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The Battle of Kosovo was a rather obscure episode of medieval Serbian history, but which became a centerpiece of its own peculiar and complex mythology. The said mythology, in turn, has grown out of all proportions in retelling, and in modern times became centerpiece of Serbian nationalism of the worst kind. The so-called Kosovo Myth, or Kosovo vow has been a driving force in conflicts between Serbia and many of its neighbors, often with disastrous consequences for Serbs themselves. In our own times, it still serves to fuel the conflict between Serbs and Albanians, in what was once Yugoslavia’s autonomous province of Kosovo, and nowadays its own independent Republic.So brace yourself for an excruciatingly long, through and tedious answer, as I shall attempt to illustrate the development of Serbian legends and traditions around Battle of Kosovo, and their transformation into a nationalistic ideology, to which Serbian politics chained itself, and remains firmly so to this day.I. History behind the mythTo begin with, there was no region of Kosovo as such in medieval times, only a number of individual localities bearing that name. “Kosovo” is a very old and common Slavic toponym, originating from the word *kosъ, meaning “blackbird”; and as you may well imagine, the “[place] of blackbirds” was only a too common name for a number of plains, meadows, moors and heaths, scattered all across the Balkans. In Croatia alone, I can think of several dozen localities variously named Kosova, Kosovac, Kosovača, Kosovica, Kosović, etc. In fact, the earliest record of that name comes from the late 12th century legend about the death of Croatian king Demetrius Zvonimir. Supposedly, it was in a place called “five churches in Kosovo”, where he announced to Croats they’re about to go on a crusade, and then got stabbed to death by a disagreeing assembly.The particular Kosovo field which came to be the most famous of all the various Kosovos, and in modern age gave its name to this entire region, is a long karst plain on Sitnica river, practically in the very heart of the Balkans. Its fame stems from the fact that in 14th and 15th centuries, it was the site of not one, but two medieval battles between Christians and Turks.^ Map of modern-day Kosovo with its main localities.I said Christians, because in both cases, the army opposing Ottoman advance was composed out of various Christian lords and their retinues, and not just of Serbs. The first battle, fought on 15th of June 1389, saw the Ottoman army of sultan Murad I pitted against the coalition of two most powerful Serbian nobles, prince Lazar Hrebeljanović and his son-in law, Vuk Branković, together with Bosnian duke Vlatko Vuković Kosača, Croatian viceroy Ivan Palisna, and possibly some Hungarian and Albanian lords as well.However, as it’s usually the case with events at the heart of myths, what actually happened in this battle is fairly obscure. The only thing certain is that both Murad and Lazar, as leaders of their respective forces, perished in it, and both armies eventually retreated from the field. Contemporary Christian sources tried to spin this as a victory for their side, and went into a full propaganda mode to glorify fallen Lazar and his warriors as martyrs, who gave their lives to defeat the Turkish menace.Fortunate, most fortunate are those hands of the twelve loyal lords who, having opened their way with the sword and having penetrated the enemy lines and the circle of chained camels, heroically reached the tent of Murad himself. Fortunate above all is that one who so forcefully killed such a strong warlord by stabbing him with a sword in the throat and belly. And blessed are all those who gave their lives and blood through the glorious manner of martyrdom as victims of the dead leader over his ugly corpse.Coluccio Salutati, Florentine humanist in a letter to Tvrtko I of Bosnia, from 1389. [1]And such an united and countless multitude, together with a good and great lord, of courageous soul and firmest faith, as onto a fair hall and arousing feast, rushed onto the enemy and trampled the true serpent, and slayed the wild beast and a great enemy, and the insatiable Hades devouring all: the great Murad and his son, the spawn of asp and adder, the whelp of lion and basilisk, and along with them quite many others. Oh, wonders of divine destinies!Oh friends! This courageous martyr was caught by the lawless