Lourdes is primarily a pilgrimage destination, and the sanctuary complex is the reason most people come. The Grotte de Massabielle, the grotto where Bernadette reported her apparitions, is open all hours and is the spiritual centre of the site. The three basilicas of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes — including the vast underground Basilica of St. Pius X — and the nightly candlelight processions on the Esplanade make for an extraordinary spectacle whatever your beliefs.
The Château Fort on its rocky outcrop above town houses a good Pyrenean museum. The Funiculaire du Pic du Jer rises to a viewpoint above the town with panoramic mountain views. The Gave de Pau river walk connects the sanctuary sites and is pleasant at any time of day.