Huge columns branch overhead like trees, while stained-glass windows flood the space with reds, oranges, blues and greens.

The exterior of the Tower of Jesus Christ was completed in February 2026, bringing the basilica to its final height of 172.5 metres, but work continues on other parts of the building, including the Glory façade.

If you have the time and budget, I enjoyed the guided tour with tower access because it gave me more context about what I was seeing. But general admission is also worthwhile if you prefer to explore independently.

Whichever you choose, book ahead. Tickets can sell out, particularly at busy times of year.

St Peter’s Basilica – Vatican City

St Peter’s Basilica is enormous – but it wasn’t simply the size that made this one memorable for me.

I visited during my first trip to Rome and was struck by just how elaborate everything is.

There’s marble, sculpture and decoration everywhere you look, with Michelangelo’s Pietà and Bernini’s huge bronze baldachin among the highlights.

I also climbed to the top of the dome. The views over St Peter’s Square and across Rome are fantastic, but getting there takes some effort.

You can take a lift for the first section, but there are still 320 steps to the top. The staircase becomes increasingly narrow and steep, and at times the walls seem to curve in around you.

Keep that in mind if you’re uncomfortable in confined spaces.

St Peter’s Basilica is separate from the Vatican Museums and entry to the basilica itself is free, although you still need to pass through security. Visiting the dome costs extra.

If you’re comfortable with the stairs, I think the dome is well worth adding to your visit.

Matthias Church – Budapest, Hungary

I discovered Matthias Church while doing a walking tour around Budapest’s Castle District. Its colourful tiled roof stands out from the outside, but it was the interior that really caught my attention.

Instead of the stone, marble and gold that dominate many European churches, Matthias Church is filled with colour and intricate patterns covering the walls, columns and arches.

The church dates back almost 800 years and has played an important role in Hungarian history.

Most famously, Franz Joseph I and Elisabeth – better known as Sisi – were crowned King and Queen of Hungary here in 1867.

You can explore the church and its small museum, or buy a separate ticket to climb the tower. There are 197 steps and no lift, with a panoramic terrace at the top.

It’s right beside Fisherman’s Bastion, so it’s easy to include while exploring the Castle District – but don’t just admire that beautiful roof. Go inside.

York Minster – York, UK

York Minster was one of those churches I wanted to visit long before I actually got there.

My interest in York started years ago after reading historical fiction set during the Wars of the Roses, so seeing the Minster was high on my list.

And it didn’t disappoint.

The enormous Gothic cathedral has soaring vaulted ceilings, intricate stonework and an extraordinary collection of medieval stained glass.

The Great East Window, completed in the early 1400s, is the largest single expanse of medieval stained glass in Britain.

One of the best things we did was join a stained-glass tour. I hadn’t expected it to be quite so interesting, but our guide pointed out details and stories I would never have noticed on my own.

One that stuck with me was the Five Sisters Window, dating from around 1250. Its five tall panels use mostly grey and clear glass, and during our tour we learnt just how fragile some of this centuries-old glass has become.

Stained-glass tours are still offered on selected days and are included with general admission. You can also climb 275 steps to the top of the Central Tower for views across York.

Give yourself plenty of time here. There’s much more to York Minster than simply walking in, looking around and leaving.

Notre Dame – Paris, France

Notre Dame was the first major European cathedral I ever visited, so perhaps that’s why it made such an impression on me.

I visited in 2018, less than a year before the devastating fire in April 2019.

I was completely blown away by everything from the enormous rose windows and Gothic architecture to simply being inside a building with so much history.

Construction began in the 12th century and continued for almost 200 years.

After the 2019 fire, Notre Dame closed for five years while an enormous restoration project took place, finally reopening in December 2024.

I haven’t been back since, but it’s high on my list for my next visit to Paris. I’m particularly interested to see the restored interior now that the stonework has been cleaned.

Entry is free, and while you don’t need a ticket, you can reserve a free timed entry through the official Notre Dame website.

Even if you visited before the fire, I think the restoration gives us a very good reason to go back.

