Published 28th Jun. 2021
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If music be the food of your travels, visit these places to broaden your aural horizons...
India
Every October Jodhpur's ancient Mehrangarh Fort comes alive with the sounds of RIFF (Rajasthan International Folk Festival). Spend several days soaking up the vibrant atmosphere and watching performances from local and international musicians alike. With Mick Jagger as International Patron you can rest assured that the quality of the music is as top-notch as the beautiful blue city setting. To complete the package, the festival is timed to coincide with Sharad Purnima, North India's brightest full moon of the year.
Italy
For one night every July, the Teatro del Silenzio (Theatre of Silence) near Andrea Bocelli's Tuscan home town of Lajatico, is far from quiet. The open-air amphitheatre, which remains unused for the rest of the year, hosts the maestro of opera as he puts on an emotional performance with many of his musician pals, all to raise money for the singer's charities. The Italian Philharmonic Orchestra accompanies the performance under the stars in the Tuscan countryside.
Jamaica
There's more to Jamaica than beautiful beaches and rum punches. This is the birth place of reggae and its finest proponent - Bob Marley. With your private guide, retrace Marley's steps from his childhood church to the Tuff Gong music studios he founded in 1965. As you walk the streets of Kingston - including the iconic Trench Town neighbourhood - your guide will explain how the city and people left an indelible mark on the Jamaican superstar and his music.
Morocco
The Fez Festival of World Sacred Music is held every June in venues around the city. The aim is admirable: to bring different cultures together through the medium of music, and you can expect to see Senegalese drummers rubbing shoulders with Celtic bands. Make sure to catch one of the intimate and mystical concerts put on by Morocco's various tariqas (Sufi brotherhoods). Even without the music the festival remains a fascinating showcase of cultures in a city with the world's largest interact medieval medina (old city).
Practical advice and inspiration for your next trip
Everyday life can be chaotic. Our favourite antidote? Escaping to one of the silent and sacred corners of the world. Whether hiking mystical mountains or observing ancient rituals, spiritual holidays offer a chance to reconnect and slow down. From the cloud-kissing monasteries of Meteora to the heart of Mexico’s Maya culture, read on to discover our favourite spiritual escapes around the world... Meteora monasteries, Greece Himalayas, India Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico Nairobi and Laikipia, Kenya Meteora monasteries, Greece Best for:
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