The Hottest Places in the World to Visit This March
As we head into autumn many of us are looking for ways to keep that holiday feeling going. From a multi-Michelin-starred Modern Nordic restaurant holding residence in Japan to the 20th anniversary of a beloved international comedy festival, here are the best places to visit this March.
The ultra-glam Ritz-Carlton lands in Melbourne
The hotel brand most synonymous with luxury finds a new home in Melbourne this March. Standing at 80 storeys, The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne is officially Australia’s tallest hotel. On the highest floor, guests will find the hotel’s restaurant, Atria, led by executive chef Michael Greenlaw – who has helmed Bibendum, Gilt and Vue de Monde– and culinary advisor Mark Best, with a focus on hyper-local produce. The 257 guest rooms and suites will feature marble bathrooms, custom-made leather and velvet furniture. There’s also a heated indoor infinity pool with sweeping views of the city.
While you’re there, don’t miss the National Gallery of Victoria’s Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos, Muse exhibition which finishes up mid-April. The showcase is a celebration of the critically acclaimed designer’s contributions to fashion, with more than 120 garments and over 80 artworks on display. Follow it up with the award-winning musical & Juliet at the Regent Theatre. The show rewrites Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet giving the once-tragic female protagonist power over her own destiny, all set against a bombastic soundtrack of remixed pop anthems (expect tracks by the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson and more), lavish costumes and thrilling choreography.
The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne will open this March
Noma launches a pop-up in Kyoto, Japan
When Copenhagen’s three-Michelin-star restaurant, Noma, announced that it would be shutting its doors after 20 illustrious years, at the end of 2024, culinary enthusiasts and critics wondered what would fill the void. Chef René Redzepi was quick to assure Michelin enthusiasts that Noma would continue as a pioneering test kitchen along with an occasional pop-up restaurant. That promised first residency will take place this month at the Ace Hotel in Kyoto, Tokyo.
In keeping with Noma’s commitment to utilising unexpected seasonal ingredients, the kitchen of 95 will source ingredients from local farmers, hunters, fishmongers and foragers, showcasing their signature innovation with respect to local kaiseki-style cuisine.
Noma Kyoto will run between 15 March and 20 May
Introducing Brisbane’s inaugural Night Feast
Night Feast, a decadent festival of the culinary and contemporary arts, will take over the Brisbane Powerhouse this month. A selection of Brisbane's top chefs will showcase their signature dishes along with a complementary menu of immersive art installations and musical performances. Go for Hoy Pinoy’s James Meehan, who will showcase the open-fire cooking methods used in traditional Filipino cuisine that his wife and restaurateur, Regina Meehan, learned in childhood; and stay for chef Adam Wolfers, whose award-laden Gerard’s Bistro will present its contemporary Middle Eastern dishes created with locally sourced ingredients.
This non-profit event, produced by the museum and with the support of Brisbane City Council, is the first of what will become a biannual event.
The inaugural Night Feast will run between March 1 to 26
Laugh out loud at the 20th Glasgow International Comedy Festival
The Glasgow International Comedy Festival will celebrate two decades of performances from the best comedians from Scotland and the world this month. The jam-packed program showcases more than 380 shows at 37 different venues across the city, with headline acts including local funnyman Frankie Boyle and double Emmy award nominee and Ted Lasso star, Nick Mohammed.
Expect everything from ’80s singalongs, drag queen wine tastings, children's entertainment, comedian rap tours, magicians and more; and be assured of getting from one gig to another with ease, as First Bus, Greater Glasgow’s official bus network, is partnering with the festival to offer free transport to festival goers.
Glasgow International Comedy Festival will run between 15 March and 2 April
Get Festive in Valencia at Las Fallas
So beloved and significant that UNESCO has declared it as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, Las Fallas in Valencia, Spain, must be experienced at least once. Named after the wooden and papier mâché sculptural monuments that decorate the town’s squares and streets for the duration of the festival, the event dramatically culminates in the carefully constructed fallas or fallero monuments being set ablaze on the last evening in front of spectating crowds.
Since the 18th century, bonfires have been lit during March to signify the start of spring and, coinciding with the celebration of St Joseph's Day (the patron saint of carpenters), Las Fallas will also fill the streets with concerts, parades and firework displays in the culmination of the festival, from 15 to 19 March.
Las Fallas will run between 1 and 19 March
Dive into Desert X 2023 in Coachella Valley
Art and nature converge with Desert X, which returns this month to its original site in Coachella Valley, USA, after presenting in Saudi Arabia last year. A grand-scale contemporary art exhibition that aims to present curated exhibitions of site-specific work by international artists, the immersive experience likewise intends to draw visitors’ attention to the expansive beauty of the desert.
Centring on a core theme, Desert X 2023’s co-curator, Diana Campbell, was inspired by the wider biosphere and how resources, water and energy have impact beyond our immediate localities. Visitors can expect this year’s exhibition to feature works by artists from London, Mexico City, Delhi and more.
Desert X 2023 will run between 4 March and 7 May
Opening of Six Senses in Rome, Italy
In what is set to be the perfect blend of Italian heritage and luxury contemporary comforts, Six Senses Rome is now taking bookings. Housed within the 18th-century UNESCO-listed Palazzo Salviati Cesi Mellini and just five minutes’ walk from both the Trevi Fountain and Pantheon, the hotel retains all its classic Roman charm while boasting of every possible premium amenity.
Guests can expect a spa with Roman baths and various treatment rooms; a state-of-the-art gym; a roof terrace with 360-degree, landmark-laden views of the Eternal City; an organic fruit and vegetable garden which partially supplies the hotel restaurant and more. Plus, the hotel is pet-friendly, so you can share the experience with your best friend, too.
Six Senses Rome will open this March