Travel Topics

Music

 
The BBC Proms 2023, London

The BBC Proms 2023, London

Judith Schrut previews this summer’s BBC Proms, eight weeks of joyous musical feasting at the Royal Albert Hall and around the UK. For classical music lovers it doesn’t get much…

WOMAD 2023, the World’s Festival

WOMAD 2023, the World’s Festival

Judith Schrut previews the wonderful world of WOMAD 2023. WOMAD stands for World of Music, Arts and Dance and is simply the biggest international music festival on the planet. Happening…

5 Festivals in June 2023

5 Festivals in June 2023

Travel Begins at 40 rounds up the best global festivals in June 2023 from Peru to Colorado, so wherever you are you can join in the celebrations. Music Festivals in…

Where to Go in June 2023

Where to Go in June 2023

June is a great month for travelling. Northern Europe sees endless hours of sunshine while southern Europe seems to be exploding with music. There is even plenty to keep you…

Where to Go in May 2023

Where to Go in May 2023

Images from packed airports demonstrate the desire to wander has lost none of its lustre during the last couple of years. If you are looking to go on holiday next…

Surrey Hills Spring Festival 2023, UK

Surrey Hills Spring Festival 2023, UK

Held over a weekend in March at the Rural Life Living Museum, the Surrey Hills Spring Festival will celebrate the arrival of spring and include the finest in Surrey’s cuisine, beverages, artwork and craft…

Festa Junina Brazil 2024

Festa Junina Brazil 2024

Festa Junina is not Carnival, nevertheless it is a huge event on the Brazilian calendar. There is song and dancing, although in this case it is more forrό than samba. Also food has a…

The Big Feastival 2023, UK

The Big Feastival 2023, UK

Hosted by Blur bassist Alex James at his Cotswolds farm and now in its 12th year, The Big Feastival is held over three days across the August Bank Holiday, and has become one…

Roskilde Festival Denmark 2024

Roskilde Festival Denmark 2024

Roskilde Festival, Denmark’s answer to Glastonbury, will take place in June. Organisers of this non-profit event have announced that The Foo Fighters, Sza, Skrillex and Doja Cat and will headline…

Lucca Summer Festival 2024

Lucca Summer Festival 2024

One of the highlights of the Italian festival season is the Lucca Summer Festival held in the beautiful Tuscan town. This year Ed Sheeran and Duran Duran will be performing…

Interested in Music?

Like travelling, music opens people’s mindsets and is often a great and fun way to experience the richness of foreign cultures and the diversity of ways of life on our planet – which is why at Travel Begins at 40 the world’s melodic traditions take up a special place in our travels.

Music Festivals

Whether you’re into Blues in Wales and Country in Nashville, or Jazz in Chiang Mai and Electronic Dance in Singapore, check out our Festivals section to choose your favourite sounds on your travels whether they be near or far.

News

From Soho Music Month in London to UNESCO’s recognition of Jamaican Reggae, stay tuned in to our News section for the latest updates.

Melodic Travel

Sometimes the best melodic experiences happen unplanned and spontaneously – poignant, old folk songs inside a yurt in Kyrgyzstan or stumbling across the Leipzicher Notenspur, a 5km music trail in Germany – may your travels let you experience the world with your ears as well as your eyes.