Saracen hands, and he took well the end of his suffering, and a martyr of Christ became the great prince Lazar. For he was cut down by none other, than by the hand Murad’s son, that butcher.And all that was said here transpired in the year 6897 [1387 A.D.], in 12th indiction, on 15th day of month of June, on Tuesday, in 6th or 7th hour. I don’t know, God knows.Stefan Lazarević, Lazar’s son, in memorial to his father, c. 1404. [2] [3]…There rose the czar of all East, of Ishmael’s sons, named Murad; and taking all of Greek and Bulgar land, he rose with countless multitude: sons of Saracens with Tatars, Karamanids with Sarukhanids, Greeks and Bulgars and Arvanites. That one [Murad] marched forth with godless nations, and this one [Lazar] would not allow the destruction of godliness. And there was a battle between them, and in this battle the infidel tyrant fell by the sword in the middle of the field, body and soul, with many of his godless soldiers; but one of his sons remained. And toward the end of this battle - I do not know what to say in truth about this, whether he [Lazar] was betrayed by one of his own or whether God's judgment was fulfilled in this - he [Bayezid] took him [Lazar] in his hands, and after much torture he himself cut off his venerable, God-fearing head.unknown author of an early Lazar’s hagiography, c. 1405. [4]^ 16th century French tapestry from Château de Chenonceau, depicting the Kosovo Battle as Christian victory: the central figure of Orthodox patriarch prays with Lazar’s family and knights in the foreground, while in the background the elephant-mounted Turkish army retreats, persecuted by avenging angels.What is much better historically attested, and much more interesting, is what happened after this battle. Lazar’s death created a power vacuum among Serbs, which his surviving son-in-law, Vuk Branković, sought to fill with the backing of Hungarians. To thwart Branković, Lazar’s widow, princess Milica, allied herself with the Turks, and made her son Stefan Lazarević vassal to the new sultan Bayezid. This was paralleled with the split in Serbian Orthodox church after the death of old patriarch Spiridon in August of 1389. Each of two sides now backed their own claimant for a new patriarch, but Lazarević’s man cleverly proclaimed the fallen prince Lazar a saint, and thus legitimized himself and his patron, as heirs to a divinely ordained ruler. It worked, and by 1396, Lazarević became ruler of all Serbia under Ottoman overlordship, while Branković was captured by Turks, and perished in sultan’s prison.Mind you, this was nothing unusual at the time. During late 14th and early 15th century, a whole bunch of Christian lords in Balkans were allies or vassals to Ottomans, because Turkish power was a game-changer in any of their feudal squabbles. Furthermore, Stefan Lazarević was in fact a pretty damn good ruler, whose cultured reign brought a sort of a mini-renaissance to Serbia. He considerably expand his father’s domains, strengthened Serbia internally by dealing with unruly nobles, and even upgraded his title from Slavic knez to Byzantine despot, all the while trying to remain on best terms with various Ottoman sultans.^ The Italianate fresco of despot Stefan Lazarević, from his fortified monastery of Manasija.Things went downhill for Serbs after Lazarević was succeeded by his rebellious nephew Đurađ, the son of Vuk Branković, who tried, without much luck, to balance his loyalties between Hungarians and Ottomans. When the Turks preemptively overran his lands in 1430s, the unfortunate Đurađ joined the ill-fated Crusade of Varna, which not only failed against Ottomans, but devastated Serbian lands worse than the Turks did. It was in the aftermath of this crusade that the second battle of Kosovo occurred in 1448, about whose outcome there is far less ambiguity: Christian forces lead by Hungarian regent John Hunyadi were decisively defeated by the Ottoman sultan Murad II. The Serbian despot, however, didn’t participate in this battle of Kosovo; rather, in its aftermath he captured the fleeing John Hunyadi, and attempted to extort from him war reparations for his ravaged lands. This made both the Hungarians and Ottomans hate the poor Đurađ Branković and, long story short, by 1459 carved his realm between themselves. All that remained of once prosperous Serbian Despotate was subjugated into the Ottoman Sanjak of Smederevo.