Kutztown Folk Festival 2024, Pennsylvania, USA
Billed as America’s oldest folklife festival and hailed as one of the country’s top celebrations, the Kutztown Folk Festival is a veritable journey back into time with plain, good old-fashioned…
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Billed as America’s oldest folklife festival and hailed as one of the country’s top celebrations, the Kutztown Folk Festival is a veritable journey back into time with plain, good old-fashioned…
Travel Begins at 40’s Johan Smits shares his love of the brilliant rickshaw art in Bangladesh with a series of colourful photos. To foreign visitors in Bangladesh, the ubiquitous and…
In the lead up to the 100th anniversary of the discovery the tomb of the boy king a new exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh…
Mark Bibby Jackson makes a long overdue visit to see essential Antwerp, the city of Rubens, to visit his first Belgian beer festival and drink in the culture. My stepfather…
Mark Bibby Jackson finally gets to grip with the Swedish capital and its rather awkward relationship with alcohol, while discovering some Stockholm craft beer bars. One thing I had never…
The magnificent Royal Barge Procession in Thailand, a very rare and grand event with much splendour, will take place again this December after a seven-year-long hiatus…
Jonathan Hiltz travels to the Canadian – US border to discover a bewitching combination of the beautiful and the kitsch that should be enjoyed together when visiting Niagara Falls. There…
Roger Hermiston and Eileen Wise stay at the Royal Horseguards Hotel London in the heat of the capital’s political turmoil and discover it a most appropriate venue. It was a…
After visiting some Loire Valley Chateaux and the Apocalypse Tapestry, Mark Bibby Jackson continues his French cultural Odyssey to Fontevraud Abbey and Saumur. The Loire Valley isn’t solely about wine…
Mark Bibby Jackson travels to France to traipse around Loire Valley chateaux, sample the local wine and stand in amazement. There are moments in your life when you enter a…
On his most recent visit to the Swedish capital, Mark Bibby Jackson visits Fotografiska Stockholm, and emerges from the wonderful photographic museum with more questions than answers. I have a…
Travel Begins at 40 has teamed together with Altovita.com to give you some tips on what to do when you visit Stockholm, from its culture to its food and spectacular scenery…
After visiting Rotterdam, Mike East planned to spend just a few rushed hours in Maastricht; however, the city trapped him with unexpected charms. It was supposed to be a hop…
Antwerp, one of Lonely Planet’s top 10 cities in 2018 and unofficial capital of Flanders, belongs on everyone’s bucket list. Home to Belgium’s best nightlife and filled with historical monuments…
Each March, residents of Mongolia’s Khövsgöl Lake area celebrate the Khövsgöl Ice Festival with horse-drawn sleighs, elaborate ice sculptures, traditional food and vibrant competitions including ice skating…
Rome is a city rich with history and culture. A destination filled with things to do and places to see, which can make choosing exactly what to do a little…
Mark Bibby Jackson spends a night at Hawkstone Hall and Gardens, a manor house steeped in history, thankful that he has arrived before the crowds. Spectacular. The one word describes…
A persistent visitor to Thailand’s Rose of the North, Johan Smits spills the beans about his favourite tourist-proof things to do in Chiang Mai; some of them might well surprise…
The BFI London Film Festival sponsored by American Express is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world along with alongside the Cannes Film Festival, the Berlinale, Venice International Film Festival. It is held in the UK capital…
Irene Caswell takes a sneak preview at A Rothschild Treasury, a new permanent exhibition space at Waddesdon Manor in the Aylesbury Vale, showcasing a micro collection of over 300 exquisite…
Mark Bibby Jackson journeys to the city of Lichfield where he visits the cathedral, Samuel Johnson’s birthplace and the nearby National Memorial…
Like with her previous work, Marina Shacola’s latest series, Dressing, sees the photographer again focusing her lens on the people of Turkana Kenya, but this time the work is less…
Raindance 2025: A Daring Tapestry of Global Voices and Bold Debuts From underground squats in California to the post-gangland underbelly of Berlin, this year’s Raindance Film Festival (18–27 June, Vue…
The largest independent UK film festival, The Raindance Film Festival returns to London for its 27th edition in September. Describing itself as the “champion of the underdog”…
For many an appreciation of the culture of the country or community that you visit on your holidays is a major part of the travelling experience, especially for the more mature traveller.
Whether you are taking a short city break to Amsterdam or Paris, or going on a longer trip to a distant and exciting land, your experience is enriched by an appreciation of the local culture.
Ideally, time your trip to coincide with a major festival. At Travel Begins at 40 we have a whole section devoted to some of the most colourful and spectacular festivals from around the world. So whether it is the whirling dervishes of Konya, Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival, the Tsagaan Sar in Mongolia or Benin’s Voodoo Festival that tickles your cultural fancy, let us guide your way.
Visiting an unfamiliar country can lead to a bit of a cultural shock, but don’t let this put you off making that special journey. Often it is when we leave our comfort zone that we reap most rewards.
Not that we always have to travel that far to have a rich and rewarding cultural experience. Hull is the current city of culture in the UK, and a trip there can be a surprisingly rewarding experience. Enjoy it.