Pilgrimages: Journeys of self-discovery

For hundreds of years, pious Catholics from all corners of the world have travelled to Vatican City to see St Peter's Basilica. Each year, some 20 million embark on this religious pilgrimage, making the church, which is named after Peter the Apostle who is said to be buried beneath it, is one of the world's most visited sites.

Judaism, Islam and Christianity all regard Jerusalem as a holy city. The Temple Mount, where the First Temple once stood, is the holiest site in Judaism. Also located there is the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam. And not far away is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (pictured), to which Christians flock to see the empty tomb of Jesus.

Up until the coronavirus pandemic, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela was visited by over 200,000 pilgrims completing the Camino de Santiago each year. Visitor numbers have picked up again though they are not as high. Locals complain of increased noise, litter and vandalism.

Water from the Grotto of Massabielle in Lourdes, France, is thought to contain healing properties. This belief stems from the year 1858 when a 14-year-old reported that the Virgin Mary had appeared to her. Since then, numerous miraculous healings have been reported in the city. Some 5 million pilgrims flock to Lourdes each year.

Each year, some 2 million Muslims converge on the Saudi city of Mecca, the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad and the cradle of Islam, for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. After several fatal accidents, organizers have developed an elaborate system to manage the flow of worshippers. During the coronavirus pandemic, the Hajj pilgrimage was limited to several thousand Saudi citizens.

Lumbini is considered to be where the founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama, was born. The Nepalese town is located at the foot of the Himalayas, near the Indian border. Each year, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims gather at the Maya Devi Temple to honor Gautama Buddha.

Every year, the summer solstice draws scores of pagans and tourists to Stonehenge in southern England, who are eager to absorb the rock formation's special atmosphere. The iconic monument was built between the Neolithic period and the Bronze Age. About 1.5 million visitors flock to the famous site annually.

Tunisia has become a veritable pilgrimage site for die-hard Star Wars fans. Parts of the legendary sci-fi saga were filmed in 12 different locations across the north African country. Even though more recent instalments were shot elsewhere, true fans continue to visit Tunisia.

New Zealand's incredibly diverse landscape — which takes in rugged mountains, lush verdant meadows and much more — made it ideal for the adaptation of Lord of the Rings. Millions of fantasy lovers visit the country every year in search of the real Hobbiton.

Platform 9 3/4 at London's King's Cross Station will be familiar to all Harry Potter fans — and even to those with only a fleeting interest in the wizard. It's from here that the famous Hogwarts Express departs, as any reader of the bestselling series would know. Harry Potter buffs in the UK capital make a point of visiting this magical place.