Straddling Europe and Asia with the Caspian Sea as its eastern frontier, Azerbaijan is one of those countries that confounds expectations at every turn. Baku, the capital, might be the most visually striking city you have never considered visiting: a walled medieval old town (Icherisheher) surrounded by Parisian-style boulevards, and then, rising behind all of that, the Flame Towers and a skyline of audacious modern architecture that looks like it was designed to make Dubai feel understated. ...
A country that gave the world Mozart, Strauss, Schubert, and the waltz, and then decided that was not quite enough, so it added the Vienna Philharmonic, the Salzburg Festival, and arguably the finest classical music infrastructure on the planet. Austria is where high culture and mountain grandeur collide in the most elegant way imaginable, producing a destination that satisfies both the opera-goer and the ski-obsessed in equal measure. Classical music is in the DNA, but Austria's contemporary...
Where do you even start with a country that spans an entire continent, houses the oldest living culture on Earth, and somehow manages to be simultaneously the most laid-back and most lethal destination on the traveller circuit? Australia is big in every sense: big landscapes, big personalities, big distances, and an entertainment culture that punches absurdly hard for a population of just 26 million. The music scene is properly world class. Australia has exported an outsized share of global t...
Wedged between Turkey, Georgia, Iran, and Azerbaijan, Armenia is a country that has been quietly building a reputation as one of the most rewarding under-the-radar destinations on the planet. The world's first officially Christian nation (since 301 AD, and they will tell you about it) packs an astonishing density of ancient monasteries, dramatic mountain landscapes, and a food and wine scene that is finally getting the global attention it deserves. The musical identity runs centuries deep. Ar...
There are countries you visit, and then there are countries that grab you by the collar and refuse to let go. Argentina is firmly in the second category. From the tango halls of Buenos Aires to the thundering falls of Iguazú, from Patagonian glaciers to Mendoza's sun-drenched vineyards, this is a country built on passion, and that passion bleeds into everything: the music, the food, the football, the arguments about the food, and the even louder arguments about the football. Tango is the obvi...
Two islands, 365 beaches (one for every day of the year, as locals love to remind you), and a sailing culture so ingrained it practically runs through the national bloodstream. Antigua and Barbuda is the Caribbean distilled into its most vibrant, sun-soaked form, where the rhythm of calypso and soca soundtracks everything from morning market runs to late-night beach bonfires. Music here is not background noise. It is the connective tissue of island life. Calypso, soca, and steelpan are the do...
If there is a country in Africa that has been flying under the radar while quietly sitting on one of the continent's richest entertainment and natural heritage portfolios, it is Angola. With 1,650 kilometres of Atlantic coastline, a music culture that has literally shaped genres across the entire Portuguese-speaking world, and landscapes running from lush tropical forests to raw desert coast, this is a destination for travellers who want to be ahead of the curve rather than following it. Star...
Tucked high into the Eastern Pyrenees between France and Spain, Andorra is living proof that enormous things come in tiny packages. At just 468 square kilometres, this microstate manages to pack in world-class skiing, duty-free shopping that pulls in millions of visitors annually, mountain scenery that consistently makes jaws drop, and a cultural identity that punches so far above its weight class it borders on the ridiculous. The music and entertainment scene feeds off a fascinating cocktail...
Algeria is Africa's largest country and quite possibly its best-kept travel secret. While neighbours Morocco and Tunisia have occupied the tourist trail for decades, Algeria has been quietly sitting on some of the most extraordinary landscapes, archaeological sites, and cultural experiences on the continent, largely unvisited and absolutely ready for those willing to venture off the well-worn path. The musical heritage could fill an encyclopaedia and still leave things out. Raï, that irresis...
Here's the thing about Albania: for the best part of the 20th century, it was basically sealed off from the world under one of Europe's most paranoid regimes. Fast forward to today, and it has become one of the continent's most exciting emerging travel destinations, boasting a Riviera that gives Greece and Croatia a genuine run for their money at a fraction of the price. The music scene tells the story of a culture bouncing back with serious intensity. Albanian iso-polyphony, a UNESCO-recogni...