^ Because of his failed shenanigans after the second battle of Kosovo, Đurađ Branković (second from the left in the family photo above), was labeled by Hungarians as a traitor to the Christian cause - an idea which will become an important element in future Kosovo legends.II. Origins of the mythThere were three main lines in early development of Kosovo myth. The first and earliest was canonization of fallen prince Lazar as a saint and a martyr, which came as a result of power play between two rival families ruling Serbian despotate: the aforementioned Lazarevićs and Brankovićs. Stefan Lazarević had his father expressly canonized, and made him a central figure of his state-sponsored cult, precisely to legitimize his own rule. On the other hand, Đurađ Branković sought to backtrack on a lot of that religious imagery, and carefully avoided naming Lazar as a saint in his various inscriptions. This, in combination with the bad reputation he earned himself among Hungarians, lead to the development of legend about a Christ-like saint Lazar, and a Judas-like traitor Vuk Branković (Đurađ’s father, as pater familias of the opposing line), who abandons his master on the field of Kosovo to the Turks.^ Relics of prince Lazar, in his monastery of Ravanica, where they were transferred in 1989, during the celebrations of 600th anniversary of Kosovo Battle.The second line came from the Turks, among whom a rival tradition of Murad’s martyrdom was developing. However, the idea of sultan dying in a fight against what were at first vassals, and then conquered subjects, came to be increasingly seen as an embarrassment. Therefore, Ottoman historians started to backtrack on a lot of that early Christian propaganda - particularly on the idea that Murad was killed in thick of an action by a heroic charge - and developed their own story about what really happened on Kosovo:7119: The knights on horseback chased away the enemy / Only remained the shah [Murad] and a few of his slaves.7120: He stayed there so the returning soldiers / could find their chieftain.7121: Covered in blood from head to toe / apparently, an infidel was lying there.7122: Hiding among the bodies / he saw Ghazi Khan clearly.7123: By fate he stood up where he was lying / Jumped and struck the shah with his dagger.7124: At that moment the Sultan graced by God / who was a Ghazi, became a true martyr.Taceddin Ahmedi, Iskendername, c. 1410. [5]Nearby, an infidel by the name of Miloş Kübile approached the khan [Murad] dragging his spear and with his hat in his hand. The ghazis stopped him. But the infidel said: “Go and tell him that I have come to kiss his hand and bring him good news.” They held the Serb with his son. Ghazis stepped back when it was announced: “They are coming”. When that infidel came close, he turned his spear and struck the khan. They left Beyazid [Murad’s son] by his side. On the other side, Yakub Çelebi [Murad’s other son], had dealt defeat on the infidels. They came and said to Yakub Çelebi: “Your father summons you”. When he entered the tent, they made him like his father [i.e., dead]. They brought the Serb and his son and killed them there.Aşıkpaşazade, Tevârîh-i Âli Osmân, c. 1470. [Ed. M.A.Y. Saraç & K. Yavuz. Istanbul: Gökkubbe. 2018. pp. 102 & 332.] [6]It is said that the infidel army was defeated and an incomparable amount of infidels were put to the sword. The ghazis chased the broken infidel. Even Murad Ghazi Khan had entered the battle thinking he would be martyred. But the infidels were defeated. No sign of martyrdom made itself manifest to him. He was surprised. As he rode among the lying corpses with a few companions, an infidel approached. He was called Miloş Kopile. The accursed was brave and warlike. He put it into his head: “I will be famous among the Serbs, I will kill the lord of the Turks” and hid a dagger on his person. When he was approaching with this intent, the ghazis knocked this infidel to the ground and wounded him. Wounded and bloodied, he hid among the corpses. Ghazi Murad Khan approached him, and this infidel got up and staggered towards the sovereign. The sergeants wanted to finish him off but Ghazi Murad Khan showed him mercy. He said: “If he has a purpose, let him approach”. That accursed was hiding a dagger by his side. He came and pretended to kiss the Sultan’s stirrup, and immediately stabbed the sovereign. İzâ câe’l-kaza amye’l-basar. [a proverb directly quoted from Arabic, meaning: When an accident comes, the eye turns blind] Death was fated for him. Immediately, the bird of his soul flew to paradise like an angel. He was an absolute ghazi. He became a true martyr. The infidel was cut to pieces.Mehmed Neşrî, Kitab-ı Cihan Nümâ, c. 1510 [Ed. F.R. Unat & M.A. Köymen. Ankara: Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi, 1949. p. 305] [7]And here I’d like to make a short pit-stop, to thank my fellow scholar and gentleman Yagiz Ozyol, for graciously providing me with these references, as well as their English translations.