Spanning sacred festivals to world-class art, music and literature, these are the cultural experiences worth building a trip around in 2027. 

Culture is often the reason we travel – to encounter traditions that have endured for centuries, follow in the footsteps of artists and writers, or see the world through a different lens. Spanning West Africa and India to the Silk Road, these cultural journeys take you beyond the landmarks and into the stories, people and heritage that give a destination its unique character. 

1. A photography expedition in West Africa

West Africa’s heartland rarely makes it onto photography bucket lists, which is precisely why Benin and Togo deserve their place on World Expeditions’ new Curated Adventures portfolio. Award-winning Canon Master photographer and author Richard l’Anson leads the small-group expedition through vibrant festivals, sacred Vodoun ceremonies, stilt villages and centuries-old architectural landscapes. The 13-day Benin and Togo with Richard l’Anson tour grants exclusive access to Ouidah’s legendary Vodoun Festival, the castle-like mud houses of the Tamberma Valley and traditional craftspeople – from potters and weavers to local palm wine makers. The journey concludes in Lomé, Togo’s coastal capital, with Atlantic breezes and sunset cocktails by the sea. Running 5–17 January 2027, it is an extraordinary opportunity to refine your craft alongside a true master behind the lens. 

2. Matera, Italy’s cave city

It was once known as ‘the shame of Italy’ or its extreme poverty and squalor, but 80 years on this warren of natural caves in the southern region of Basilicata is a glorious detour from the Apulian coast. Spend a night or two in Matera’s Sassi district (Italian for ‘stones’) – which was first occupied in the Palaeolithic Age – where many of the original cave dwellings that cling to the steep ravine have been converted into boutique hotels, restaurants and museums, and spend days getting lost in the city’s maze of alleyways and piazzas. At dusk, climb to the rock-hewn church of Santa Maria de Idris to watch as the timeworn city glows with the dipping sun.

3. India’s Varanasi and the sacred Ganges

In the grainy light of dawn, colourful wooden boats glide into focus along the Ganges River as dreadlocked sadhus drum along the water’s edge. By dusk, the ghats are a blazing display of lanterns and rhythmic chanting during Ganga Aarti, a daily ritual that honours the holy river. One of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities and one of Hinduism’s seven sacred sites, Varanasi has drawn pilgrims to the Ganges for millennia. And visiting is a deeply moving experience. The Indian city can be seen in all its glory during Dev Deepawali, which takes place on the full moon night of the Hindu month of Kartik each year (usually in November) when thousands of traditional Hindu oil lamps light up the city. 

4. A classical music journey in Austria

Defined by its soaring Baroque skyline and dramatic alpine backdrop, Austria’s postcard-pretty city of Salzburg has lured music lovers ever since Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born here in 1756. It’s a legacy celebrated each July and August at the world-renowned Salzburg Festival. The vibrant summer showcase brings opera, orchestral masterworks and drama to life across venues throughout the city. From Salzburg, take the scenic ÖBB Railjet train to Vienna, where legendary stages like the Musikverein and Vienna State Opera keep the legacies of Mozart, Strauss and Beethoven central to everyday Austrian life.   

5. Contemporary art in Germany

Berlin’s graffiti-clad courtyards and modernist architecture have long drawn art pilgrims to Germany. But Deutschland’s cultural epicentre is shifting in 2027. That’s when dOCUMENTA in Kassel and Münster’s Skulptur Projekte, held every five and 10 years respectively, will align for the first time since 2017. Limelight Arts Travel’s Modern Art in Germany tour bundles both festivals with private collections and artist visits. The special 13-night journey led by Limelight Arts Travel director Dr Nick Gordon goes beyond Berlin, tracing Germany’s thriving contemporary art scene in Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and Cologne.  

6. Sail through history on the Danube

The River Danube is one of Europe’s most cinematic waterways, snaking past fairytale villages, cliffside castles and ever-shifting landscapes. Celebrity Cruises makes its Danube debut in August 2027 on two new river vessels purpose-built with wall-to-wall infinite balconies. The seven-night Danube – Budapest & Vienna itinerary threads from Bratislava’s Old Town through imperial Vienna and the UNESCO-listed Wachau Valley with a curated shore excursion, meals and drinks included in every fare. Or extend your time on the river with Uniworld’s 15-day Germany to Serbia itinerary, Danube Grandeur, that traverses six countries. 

7. A quintessential Wimbledon summer   

Strawberries and cream. Pimm’s on the lawn. Players dressed in traditional tennis whites. Wimbledon remains one of the best dates on the international sporting calendar. And 2027 will mark the 140th edition, running from 28 June to 11 July at the All-England Lawn Tennis Club in London. These dates coincide with the peak of English summer, making it the perfect time to pair centre court tickets with a few days in the Cotswolds. The region, roughly two hours from Wimbledon, covers pockets of six counties where you will find storybook villages built from honeyed stone amid a patchwork of farms and fields. Linger here over cream teas that offer a soothing antidote to the nail-biting tension of Wimbledon. 

8. The imperial cities of Morocco

Morocco’s Four Imperial Cities each served as the historic capital for a succession of ruling dynasties. Today, the walled Old City of Marrakech is all clatter and chaos, a maze of bustling souks and mayhem. Expect crowds forming circles around snake charmers, the whole scene lit by loops of lamps and lanterns. It’s like a scene straight out of Hideous Kinky. Base yourself at El Fenn, once a traditional riad and now a 41-room boutique hotel with a colour palette ranging from turmeric to deep teal, multiple pools and a magnificent rooftop terrace. Aesthetes should then book a stay at Palais Amani in the ancient medina of Fes el Bali. The beautifully restored 17th-century palace is arrayed around a courtyard perfumed with citrus trees and features an onsite cooking school.   

9. The dazzling Silk Road by train

Camel convoys once braved the Gobi Desert’s shifting dunes and Tian Shan’s high passes to trade silk for spices. Today, you can trace that same storied route while reclining in an en suite cabin. Golden Eagle Luxury Trains’ new Silk Road Express is set to launch a 22-day Grand Silk Road journey from Beijing to Tashkent, connecting waypoints like Xi’an, Dunhuang and Kashgar before weaving through Central Asia’s UNESCO-listed oasis cities, including Samarkand and Bukhara. With full-board dining, private local guides and a dedicated bar car featuring a live pianist, history unfolds at a delightfully unhurried pace.   

10. A bookshop holiday in Scotland

Wigtown is more than just a charming Scottish seaside village – it’s Scotland’s designated National Book Town. At its heart lies The Open Book, a boutique bookshop that hands guests the keys to the store alongside a charming upstairs apartment. Channel your inner Hugh Grant in Notting Hill as you recommend beloved titles and swap stories with curious locals. Feel like a pint at the pub around the corner? You can open and close the store as you please. Bookable through Airbnb, this bucket-list escape for bibliophiles requires forward planning; reservations open 23 months in advance, a testament to its enduring allure.