The most rewarding kind of travel comes when we are able to combine the interests we love with an unfamiliar place. It’s one of the best ways of connecting with a new destination, a chance to share your passion with those you meet along the way. If you enjoy music, then there are a plethora of cities across the globe to which music will add an extra dimension to your visit. To all the musicians out there and those who simply love to listen: here are eight very different suggestions for cities for music lovers.
Salzburg, Austria
Serious music lovers should plan a trip to elegant Salzburg. This delightful Austrian city is where the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in 1756, and his first home, on the Getreidegasse, is now a museum. Interiors faithfully recreate what the home would have looked like at the time, but the real treat is the chance to see Mozart’s personal violin and his clavichord. If you prefer the work of Rodgers & Hammerstein, you’ll be more excited by the other musical connection: the 1965 movie The Sound of Music. Much of the footage was shot on location. Come in summer and you can pedal your way from scene to scene with Fräulein Maria’s Bicycle Tours. Mount the lyric sheets on your handlebars so you can belt out “Climb Every Mountain” at the gates of Nonnberg Abbey and warble “Sixteen Going On Seventeen” beside Hellbrunn Castle’s gazebo. They’ll even teach you how to yodel The Lonely Goatherd if you have the lungs for it.
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville styles itself as Music City, justifying the title with a slew of music-related attractions. Top of the bill is the Grand Ole Opry, which has been bringing country music to the masses for almost a century. Established artists and rising stars share the stage for a weekly live performance that will thrill anyone with a sense of rhythm. Ten miles away in downtown Nashville, you’ll find the Country Music Hall of Fame, featuring audio recordings, videos and photographs of some of the greatest singers of all time. Museums dedicated to Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash and Glen Campbell fill in some of the back story. Nearby, some of the greatest feet in the business – Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Paul Simon among them – have trodden the boards of the Ryman Auditorium. In Nashville’s Historic RCA Studio B, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, the Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison and Fats Domino laid down tracks. But perhaps the city’s greatest asset is the live music emanating from the many honky tonks on Broadway.
Cremona, Italy
You might not have heard of Cremona, a city not far from Milan. However, it does have an important claim to fame for one instrument alone: the violin. This was the birthplace of Stradivari, the genius who could turn pieces of wood into a magnificent instrument capable of producing the sweetest of sounds. Today, Cremona still boasts an astonishing 130 or so luthiers, or violin makers, who toil in tiny workshops to make instruments that ship worldwide. Casual visitors will find it easy to meet up with someone who’ll show them how it’s done. The painstaking process of melding spruce, maple and ebony into a thing of beauty is fascinating to watch. Forty coats of varnish give it the high gloss finish that we expect, while real horse hair is still used to finish the bow. Finish up in Cremona’s museum where you’ll see the rarest of violins and learn more about their provenance.
Opelousas, Louisiana
The origins of zydeco lie in Louisiana French accordion music and Afro-Caribbean influences. The two first came together in the countryside of the Louisiana-Texas border, accompanied by foot stomping and much clapping of hands. Later, the blend included sounds from the urban scene too and continued to evolve, picking up soul, rap and reggae influences alongside the traditional washboard, accordion, fiddle and spoons. Clifton Chenier, the King of Zydeco, made the genre famous. When he won a Grammy in 1983, the Opelousas native put his home city on the map. The Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival is an annual event which usually takes place in Opelousas on the first weekend of September.
Glasgow, Scotland
The distinctive tones of the bagpipes can be heard across Scotland and Ireland. It’s what we Brits call a Marmite sound – you either love it or loathe it. They are a member of the woodwind family, enclosed reeds fed by air from the attached bag. Regardless of your feelings about the sound they make, if you’re keen to find out more about this instrument and the melodies it creates, then the best starting point for your musical journey is Glasgow, specifically, The National Piping Centre. Newly refurbished, it’s home to centuries of piping heritage in the Scottish Highlands and beyond. The first reference to the bagpipes was in a document about a 16th-century battle. On display in the museum is a set of bagpipes from Argyll that dates from the 18th century. If you’re keen to try the pipes for yourself, you’ve come to the right place. It’s harder than it looks. Luckily, an expert host is on hand to help you rise to the challenge of creating a passable tune.