^ Thanks, dawg!Anyway, to return on topic. One can clearly see here the evolution of Turkish story about Murad’s death: from what was at first almost an accident in battle, to the killer then being given a name and a more elaborate plan, to the final account, which transports the entire episode after the battle has been squarely won, and gives minute details about what the killer was like, what he thought, how he got past the guards, etc.Thus from Turkish anti-propaganda was born one of the most important characters of Kosovo myths, the knight avenger nowadays known as Miloš Obilić, but in earlier times variously referred to as Kopilić, Kobilić, or Kobilović. Interestingly enough, some people went on to speculate whether that particular surname - otherwise next to unknown among Serbs - might have been of Albanian origin. Kopil in Albanian has an archaic meaning of “servant, slave”, but can also mean “illegitimate son, bastard”, and consequently “sly, clever, devious person” (as in “Clever bastard!”) - which all fit rather well into Turkish descriptions of Murad’s assassin. On the other hand, in Slavic languages, kobila means “mare, female horse”, and Kobilić would therefore be “son of mare” - not a very fitting surname for a heroic avenger. Consequently, from 18th and 19th centuries, Serbian writers began to drop the initial K inherent in earlier records, to produce the more modern and proper-sounding Obilić.^ Murad’s tomb in the middle of Kosovo plain, containing his internal organs. One of the oldest surviving Ottoman monuments in the Balkans, it was vandalized sometime during 1990s, and restored to its present form in 2005.Finally, the third line of development came from Catholic populations in Dalmatia and Dubrovnik, which by now became the Christian frontier against Ottoman empire. It was in this kind of siege-mentality that the the leitmotif of an “end of an empire” developed, with Kosovo becoming the ruin of once glorious Slavdom in the Balkans. The historic memory of two Kosovo battles got merged into one (made all the more easier by the fact that, in both of them, the enemy sultan was named Murad), with the clash of “czar Lazar and czar Murad” from the 1389 battle tied immediately to the dismal outcome of 1448 battle, and the fall of Serbian despotate (which became “Serbian empire”, and therefore, mutatis mutandis, “Slavic realm”). The later was, coincidentally, the title of 1601 chronicle by Dubrovnik’s historian Mavro Orbini, in which we really get the earliest written version of Kosovo myth; but his account drew heavily on earlier records by Dubrovnik’s noble Ludovicus Tubero and Slovene diplomat Benedikt Kuripečić. Consequently, Orbini’s Il Regno de gli Slavi became the main source for 18th century Istoriya Slavyanobolgarskaya (“Slavic-Bulgarian History”), written by a Bulgarian orthodox monk and national revivalist saint Paisius - but who established himself in the Serbian national monastery of Hilandar on Mount Athos.More importantly, Catholic influence is seen most clearly in the date of the battle. The 1389 battle of Kosovo, by all accounts, occurred on 15th of June. In Orthodox calendar, as I’m sure you all don’t know, this is the day of minor prophet Amos. In Catholic calendar, however, 15th of June is the day of a well-known Sicilian martyr, Saint Vitus. The later is almost unknown in Orthodox countries, but enormously popular among Catholics, and especially among Catholic Slavs. In Dalmatia in particular, the cult of Saint Vitus is so all-present, that you can hardly swing a dead goat around without hitting a church, chapel, village or a hilltop named Sveti Vid, Vid, Vidov, Sutvid, Suvij, etc. The fact that the Serbian folklore remembers the day of Kosovo battle as Vidovdan - “The day of Vid”, i.e., Vitus - while at the same time Saint Vitus as such is next to unknown among the Serbs, indicates pretty strongly that this particular tradition came from their Catholic neighbors.