Temppeliaukio Church – Helsinki, Finland

Sometimes you find memorable places completely by accident, and that was certainly the case with Temppeliaukio Church.

It was freezing when we were exploring Helsinki and I spotted a church marked on the map nearby. Ducking inside seemed like a good opportunity to warm up – but I wasn’t expecting what we found.

Often called the Rock Church, Temppeliaukio was completed in 1969 and is built directly into solid rock. I expected the interior to be dark and cave-like.

Instead, it opens into a surprisingly bright space.

Rough rock walls surround a huge copper-lined dome, while a band of windows around the roof lets in plenty of natural light. It’s also known for its acoustics and regularly hosts concerts.

There is an admission fee outside worship services, but this is one church I’d happily pay to see.

It is completely different from the grand Gothic cathedrals and highly decorated churches elsewhere on this list.

And in the middle of a Helsinki winter, it’s also a very good place to warm up!

Blue Mosque – Istanbul, Türkiye

Yes, I know – the Blue Mosque isn’t a church. But it sits on the European side of Istanbul, and it was one of the first mosques I ever went inside, so I’m making an exception and including it here.

I’ve visited twice, and even after visiting many more mosques since, I still think it deserves a place on this list.

Officially called the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, it was built between 1609 and 1616. Its huge central dome, smaller surrounding domes and six slender minarets make it one of Istanbul’s most recognisable landmarks.

Inside, more than 20,000 traditional İznik tiles decorate the mosque, many featuring the blue patterns that helped give it its nickname.

The Blue Mosque is still an active mosque. Tourists are welcome, but access is restricted during prayer times and you need to dress appropriately. Women need to cover their hair and everyone removes their shoes before entering the prayer area.

Entry is free, so don’t skip going inside when you’re exploring Sultanahmet. Hagia Sophia is directly across the square, making it easy to visit both.

St John’s Co-Cathedral – Valetta, Malta

St John’s Co-Cathedral is probably the biggest surprise on this list.

I almost didn’t go inside. There’s an entrance fee and, to be honest, the relatively plain exterior wasn’t convincing me that I needed to pay to see another European church.

Thankfully, a few people told me not to miss it. We finally visited towards the end of our time in Malta – and they were absolutely right.

The contrast when you walk through the doors is incredible. Almost every surface seems to be decorated, with elaborate gold detailing, a spectacular painted ceiling and an extraordinary marble floor made up of ornate tombstones.

One of the cathedral’s greatest treasures is Caravaggio’s The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist. It still hangs in the Oratory, where it has been since 1608, and is the largest painting Caravaggio ever produced – and the only known work that he signed.

When I visited in March 2024, construction was underway on a major new museum development. Since then, the visitor experience around the Caravaggio works has been expanded, while work on the wider museum project has continued.

The included audio guide is excellent and gave us much more context about what we were seeing.

We also paid extra to take the Belfry and Clock Tower Tour. It involves 99 steps up a narrow spiral staircase and takes you to the belfry, historic clock and balcony, with views across Valletta.

If you’re wondering whether St John’s Co-Cathedral is worth the entrance fee, my answer is an easy yes.

Don’t judge this one from the outside.

Wieskirche – Bavaria, Germany

Wieskirche was another church that completely took me by surprise.

We were driving through Bavaria, between Füssen and Munich, and had already stopped at several beautiful churches. But when we walked into Wieskirche, we just stood there looking around in amazement.

From the outside, it looks like a relatively simple white country church surrounded by green fields. Nothing prepares you for the ornate interior.

The church was built in the 1700s after tears were reportedly seen on a wooden figure of the Scourged Saviour in 1738. Word of the apparent miracle spread and increasing numbers of pilgrims eventually led to the construction of the church you see today.

Inside, it’s an explosion of Bavarian Rococo, with elaborate stucco, soft colours, gold detailing and extraordinary ceiling frescoes.

Wieskirche has been UNESCO World Heritage listed since 1983 and remains an active pilgrimage church.

