Not Swift Enough to get Tickets to the Tour Everyone is Talking About? Booking.com Shares 5 Lyric-inspired Places to Book Instead
Although all music has the ability to transport people to different places, few artists are as global as the 33-year old American pop superstar who kicks off the international leg of her world tour in Buenos Aires, Argentina this month. As a matter of fact, one-in-five (20%) of global travelers stated they have plans to travel during 2024 specifically to experience this once-in-a-lifetime concert experience that spans 17 years of music and ten eras. For those fans who were not ‘swift’ enough to snag tickets to her sold out international tour, we have uncovered five enchanting destinations behind the cultural phenomenon's iconic lyrics that can be booked through Booking.com
Georgia, United States
“He said the way my blue eyes shined put those Georgia stars to shame that night.”
Written by the then country-singer when she was a freshman in high school, the track on her self-titled debut album talks about her older high school boyfriend who was about to go off to college. Through the song, she shares how the breakup was inevitable and all the things she knows will remind him of her. First on this list, her favorite country artist, who the song was named after. Country music traditions, such as bluegrass, are intrinsically tied to the cultural fabric of the southern United States, especially in Georgia. What better way to experience “those Georgia stars” than under the Spanish moss in the resplendent city of Savannah? Filled with elegant townhouses, historically important spots and beautiful parks, the city acts as the perfect stage for any love story.
Where to stay: Built in 1892 by William Kehoe, a successful iron foundry owner, the Kehoe House is a 13-room bed and breakfast facing Columbia Square. Elegantly decorated rooms, with wood floors and antique chandeliers, transport guests back in time.
Visitors interested in taking in all of the historical sights Savannah has to offer can do so on a Guided Trolley Tour and Sightseeing Cruise through the city’s historical district, the Savannah River, and Old Fort Jackson. For those lovebirds, the Savannah Private Driving Tour is the perfect way to take in the city’s magic while in the backseat of a vintage car.
St. Tropez, France
“I’d be just like Leo in St. Tropez.”
Included as the fourth track on the singer’s 2019 album, this uptempo pop anthem assertively showcases the star imagining how she would be treated if she were a man. Touching on important topics in current-day society, the song makes reference to St. Tropez in the south of France as a symbol of power and equality. Once a sleepy and peaceful fishing village in the 1950s, it has since transformed into a sizzling and sexy destination. St. Tropez, elegantly situated on the Côte d’Azur, gives travelers the opportunity to enjoy some of the best things in life from glamorous bistros to hidden beaches.
Where to stay: Located in the center of Saint-Tropez on the famous Place de la Gendarmerie and a short walk from the harbor, Hôtel de Paris Saint-Tropez features a spa and a rooftop outdoor pool with a sun terrace. The decoration at this hotel is inspired by fashion and design from the 1960s and 1970s.
Traveling to the south of France for the holiday season this year? Enjoy the Magic Christmas Tour which will get travelers to feel the magic of the festive season on the French Riviera. For those wine lovers, this Private Wine Tour guides visitors to several wineries across the Côtes de Provence region. Other stops include visiting the villages of Ramatuelle, Gassin and Grimaud. Rosés,red and white wines galore.
Windermere, Lake District, United Kingdom
“Those Windermere peaks look like the perfect place to cry.”
Named after the United Kingdom’s Lake District, the song sees the artist writing an intimate love letter and introspecting on her time out of the spotlight. The track, escapist and heavily string dependent, also contains several references to her then British boyfriend of three years. A visit to northern England’s Lake District is a chance to come into contact with nature in its purest form, with endless pristine lakes, high mountain peaks and glaciated valleys. For travelers looking for extraordinary beauty and harmony or even seeking ‘auroras’, ‘red roses’, or ‘cliffside pools’, as penned by the singer, this region is the place to be.
Where to stay: Get the celebrity treatment with world-class service at Linthwaite House Hotel. The property is situated on a hilltop overlooking Windermere, making it the perfect base from which to explore the scenic surroundings. Guests can enjoy lake-view rooms, scenic trails, manicured gardens and even complimentary row boats.