^ A random mountain peak in Dalmatia.Consequently, Vidovdan will became Serbian national holiday by the end of 19th century, and Serbian Orthodox Church will officially incorporate it into its liturgical calendar in 1896 - but not as the feast day of its namesake saint, but as “Celebration of All New Martyrs of the Serbian Land.” Of course, due to discrepancy between Julian and Gregorian (i.e., Orthodox and Catholic) calendars by that time, what is 15th June in liturgy will came to be 28th June in real-time. In other words: Serbs will come to celebrate the memorial day of Kosovo battle 13 days after the actual date of battle.III. Synthesis^ Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, the last grand vizier of Suleiman the Magnificent and de facto ruler of Ottoman empire in period between 1566 and 1579, was a descendant from the Bosnian Serb clan of Sokolovići.The medieval Serbian Patriarchate, with its seat in the monastery of Peć, was effectively abolished after the fall of Serbian despotate in 1459, and the Ottomans put the Serbian lands under jurisdiction of the Archbishopric of Ohrid, in what is nowadays (North) Macedonia. That would change by 1555, when a series of South-Slavic grand viziers one came to rule the Ottoman empire, one after another : Croatian Rüstem Pasha Hirvati, Bosnian Ali Pasha Semiz and the famed Serbian Mehmed Pasha Sokolović, whose brother (or uncle? or cousin? or possibly no relative at all?) Makarije Sokolović came to be the first new patriarch of newly restored Serbian Orthodox Church.Now, lest some people still entertain old victimization narratives about this, allow me to quote an old answer by one of Quora’s best and brightest, on what was the general status of Orthodox Church under the “Turkish yoke”:Within the empire, the Ottomans repurposed the Church as part of the bureaucracy, and gave it over to the reactionary, anti-Latin elements that had all along disliked the Paleologue status quo.The millet-system gave the Church much more power over Christians than it had ever held in Roman times … and in turn raised the authority of bishops to great heights. The “mitre” worn by Orthodox bishops is actually a version of royal crown - implying a semi-royal authority - that would never have been tolerated by the Roman Emperors; and the title still popularly held by Greek bishops - Despot or Dominus, the title assumed by the deified emperors after Diocletian in the 3rd century - was similarly unthinkable before Ottoman rule.Dimitris Almyrantis, How much of the Byzantine culture and tradition was adopted by the Ottomans after the 1453 conquest? [8]Among the Orthodox Slavs, likewise, the term for bishop became vladika, meaning “ruler”, which in old Church Slavonic texts was a title for the emperor or Christ himself.In other words, Orthodox Church was part of religious apparatus of Ottoman state, tasked with organizing and ruling its Christian subjects; and the newly founded Patriarchate of Peć, financed by a series of wealthy Slavic viziers, was no exception. It was given vastly increased authority and jurisdiction - much greater than it ever had under various medieval Serbian states - and was in turn tasked with keeping all of its Christian subjects in line, ensuring they pay their taxes and do not rebel. For all practical purpose, the Patriarchate of Peć was a Slavic vassal state inside the Ottoman empire, with Patriarch as its ethnarch.^ Ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Peć’s Patriarch under the Ottoman rule; essentially, he was given reign over all Orthodox subjects in the western reaches of the empire, as well as the title “Patriarch of Serbs and Bulgarians”.It was this incarnation of Serbian Orthodox Church that created Kosovo Myth, but not in a way or for reasons you may think. Far from lamenting the fall of medieval Serbian realm, or calling for liberation against Turks, the original version of Kosovo myth actually sought to legitimize Ottoman rule, and deter rebellions and uprisings against it. The Serbian clergy knit various traditions about Kosovo battle(s) into a coherent if not unified story, infused with a subtly Christian message of "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and unto God what is God's" (an advice which, coincidentally, Jesus gave when asked a trick-question if it was OK for God’s chosen people to pay taxes to a godless empire.)Thus, the saintly prince Lazar (whose title was already being upgraded into “czar”) became