Where to Travel to Follow Your Passions?

Whether it's to feel the beat of your favourite music, to discover genius works of art and unique cuisine, or to hear the roar of the crowd at a great sporting occasion – following your passions takes travel to the next level. Check out these tips for how to pair your passion with a brilliant new-to-you destination.

Jam sessions, DJ sets and swaying crowds: let your love for live music guide you

Seeing an artist you love play live in a new-to-you destination is an experience not to missed (Photo: Getty Images)

When your favourite artist is touring, take the opportunity to see them live in an exciting new-to-you destination. London is on every touring artist’s must-play list and in summer the city comes alive with music festivals featuring top-notch acts. One of the best is All Points East, which takes over Victoria Park in the city’s east for two weekends in August. This year, the line-up includes jazz quintet Ezra Collective, American rockers LCD Soundsystem and indie pop group The Postal Service. Book a stay at Moxy London Stratford with Marriott Bonvoy Moments for VIP access and a behind the scenes tour. 

Each July, the Festival Internacional de Benicàssim brings top acts such as Black Eyed Peas, The Libertines and Royal Blood to the Costa del Azahar in Spain. It’s just an hour’s drive from Valencia, where you can check in to an Art Deco-style room at the elegant Westin Valencia.

One electronic music festival that's really worth travelling for is Ultra South Africa, Africa’s largest such event, taking place each March in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Stay at Protea Hotel Cape Town Waterfront Breakwater Lodge for Table Mountain views and a location close to the V&A Waterfront, or at Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! Johannesburg Melrose Arch, with its lovely outdoor pool. 

Jazz fans, meanwhile, should head to the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland for hundreds of free activities including jam sessions, pool parties and live concerts. The best rooms are at Grand Hotel Suisse Majestic, Autograph Collection, a Belle Epoque hotel on the shores of Lake Geneva.

From Old Masters to cutting-edge modern art: follow your creative instinct

Whether it's ancient masterpieces or cutting-edge creativity that moves you, seeing great work in a new setting is always a thrill (Photo: Getty Images)

If you’re moved by arts and culture, then a world-class museum is worth building a trip around. In London, the British Museum has enough treasures to engage you for days. You can see the Rosetta Stone, an Easter Island head and the Elgin Marbles here, as well as thousands of other artefacts from around the world. Retreat afterwards to The London EDITION for chic bedrooms and a much sought-after table at the hotel's celebrated Berners Tavern – whether for a cocktail or two, or a full dining experience at one of the UK capital's great restaurants.

The Van Gogh Museum is an alluring reason to visit Amsterdam in the Netherlands, home to more than a thousand paintings, drawings and letters by the artist, as well as his masterpieces Sunflowers and Almond Blossom. Stay nearby at the W Amsterdam, with a rooftop pool offering fine views of the culture-rich Dutch capital and an avant-garde design that will stimulate your creativity. 

No trip to Paris would be complete without visiting the Louvre and viewing the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and works by the likes of Botticelli and da Vinci. Take a room at the exquisite Renaissance Paris Vendome Hotel to be within easy strolling distance.

In Athens, the unmissable Acropolis Museum focuses on the findings from the eponymous ancient site. It’s within a few minutes’ walk of the Hotel Grande Bretagne, a Luxury Collection Hotel, where the terrace has an unrivalled view of the Acropolis itself. 

If modern art makes you tick, visit Denmark and the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, staying in nearby Copenhagen at the waterside Residence Inn Copenhagen Nordhavn.

Exquisite cicchetti and the finest wine: embark on a gastronomic quest

Every corner of the globe has its own gastronomic specialities just waiting to be discovered, like the delicious cicchetti of Venice (Photo: Getty Images)

Travel broadens the palate as well as the mind. First, a country that never disappoints when it comes to food: Italy, where one of many must-try specialities is the cicchetti tradition of Venice. Small but perfectly formed, cicchetti most commonly see a slice of Italian baguette or baked polenta topped with everything from simple fresh tomatoes to baccalà mantecato (creamy salt cod) and gorgeous combinations like fig, gorgonzola and honey or grilled asparagus with stracciatella cheese. Eaten standing at the counter, they’re generally accompanied by a small glass of local white wine called an ombra (shadow). Settle in for some at the Gritti Terrace, right on the Grand Canal at The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice. 