Puno, Peru
Pan pipes, though associated with Andean South America, actually trace their origins to Greek mythology. Lusty Pan, the god usually associated with nature, was chasing Syrinx, a forest nymph. In an effort to escape Pan’s attentions, she turned herself into a water reed. So the legend goes, Pan tied several together and after he blew on them, he liked the sound they made. Pan pipes are a common sight across Peru. In and around Puno, in the Peruvian altiplano, a double row instrument is common. You’ll often see performers making music on the islands of Lake Titicaca, such as on Taquile, though traditionally they were only ever heard in the dry season months. However, if you want to see them in a festival setting, then time your visit for February to coincide with the Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria. This spectacular and colorful carnival features parades, dancers and of course, plenty of music.
Kingston, Jamaica
Reggae was born in 1960s Jamaica, influenced by ska and rocksteady. The legendary Bob Marley was a pioneer of the genre. His former home, now a Kingston museum, is an essential stop for any music lover. It’s crammed with mementos and memorabilia associated with the late reggae icon. Some tours combine the museum with a visit to the Tuff Gong studio where artists such as Shaggy, Sly & Robbie, Rita Marley and Jimmy Cliff have all recorded. Rounding out the trio is the Trench Town Culture Yard, where Marley penned “No Woman, No Cry” and where The Wailers were formed. The Jamaican capital Kingston is also home to many clubs where you can catch live reggae music performances. Don’t miss Dub Club on a Sunday evening up in St Andrew, in the hills overlooking Kingston. There, locals and visitors groove to the sounds of reggae, dub and roots.
Cali, Colombia
Though this lively Latin dance originated amongst the Cuban and Puerto Rican communities of New York, it was quickly adopted elsewhere. In Colombia, the uptempo beat suited the energy and sense of fun of its population, especially in Cali, the country’s third largest city. There, the new craze was received with considerable enthusiasm, but some DJs played the records at faster speeds than the artists had originally intended. As a consequence, the dance was modified to be quicker than the original version, requiring some pretty nifty footwork. Salsa Caleña’s popularity shows no signs of waning and today, the city overflows with salsa schools and nightclubs. Each year, it also hosts a big dance event called the World Salsa Cali Festival, during which professional dancers compete for a prestigious title. In late December, the annual Feria de Cali kicks off with a parade known as the Salsódromo, whose participants show off their moves to the appreciative crowd that lines the streets.
Trinidad, Cuba
A four-hour drive from Havana gets you to the pretty colonial city of Trinidad, whose thriving music scene makes this a firm favorite with travelers. Roving bands of musicians can be found on every street corner, day and night. But the action heats up after sundown, with music gracing every restaurant. Three dedicated music venues vie for attention. The Casa de la Trova specializes in trova and son, though you’ll also catch charanga, cha cha and bolero as well as the occasional salsa tune. A few doors down the road is the Palenque de los Congos Reales, which stages energetic dance performances and hypnotic rumba drumming. Tourists and locals alike flock to the Casa de la Musica, spilling down the steps next to the Iglesia Parroquial as the café itself gets full. There’s a nightly salsa concert in the casa’s rear courtyard. Follow your ears if you can’t find it.
Dublin, Ireland
If your idea of music heaven is a casual affair in a pub, then Dublin delivers. Tourists begin in The Temple Bar. Down your Guinness and find a more authentic experience at The Brazen Head on Bridge Street. Dublin’s oldest pub, it dates from 1198, though the present building was constructed in 1754. It attracts musicians from all over Ireland who come to share their love of music. Regulars include Celtic Mist, whose ballads light up Monday nights, Rafferty’s Sunday afternoon banter and Scotty’s extensive repertoire on Thursdays and Fridays. O'Donoghues is also the real deal, which many others have tried to replicate. Successful band The Dubliners, whose career spanned fifty years, made a name for themselves here.
