The Best Live Music Experience You Can Have With Culture Trip

Authentic live musical performances can be an incredible insight into a destination, as you witness first hand how a culture has decided to express itself over the centuries. Join one of these immersive small-group Culture Trips and get ready for a live music experience like no other.

Winter Sale

Close up of the guitar of a man playing traditional Portuguese music called fado

Complete Portugal by Train

To come to Portugal and not experience some live music would be a touristic crime. Trendy jazz bars and epic Euro nightclubs aren’t hard to find in Porto and Lisbon, the country’s two major cities and the slices of bread that make up this eight-day Portuguese sandwich itinerary. We’ll embrace a more traditional form of music, though, on our first night in the capital, Lisbon. After arriving into the city via a scenic train ride and having an afternoon free to explore, we’ll reconvene for an evening of live fado music. This soulful form of folk music has been used to tell stories in Portugal for at least 200 hundred years. It’s a tradition specific to this country, and can still be seen performed in bars all over the major cities. It usually consists of up to four string instruments, but the music is characterised mostly by the tragedy, melancholy and mournful nature of the lyrics, performed soulfully by an expressive vocalist, either male or female. It’s a really special form of music to witness live, and a perfect introduction – drink in hand – to the magical city of Lisbon.

From US$2029

Next available from 13th Apr 2024

Secure your spot with a low deposit

Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Porto, Portugal

ENDS AT

Lisbon, Portugal

DURATION

8

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Light

STYLE

Discovery

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Flamenco dancer performing in the magnificent Plaza de Espana, Seville, Spain

City Hopping in Spain by Train

Next door in Spain is an equally emotive style of music, most famous for its association with dance. That’s right, we’re talking flamenco! Another folkloric music tradition, derived from a blending of 18th-century Andalusian and Romani traditions, this unmistakable style of performance is now famous the world over. Its complex rhythms, powerful tonality and the passion of its performer are all intrinsic to what makes flamenco, flamenco. Storytelling also plays a huge part here, as performers match the intensity and fire of the music itself. Seeing a flamenco performance live is an experience like no other. Feel the intensity, join in with clapping and singing, and marvel at the artistry on show. This is best done in Seville, the city where this dance was born, and that’s exactly what you’ll get to do on our eight-day Spanish Rail Trip.

From US$3199

Next available from 20th Apr 2024

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Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Madrid, Spain

ENDS AT

Malaga, Andalucia

DURATION

8

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate

STYLE

Discovery

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Musicians playing traditional Irish music in a cosy pub

Fairytale Ireland

If you think the soul-baring songs of Iberia are intimate, then prepare to take it to a whole new level in Ireland. Cosiness is part of the joy of traditional Irish folk music. Part of the reason why flutes, fiddles and accordions are so prominent in its iconic sound is because you can easily carry them to the pub, and perform while sitting around a table with your mates. There are plenty of pastiches of Irish folk music, with some major tourist traps in Dublin especially, but to experience an authentic take on this charming genre is to better understand Ireland’s relationship to myths, fables and fairytales. You’ll get to experience more than a ditty or two on our weeklong road trip around Ireland, where we’ll take you to enjoy evenings of song in Oscar Madison’s Bar in Kinsale and at Dick Mack’s pub in Dingle. The intimacy of the environment – no stage, just some remarkably skilful musicians tucked away in the corner, belting out folk tunes in between sips of Guinness – makes this a truly singular live music experience.

From US$3059

Next available from 13th Apr 2024

Secure your spot with a low deposit

Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Dublin, Ireland

ENDS AT

Dublin, Ireland

DURATION

7

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Light

STYLE

Discovery

View Trip

Winter Sale

Group of Taiko drummers drumming on Japanese Drums together.

Japan by Train: The Grand Tour

Every experience we’ve spoken about so far involves you watching, and generally sitting. How relaxing, right? Well, let’s step it up a notch and get involved! That’s the plan towards the end of this epic Rail Trip in Japan, as we explore the many wonders of neon-lit Tokyo. Among the unique experiences you’ll have here is a Taiko drumming class. This percussion style was used as far back as the sixth century and, as you’ll be able to tell from the sound, it was largely used in military action and as a part of religious ceremonies. They still feature regularly in many cultural events in Japan, as well as providing the soundtrack for social justice movements. The booming sound and the pulsating rhythm really gets the blood pumping, so being at the hand of the sonic wheel for this one is quite the thrilling experience. We’ll follow that up with an evening of more modern, and perhaps less impressive, musical performance as we hit one of the best karaoke bars in Tokyo!

From US$4119

Next available from 28th Mar 2024

Secure your spot with a low deposit

Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Osaka, Japan

ENDS AT

Tokyo, Japan

DURATION

12

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate

STYLE

Discovery

View Trip

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

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Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.