For something more robust, the barbecue culture of a South African braai in Cape Town offers an explosion of smoky flavours. Stay at the AC Hotel Cape Town Waterfront near the restaurants of the V&A Waterfront.

In Lisbon, some of the local delicacies include sardines and salt cod. Base yourself at The Ivens, Autograph Collection and you’ll be surrounded by places to try these much-loved Portuguese treats.

From savoury to sweet – the rich cakes of Vienna's grand cafés are a tradition not to be missed. The top treat is sachertorte, a rich chocolate cake served with a dollop of whipped cream. Take a table at Café Imperial Wien in the Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Vienna for a slice of their signature Imperial Torte, before retreating to your elegant room in the former palace.

For oenophiles – wine lovers – it has to be France and a spot of wine tasting in Bordeaux. Stay at the Renaissance Bordeaux Hotel for an indoor pool with lofty views and easy access to the city’s food and wine scene – from hyperlocal vineyards like châteaux Dillon and Saint Ahon to the magnificent Cité du Vin wine museum.

Finally, if you're a star-hunting gastronome, combine your discovery of a destination with a fine-dining journey. Penha Longa Resort in Portugal offers not one but two restaurants that hold a coveted Michelin star, but don't stop there: Europe is home to a whole host of recent star-holders for you to enjoy.

From Finnish saunas to Omani wild swimming: discover new dimensions of wellness

Wellness traditions vary from place to place – all the more reason to travel so that you can experience them (Photo: Getty Images)

Fresh mountain air and some of the best spas in Europe make the Alps the quintessential wellness destination. At W Verbier in Switzerland, indulge in Le Spa where you’ll find a heated outdoor pool – simply idyllic during snowfall – and a wealth of treatments including cryotherapy, which uses low temperatures to soothe the autonomic nervous system. Alternatively, consider Waldhaus Flims Wellness Resort, Autograph Collection for therapeutic massages in the spa and a dip in the glass-box indoor pool. 

For a traditional sauna experience, head for Finland, and a stay at Hotel St George, Helsinki, a Member of Design Hotels, where St George Care has a rejuvenating sauna and pool. If it's wild swimming that soothes your soul, a superlative spot is Wadi Shab in Oman, a series of three pools set amid a dramatic gorge. Nearby Muscat is home to JW Marriott Muscat, with its deluxe rooms, steam room and rich menu of massages.

Old Trafford, the Tour de France and Yas Marina: make a sporting pilgrimage

Travelling to catch a great sporting event gives a trip new levels of excitement (Photo: Getty Images)

Joining the throng at a sporting event and roaring for your favourite athlete or team is an unforgettable experience. If football's your sport, then Manchester is unrivalled, with two of the UK’s leading teams based there: Manchester City, who play at the Etihad Stadium, and Manchester United. If you’re in the city to watch a United match, then Hotel Football Old Trafford, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel – the brainchild of some key members of United's legendary 'Class of 92', with unparalleled views of Old Trafford – is a perfect match for your passion. Alternatively, Manchester Marriott Victoria & Albert Hotel lies just ten minutes on the Metrolink light rail from Old Trafford stadium. The hotel's Chop & Plant restaurant brilliantly reimagines the UK's 'chop house' tradition for meat-eaters and vegans alike – perfect after an afternoon spent cheering your team on.

If it's motorsports that inspire you to travel, it has to be the UAE for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit. If you book a room at W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island, you'll get bold décor, expansive suites and, thrillingly, direct access to the track. 

For cycling fans, it doesn't get better than watching the Grand Depart of the Tour de France. It's taking place in Lille next year, where staying at L’Hermitage Gantois, Autograph Collection will put you in the heart of the action.  

For esports, the Finals of the LEC (League of Legends EMEA Championship) is an unmissable event. It takes place in 2024 in Munich, with Marriott Bonvoy as the first official hotel partner. You can discover the city by booking a great package at one of 11 participating hotels, including Munich Marriott Hotel City West – during the LEC finals weekend.

Published: October 07, 2024