Travelers hoping to explore the area’s villages can take advantage of the Six Lakes Spectacular Tour which includes stops at iconic sights such as Kirkstone Pass. Along the way, visitors will also have a chance to check out the Castlerigg Stone Circle, thought to be older than Stonehenge, and the charming village of Grasmere, famous for gingerbread and its ties to the poet William Wordsworth.
India
“Pack your dolls and a sweater, we’ll move to India forever.”
In one of the tracks of her eighth album the singer reflects on her early years in Pennsylvania and the pureness of childhood friendship. Over the course of three and a half minutes, with her upper register front and center, the song evokes sentiments of reminiscence, sentimentality, and wanderlust. India is referenced in the song as a far and exotic destination, almost representing a source of spiritual renaissance. Spirituality and tradition are integral themes throughout any traveler's visit to India, especially when visiting the city of Rishikesh. Even the British “Fab Four” traveled to Rishikesh in 1968 to take part in a Transcendental Meditation training course. This city, in the Himalayan foothills and on the banks of the Ganges River, is not only filled with temples and ashrams, but also traffic-free, alcohol-free and very vegetarian forward. For travelers seeking inner rejuvenation, energetic healing or meditation heaven, this is the place to go.
Where to stay: Just outside of Rishikesh, the Pilibhit House is a century old aristocratic noble house restored to kindle the four spiritual stages of life. The property overlooks the Ganges River and offers guests the possibility of partaking in traditional rituals during the evenings.
Travelers can drench themselves in the region’s spiritual offering through the Kunjapuri Temple Sunrise Trek Experience, a half day excursion to one of the thirteen Shakti Peeths of Goddess Shakti, or the Ginger Valley Village Trek, a light trek through the Kasmoli area and the chance to see locals farming ginger and other seasonal items.
Tupelo, Mississippi, United States
“The stars in your eyes shined brighter in Tupelo.”
The singer’s ninth studio album is a masterclass in storytelling. Through the fifteen tracks, the songwriter beautifully encapsulates a sense of nostalgia and daydreaming upon a mellow backdrop of indie folk and folk rock. The album’s eighth track tells the love story of two fictitious characters in Tupelo and is pure Americana in nature. Nothing epitomizes this music genre more than the King of Rock and Roll, who was born and raised in Tupelo. The northern Mississippi town, though quite small, is infused with music at every corner and offers visitors noteworthy historical and culinary attractions.
Where to stay: Hotel Tupelo is located on Main Street and within walking distance to all of the town’s attractions. Care to recreate the song's main character’s love story? Visitors can take advantage of the free bikes offered by the property.
For those visiting Memphis, this half-day Elvis Presley Birthplace Tour guides visitors to the modest, two-room home built by Elvis’ father where the King of Rock and Roll was born. Travelers will visit noteworthy locations connected to Elvis’ life including his elementary school, the church where he was exposed to gospel music and some museum exhibits.
*Travel Predictions 2024 research commissioned by Booking.com and conducted among a sample of adults who plan to travel for business or leisure in the next 12-24 months. In total, 27,730 respondents across 33 countries and territories were polled (including 1008 from Argentina, 1012 from Australia, 505 from Austria, 1001 from Belgium, 1002 from Brazil, 1009 from Canada, 1009 from China, 1002 from Colombia, 508 from Croatia, 504 from Denmark, 1011 from France, 1011 from Germany, 1016 from Hong Kong, 1004 from India, 510 from Ireland, 504 from Israel, 1014 from Italy, 1004 from Japan, 1009 from Mexico, 1014 from The Netherlands, 1015 from New Zealand, 500 from Portugal, 502 from Singapore, 1010 from South Korea, 1009 from Spain, 502 from Sweden, 507 from Switzerland, 504 from Taiwan, 1003 from Thailand, 502 from the UAE, 1007 from the UK, 1005 from the US and 1007 from Vietnam). Respondents completed an online survey in July 2023.