Why enter the church on holiday? Tourist encounters with the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere, Rome

Abstract

The tourist is constantly seeking out new experiences, and there is a growing interest in experiences at religious sites. This article examines tourists’ church experience, and what meaning it gives, and what motivates tourists to visit a church on their holiday. With a particular focus on the individual’s experience creation, the article looks into the tourist’s personal experience inside a church, as manifested in a context characterized through religion and tourism. This study is based on data collected through interviews with 15 visitors to the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere, Rome. The findings demonstrate tourists’ ability to block out the presence of other people, and their emphasis on finding inner peace. While the church is highlighted as a kind of sanctuary for reflection, where regaining harmony is mentioned as one of the most meaningful aspects of the experience, religion as a driving force is largely absent from the data. The findings of this study provide new knowledge with regard to tourists’ church experiences, and provide insight into the individual meaning making involved. The findings also show the complexity of the tourists’ motive to search for church experiences.