45 Underrated Religious College Towns Across America You'll Fall in Love With

31. Belmont, North Carolina: Faith and Benedictine Hospitality

Home to Belmont Abbey College, this charming Southern town carries a Benedictine spirit of scholarship, service, and hospitality. The Belmont Abbey Basilica anchors the community with its neo-Gothic architecture and tranquil campus grounds, while the monks remain active in teaching and prayer. Visitors can attend Mass, tour the stunning basilica, or stroll through peaceful gardens surrounded by southern pines. Beyond the abbey, Belmont’s historic downtown offers small-town warmth, antique shops, and cozy cafés. It’s a place where spiritual tradition and intellectual curiosity meet—and where the presence of monastic rhythm quietly shapes community life.