Go to Nashville and you’re sure to have a good time. But if you want it guaranteed, head to the epicentre of Lower Broadway fun, Robert’s Western World. This long-standing traditional bluegrass and country bar is no holds barred when it comes to a good time.
Step in for a cold Miller Genuine Draft, and let one of the locals spin you around to the kicking band. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, one of the greasy burgers or bologna sandwiches will really hit the spot. The only problem is the music is so good you won’t want to go anywhere else.
Let the powers of the wild Atlantic Ocean soothe your muscles with this special treatment at Voya Seaweed Baths in the picturesque town of Strandhill, Ireland. Located along the Wild Atlantic Way, Voya uses specially harvested local seaweed to create a tension melting treatment that is simply one of a kind.
Before you sink into a bath of hand-plucked plants in the name of improved circulation and plump, pert skin, you’ll experience a steaming treatment to open up your pores. Then lay back and let the spa work its magic.
Anything designed by Grayson Perry is sure to have more than a touch of the kooky about it, and this holiday house, inspired by fairy tales, shrines and baroque architecture, is no exception. Perry, in conjunction with architectural firm FAT, created the two-bedroom home based on a character called Julie, for whom he produced an entire backstory.
It’s just one of a number of homes in a series by Living Architecture, an organisation that aims to increase appreciation of architecture by offering immaculately designed properties at reasonable rates. We love everything about it, from the ceramic green and while tiles (depicting safety pins, cassettes and hearts) covering the exterior to the Lego-like kitchen.
If you’re bored with all those galleries that make you realise your creativity left you long ago, the Museum of Bad Art makes for a refreshing change. Displaying portraits that wouldn’t make your fridge door even if your progeny brought them home from kindergarten, the MOBA is exactly what it says on the tin.
Currently using the basement of the revamped 1920s Somerville Theatre as its exhibition space, this gallery shows crowd-pleasing masterpieces such as The Terrapin Pyramid and Mana Lisa.
They even go on tour, mostly around the US of A, but also overseas. For all of those tired of modernist museums full of toilets and blank canvases, MOBA is a breath of fresh air. And for those far away, the website is definitely worth browsing.
Ever wanted to inspect a three-metre-long human colon? How about the remnants of a woman whose corpse turned into adipocere, a substance that to the untrained eye looks like a melted bar of soap? If you’re feeling that dark curiosity within you stir then make sure you leave a few hours to visit the Mütter Museum next time you’re in Philly.
Originally created in 1858 for the sole purpose of research and education, the collection of odd medical specimens is now open to the public. Wander through and experience freaky abnormalities and mutations you would have never thought possible. It’s a must-see for anyone interested in the anatomically bizarre.
For 120 years this building housed the area’s nastiest inmates. Then, in 2007, it got a new lease on life and is now one of the city’s finest places of accommodation. Guests are warmly welcomed and escorted to their contemporary furnished rooms featuring floor-to-ceiling windows with stunning city views.
To add to the charm the architects retained some of the building’s character features, including the granite exterior, exposed brick walls, historic catwalks and striking wrought-iron chandeliers. The Liberty Hotel is the only time in your life you’ll spend a night in jail and not be in a hurry to escape the next day.
Arizona is the land of red rock formations and three-pronged cactus growing from the desert soil. It’s kinda the last place you might think to go on a houseboating holiday. But the azure waters of Lake Powell, on the Colorado River near the border of Utah, offer extraordinary beauty and the chance to get splashing. Here, you can hire one of a number of vessels, from a budget-friendly 46-foot number that sleeps up to eight to a far more luxurious offering. The 75-foot Odyssey houseboat has six staterooms, a hot tub and slide that takes from the deck and plunges you into the lake.
Regardless of whether you skimp or splurge, you can slip through secluded canyons and dramatic Navajo sandstone cliffs, before plunging into the water for a refreshing dip. Add a couple of kayaks to your rental and paddle through still coves and under Rainbow Bridge, the world’s largest natural stone bridge. Fish for fresh bass and catfish to cook on board. Watch the rusty rock blaze during sunset, and stargaze from the deck with a cold craft brew in your hand. It’s a desert holiday you’re unlikely to forget.
While the white-sand beaches of Fiji’s islands take up most of the attention, there’s a little secret lurking in the middle of the main island.
The Upper Navua River is one of the more remarkable river journeys in the world, with rapids propelling you through winding gorges and past a cascade of waterfalls along the way. The rapids aren’t too testing, but they’re not the main reason to be here; it’s the ever-changing landscape through the gorges that keeps your eyes wide open.
It is an overnight journey and you camp on the banks of the river. Drink kava with the locals and sleep soundly to the sound of the running Navua.
Traditional villages, an abundance of waterfalls and the exuberant guides from Rivers Fiji all make this trip an absolute must. And, best of all, at the end of the day you’ve earned a Fiji Bitter much more than the beach junkies.
Step into the future – a world of clean lines and of white, black and blue – at Mar Adentro. With a whopping 198 rooms, the hotel is way bigger than the type of stay that usually catches our attention, but, somehow, this architectural wonder manages to make it feel as though you’ve got the place to yourself.
Its white, cubic buildings rise from a constructed lagoon, with a black-tiled infinity pool and the nest – a lounge partially sunk beneath the liquid – accessible via an inky walkway that cuts across the water. When the light is right the buildings cast reflections, giving the illusion that you’re floating somewhere in the middle. It’s all rather fitting for a place with a name that means ‘sea inside’.
In the rooms wood softens the monochrome palette and your lighting, music and curtains are all controlled with the swipe of a tablet. When you’re not lazing on your terrace or on the white sands that stretch between the hotel and the Sea of Cortez, there’s a lounge and art gallery to keep you entertained. Basically, it’s bliss.
Lord it up above the turquoise waters of the Amalfi Coast and play king of your very own castle with a stay at Torre Trasita. Jutting from a rocky cliff near the Italian town of Positano – once a small fishing village favoured by Romans on vacay – this former watchtower has been part of the landscape since the sixteenth century. Restored this year with all the trimmings of a seaside hotel, the torre sleeps six in style.
Order insalata di frutti di mare (seafood salad) to be delivered from a local restaurant to the blue-tiled terrace up top, and wash down 360-degree views of the town that inspired Picasso with a chilled glass of bubbles. If your creativity stirs there’s even a piano for you to play – after all, all nobles fancy a tinkle on the ivories from time to time.
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