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Sounds: Emel Mathlouthi, Taking It to the Streets

A journey through one of the world’s last, best travel secrets.

Sounds: Mali Blues from Sidi Touré

A journey into Morocco’s Berber territory, where tradition and modern life meet.

A journey into the ethnic neighborhoods redefining the City of Light

Explore crafts, food, and music in the West and Northwest of Ireland on this weeklong trip.

If you’re interested in buying (or browsing) musical instruments in Istanbul, then head to Galip Dede Caddesi in Galata, between Istiklal Street and the Galata Tower. Here you’ll find an enormous range of percussion instruments such as darbukas, davul, frame drums and symbols; stringed instruments including the bağlama and saz; or Middle Eastern wind instruments like the mizmar. Western-style instruments are also available. If you have the time to shop around, it might also pay to visit the shops on Ataturk Caddesi in Unkapani, just down from the aquaducts in Fatih.

With Sea Organ and Sun Salutation, architect Nikola Bašić has created two spectacles that harness the beauty of Zadar’s famous sunsets. Sea Organ is a musical instrument fashioned from pipes and holes drilled through stone stairs that descend to the water. A kind of music—whistling, percussion, hypnotic sighs—is released as the sea sloshes forward and pushes air through the pipes. To grab prime seats on the steps, get there a half hour before the sun drops.

A stone’s throw away, Sun Salutation features a series of circles made from photovoltaic glass panels set into the pavement. The panels gather energy from the sun throughout the day, and come evening, lighting elements beneath the glass create a mesmerizing display that simulates the solar system. The solar energy collected by Sun Salutation also helps power the entire waterfront.

For three centuries, Costa Rica’s national theater has been an important cultural forum, and its beautiful structure is a designated national monument. Docent-led tours of the Renaissance-style building and its performance hall are highly recommended. If you’re making your way on your own, start from the architecturally eclectic entrance and its opulent neoclassical froufrou, then ascend the magnificent marble stairs to the mezzanine. Don’t miss the cedar- and mahogany-inlaid floor (much of the wood was sourced from Alajuela). Inside the auditorium, ceiling frescoes are arguably more impressive than even the profusely decorated balconies, awash in gilt. An in-house café serves brews from every corner of the republic. Hour-long matinees on Tuesdays, featuring top international artists, are a midday delight.

Once an encampment for Union troops during the Civil War, 12-acre Meridian Hill Park is now a central gathering space for friends and fitness enthusiasts. Running groups, yoga classes, and personal training sessions all meet at this urban hilltop park, no matter the season. Stroll around the perimeter to admire the 13-basin, Italian-style cascading fountain—the longest in North America—as well as statues commemorating figures such as Joan of Arc. In fair weather, join the hundreds who flock here over the weekends for picnics, impromptu sporting matches, and dog walking (and watching), as well as the Sunday drum circle whose rhythms have been sounding into the night since the 1950s.

With two buildings and a sculpture garden, the National Gallery of Art is a treasure-filled trifecta where each person’s gems will only be uncovered through an immersive day (or more) of cultural exploration. The West Building is a chronological history lesson of Western art that showcases masters including Leonardo da Vinci, Monet, and van Gogh. Continue through time by taking the moving walkway under the 41,000-LED Multiverse light installation to the contemporary East Building. Here, Alexander Calder’s largest mobile hangs from the atrium roof, works from Warhol and Pollack are featured, and Katharina Fritsch’s 15-foot blue rooster sculpture stands proud on the rooftop terrace. Back on the ground, the Sculpture Garden is the perfect place to reflect on the day.

Opened in 2007, Blue Frog is a theater, restaurant, club, and record label housed within an old textile mill. From a futuristic pod, you can watch live musical performances by artists such as composer and percussionist Talvin Singh. 91/(0) 22-6158-6158.

Opened in 1997, Nanta is the longest-running show in Korean history. Similar to Stomp, it’s a nonverbal musical that people of all ages and nationalities can understand. The comedic story follows a frantic kitchen staff as they prepare for an impending wedding banquet. In addition to impressive percussive performances with cooking equipment, the 90-minute show incorporates many opportunities for audience participation. It’s become so popular that it now plays at two theaters, one in Myeongdong and another in Hongdae. Each venue offers an afternoon and evening show, with a third added on weekends. It’s recommended that you buy tickets in advance as seats sell out quickly.