What I remember most is how quiet it was when we visited. There were hardly any other people there, which seemed incredible for somewhere this beautiful.

It’s a little out of the way, but if you’re driving through this part of Bavaria, it’s absolutely worth the detour.

St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral – Sofia, Bulgaria

St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral makes this list largely because of its exterior. With its enormous domes and gold-covered central dome, it’s hard to miss when exploring central Sofia.

We visited in 2017, and I remember being surprised that the interior didn’t impress me nearly as much as the outside. It felt quite dark and a little tired at the time, particularly compared with some of the ornate Orthodox churches I’ve visited elsewhere in Europe.

The cathedral was built in the early 1900s as a memorial to those who died during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78 and remains an active Bulgarian Orthodox cathedral today.

There is also a separate Museum of Christian Art in the crypt, containing an extensive collection of Bulgarian Orthodox icons and other religious artworks.

For me, though, the real reason to seek out St Alexander Nevsky is that extraordinary exterior. Walk around the building to see it from different angles – especially if the sun is catching that enormous golden dome.

Hallgrímskirkja – Reykjavík, Iceland

When I first wrote this post, Hallgrímskirkja was on my list of churches I hoped to visit. After visiting Reykjavík in 2025, I can finally move it onto the main list.

It’s certainly one of the most distinctive churches I’ve seen in Europe. Its 74.5-metre tower can be seen from all over Reykjavík and has become one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks.

The unusual design was inspired by Icelandic nature, particularly the basalt columns formed by cooling lava. Construction began in 1945 and the church was finally completed in 1986.

After such a dramatic exterior, the interior is surprisingly simple, with pale walls, soaring columns and relatively little decoration. The enormous pipe organ at the back, with more than 5,000 pipes, is hard to miss.

We visited just before closing, so unfortunately we were too late to go up the tower. You can take a lift most of the way up for panoramic views across Reykjavík, but there is a separate fee.

For me, Hallgrímskirkja earns its place here without the tower views. It looks completely different from almost every other church I’ve visited in Europe, and that distinctive architecture is what makes it so memorable.

More European Churches Worth Visiting

Narrowing this down is almost impossible. I’ve walked into so many churches across Europe that there are plenty more I could have included.

A few others that have stuck with me are:

• Westminster Abbey – London, England: One of the most historically significant churches I’ve visited, particularly because of its connections with British kings and queens.
• Arctic Cathedral – Tromsø, Norway: A modern church with a distinctive design and spectacular setting in northern Norway.
• Timișoara Orthodox Cathedral – Timișoara, Romania: Its colourful patterned roof and tall towers make it one of the city’s most recognisable buildings.
• Bayeux Cathedral – Bayeux, France: An enormous Gothic cathedral that seems almost too grand for a relatively small town.
• Pantheon – Rome, Italy: It began life as a Roman temple but today is a Catholic basilica. Its extraordinary ancient dome makes it unlike anywhere else I’ve visited.
• St Peter’s Church – Munich, Germany: Worth visiting for the unusual relic of St Munditia – a skeleton lavishly decorated with jewels.
• Frauenkirche – Munich, Germany: Look for the famous Devil’s Footprint in the entrance and the legend that goes with it.
• St Mark’s Basilica – Venice, Italy: One of Europe’s most recognisable churches, with an ornate interior filled with golden mosaics.
• Basilica of St Anthony – Padua, Italy: An important pilgrimage church and the resting place of St Anthony of Padua.

I may not be religious, but churches are still some of my favourite places to visit when I travel through Europe.

Sometimes it’s the history that draws me in, sometimes the architecture, and sometimes I simply walk through the door because I happen to be passing.

Some have incredibly ornate interiors, others are surprisingly simple, and a few are memorable because they are so different from anything I’ve seen before.

And I’m sure this list will keep growing. There are still plenty of churches across Europe I’m yet to visit – and probably just as many I don’t even know about yet.

Which European church has impressed you the most? I’m always happy to add another one to my list for a future trip.