Getting the flavour of…
Ancient music in Georgia
Straddling what is now the border between Georgia and Turkey, the mighty Tao kingdom flourished briefly at the end of the Dark Ages, but 300 or so of its churches and fortresses still stand. To explore these extraordinary remnants of ancient Georgian culture and to hear some of the era’s sublime polyphonic vocal music, take a tour with the American musicologist John Graham, says Celestine Bohlen in The New York Times. A keen hiker, Graham leads you through the region’s stunning, wildflower-strewn mountains to the monasteries where this music was first notated in the tenth century. The tour also includes concerts in restaurants and tea rooms in cities such as Kars, Yusufeli and Tbilisi – but more “haunting” still are the impromptu performances you’re likely to hear in the storied but little-visited churches themselves. John Graham Tours (+995 599 365 372, www.johngrahamtours.com) has a 12-day tour from £1,940, excluding flights.
Flying from pub to pub in Oz
Popping out for a pint isn’t always easy in the Top End, the wild northernmost part of Australia’s Northern Territory. In fact, the region is so sparsely populated that a good pub crawl can easily extend to almost 200 miles. Step in, Airborne Solutions, says James Litston in The Independent – a local outfit that provides helicopters and pilots expressly for this purpose. Setting out from Darwin, you might visit five establishments in a day, swooping over spectacular terrain en route – mangroves and eucalyptus forests, river floodplains and coastal shallows where crocodiles lurk. Highlights include the “lovely” Crab Claw Island Resort, the waterfront Goat Island Lodge, and Darwin River Tavern – a “proper dive bar” ideal for people watching. Airborne Solutions (+61 8 8972 2345, www.airbornesolutions.com.au) does full-day tours from £455pp.
A stylish Cornish farm stay
Stylish, yes, but still dealing in “earthy” fun for toddlers, Bosinver offers a “unique take on a family farm stay”, says Ian Belcher in The Times. With the feel of a charming West Country hamlet, its comfortable, individually designed houses and cottages sprawl across 30 acres of gardens and fields near St Austell in Cornwall. The facilities include an indoor pool, a tennis court and a zip wire; activities range from riding to feeding the farmyard animals. There’s also a Wild Kids Club, where children can model creatures from clay, hunt for centipedes or toast marshmallows. Further afield, the local attractions include Padstow’s National Lobster Hatchery, and seal-spotting boat rides that leave from Mevagissey. Bosinver (01726-72128, www.bosinver.co.uk) offers four-person rentals from £565 a week.