a Christ-like figure, and Kosovo battle his Calvary, complete with the Last Supper he held in preparation of it. The historic figure of Vuk Branković became his Judas (who will hand his master to the Turks) and the legendary character of Miloš Obilić his St. Paul (who will carry on his master’s struggle, sword in hand). One the eve of battle, troubled like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Lazar receives a vision from the holy city of Jerusalem, in which Prophet Elijah and Virgin Mary offer him a choice: fight in the upcoming battle and defend your earthly kingdom, or perish in battle and win the kingdom of heaven as a martyr.And when czar heard those words,He thought all kinds of thoughts:"Dear God, what and how now?Which kingdom shall I choose?Shall I kingdom of heaven?Shall I kingdom of earth?If I choose the kingdom,choose the kingdom of earth,the earthly is a fleeting kingdom,but heavenly is always and forever.”Czar choose the heavenly kingdomrather than the earthly kingdom,and fashioned a church on Kosovo -built not on bedrock of marble,but of pure silk and scarlet,and he summoned the Serbian patriarch,and twelve high lords bishops,and had the army partake communion.And as soon as prince gave orders,The Turks descended on Kosovo.Vojislav Djurić, Antologija narodnih junačkih pesama [9]^Prince Lazar’s last supper, by 19th century Serbian painter Adam Stefanović.Note how the choice of heavenly kingdom is equated with foundation of the church, built not on “bedrock of marble”, but “of pure silk and scarlet”, (i.e., the vestments of clergy), and in presence of Patriarch and twelve lord-bishops (vladike). Lazar thus willingly chooses to abandon his earthly power as a ruler, and meekly goes into the battle against sultan, knowing it will be his doom.However, the sultan is no longer the bad guy here! Gone is the Murad from early Christian sources, “the spawn of asp and adder”, the “infidel tyrant” “marching with godless nations”, seeking only to destroy all that is godly. The Murad of Kosovo epics became a sort of Pontius Pilate of Lazar’s passion, an imperial overlord whose main concern is the maintenance of law and order:Czar Murad on Kosovo fell;and a tiny scroll he wrote,and sent it to Kruševac-city,onto knees of Serb-prince Lazar:“O Lazar, of Serbia head,never there was nor can be:One land with two masters;one flock paying twice the taxes.We cannot both reign,So send me keys and taxes,Gold keys of all the citiesAnd taxes worth of seven years;And if you do not send me that,Come to the field of Kosovo -and we’ll divide the land by sword.Vojislav Djurić, Antologija narodnih junačkih pesama [9]These are the verses which would resonate strongly with any medieval peasant or serf, who more than anything dreaded the state of feudal anarchy, “one land with two masters”, where various competing lords would force him each to “pay twice the taxes”, with no supreme ruler in sight to rein them in. So Murad’s arrival on Kosovo is that of a long overdue imperial authority, who wants to impose a clear-cut hierarchical order, by violence if need be, and end the state of confusion where the common people (Turkish: rayah, literally “flock”) are unsure who their real shepherd is.^ Sultan Murad, by the Internet.The mythical drama thus set is resolved with saintly czar Lazar winning the kingdom of heaven, and becoming the martyr of Serbian church, the visible form of that kingdom; while the earthly czar Murad takes over the earthly kingdom of Serbia, emptying a whole can of whoop-ass on its sinful nobility in the process. And to further hammer the point of how “earthly is a fleeting kingdom”, Murad gets stabbed shortly after by the avenging Miloš Obilić. But note now what final words another Serbian poem puts into the mouth of dying sultan:Turks, brothers, comrades and vezirsI die, and the empire falls to you!So that your empire may endure long,Do not be cruel to the flock,But be very good to the flock.…Do not levy fines or special taxes.Do not impose grief upon the flock.Do not touch their church;Neither its law nor its observation.Do not take revenge upon the flock,Just because Miloš has cut me.For that was military fortune,And one cannot win an empireWhile smoking tobacco on a mattress.