Carmel Mission, Monterey & Carmel: How to Visit and What to Do Nearby

Carmel Mission—formally the Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo—stands at 3080 Rio Road in Carmel-by-the-Sea, founded in 1770 by Father Junípero Serra as the second of California's 21 Spanish missions. Serra is buried beneath the chapel floor. The present stone church, completed in 1797, features a Moorish-influenced bell tower and a star-shaped window above the entrance. Pope John Paul II elevated the mission to a minor basilica in 1960. The surrounding courtyard gardens contain a fountain and the original mission kitchen. is just one of many options in Monterey & Carmel. Major attractions worth considering include 17-Mile Drive, Big Sur, and Cannery Row.