Sacred Places of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Most Peaceful and Powerful Destinations

This book is beautiful, comprehensive & inspiring . . . just like it's meant to be. Spend captivating hours alone, passing time, or with friends, fantasizing about where/how to go to next !! p24:Ten Wells and Springs:Wells and springs have long been associated with healing-- as well as sacrifice Ch4:Majestic Ruins~ Khmer ruins in Cambodia; Somapura Mahavihara in Bangladesh; England's medieval Rievaulx Abbey. Shrines, convents, pilgrimmages, festivals, memorials -- Feeling spiritual? Need a spiritual escape? This book's got it!! Just perusing the various intriguing photos is inspiring in itself, even a mini retreat :) Extremely well organized, easy to read, & especially to locate points of interest.

This book is worth the money, even if it is displayed on your desk or coffee table! It is filled with the most amazing places and the second you pick it up all you want to do is put together a list of where you will go first! I am using this book currently to help plan for a trip in South America. I do not want to go through a travel agency so I am collecting as much information as I can prior to my departure so I can hit the ground running. I know I can utilize this book for my future travel plans and it will not lead me astray!

I purchased this book for my husband as a Christmas gift and he has been browsing through it frequently since then. As expected in any National Geographic publication, the photography is stunning. The background information on each of the sites is well written and useful - just enough to whet your appetite to further explore these sacred sites. I'm sure this book will factor into the planning for many future trips.

I have all the "of a lifetime 500" books and this is one of the top ones. The book is divided into 10 separate sections (Sacred Landscapes, Megaliths & Mysteries, cradles of faith, ruins, daily devotion, shrines, the pilgrim's way, ceremonies & festivals, in remembrance, retreats) each highlights the type of observance that people have in each place. The book is wonderfully written and the photos often involve the human connection to the site. It is fascinating to read about the how many people connect with a higher power worshiping god. I couldn't give this the fourth star because my personal favorite of the series is the drives of a lifetime. Hands down national geographic has done a stellar job with this series of books. This book is one of the most engaging coffee table perusing books I have.

To understand our fellow humans we need to understand their culture and customs. This book gives an important look into numerous places in the World, that have significant meaning to them. We need to see where the heart of these traditions and the places originated and continues.

This book was a bit of a disappointment after seeing "The World's Must See Places". While "Sacred Places..." is an interesting book, The photos of the different sites don't tell you much about them. For the most part, there is only one picture of each site. Sometimes it is inside, sometimes it is outside. Personally, I'd like to see a composite of pictures showing in and out. In my opinion, I'd rather have a book showing 100 places with 5 times the pictures.

Amazing book! I would give it 10 stars if it were possible.Here is the best and most beautiful places on earth, humanity striving to see beyond the every day, if you are not fortunate enough to be able to go to around the globe, then this book, with its breathtaking pictures, will take you there. For anyone who loves beauty, adventure, and seeing what lies over the next hill, this is a MUST.

I gave this as a gift to my sister who has done some spiritual travel (Bhutan) and retreats throughout her adult life. She is thrilled with the book, educated by its information, excited by the travel prospects and inspired by the superlative photography. She has thanked me profusely for what obviously is the perfect gift for the perfect person. So if you are like my sister, or if you have a sister like my sister, now you know your next purchase.

as described, thank you!

Bought as a gift and was very welcomed by the recipient. I do not know whether she was trying to please me. It is very educational.

beautiful book

It covers a lot of breadth but no depth.