…Watch over the flock as if they were your own sons;In that way the empire will last you long.But if you begin to oppress the flock,You will then lose the empire.Alexander Greenwalt, Kosovo Myths: Karadzic, Njegos, and theTransformation of Serb Memory [10]Another poem ends with a dying Murad praising his killer Miloš for his loyalty and courage, stating how, if he could overcome his wounds, he would make him a member of his own retinue - implying a transfer of warrior’s loyalties (the essence of “earthly kingdom”) onto a new master. A third poem ends with a long description of Lazar’s and Murad’s funeral, making a point how two “czars” ought to lie side by side - a potent symbol of translatio imperiii from old Serbian to new Ottoman dynasty.So in conclusion, the original Kosovo myth, which emerges from Serbian epic poems, developed under patronage of Serbian Orthodox Church from 16th to 18th century, had pretty much the opposite meaning of the one the later-day nationalists infused into it. Instead of a national loss to be mourned (and avenged), the symbolism of Kosovo was that of a feudal vow to be honored. Far from calling a crusade to liberate Serbs from Turks, it actually sought to accommodate Serbs and Turks living side by side; the “earthly kingdom” of war, trade, taxation and feudal loyalties now ruled by Turkish “czar”; and the “heavenly kingdom” of saints and monasteries, sacred traditions and communal laws, managed by the autonomous Serbian patriarch. It was a lot more complex and contradictory world than what the later-day reuductionists, writing national(istic) historiographies, made it to be; and for all its faults and cruelties, it nevertheless was a world in which Christians and Muslims could and did coexist in peace.And, to give final credit where it is due; while the Serbian Orthodox Church was the first to mythologize Kosovo battle, it was also first to deconstruct those myths. When in 19th century nationalism began to rear its ugly head, it was the Serbian Orthodox priest Ilarion Ruvarac who emerged as one of the first and finest of Serbian critical historians. In his studies he repeatedly pointed out: a) how epic poems and folk songs simply cannot be used as valid sources for reconstruction of past they purportedly describe, and b) how those poems weren’t a product of any kind of Serbian volksgeist, but top-down creations of literate clerics, whose preaching formed the basis of oral tradition.^ Consequently, Ilarion Ruvarac often got slandered by his 19th century contemporaries as an “enemy of Serbian people”. Which ties rather nicely into the final part of this study...IV. Metamorphosis^ Prince Eugene of Savoy: vanquisher of Turks, defender of Christian Europe, liberator of Belgrade and, by all accounts, the biggest moffie of his day.The beginnings of early modern Serbia are to be found in great wars fought between Ottomans and Habsburgs at the turn of 17th to 18th century. It was in 1718 that above mentioned princess Eugene of Savoy conquered Sanjak of Smederevo, and established in its place the short-lived Kingdom of Serbia as an Austrian vassal state; the Ottomans will reconquer it in 1739, but they will never again manage to subjugate it. Various Austrian-inspired rebellions will continue in that territory through much of 18th and 19th century, until at last, Principality of Serbia will emerge as an independent, internationally recognized state in 1878; and with Austrian backing, became a Kingdom again in 1882.The Orthodox Patriarchs in Peć, however, didn’t fare well through those tumultuous times. Being forced to balance their loyalties between Ottomans and Habsurgs, they found themselves in the unfortunate shoes of the old despot Đurađ Branković. The Ottomans thus had their office abolished in 1766, and put Serbian church once again under the rule of more reliable Patriarch in Constantinople. However, several patriarchs managed to escape to Austrian (or better said, Hungarian) territory before that happened, leading large populations of their flocks with them. The Habsurgs accepted them and settled them in the area of modern-day Vojvodina, (literally: “Dukedom”) and confirmed them their old privileges of ethno-religious self-rule (although they had the patriarchal title demoted to that of metropolitan, whose seat now became the town of Sremski Karlovci).^ The map above illustrates political situation through much of 18th and 19th century, when effectively two Serbias existed, on the frontiers of their respective empires: Habsburg and Ottoman.People like to forget their history, or to project onto it their contemporary prejudices and ideologies. After two world wars, Iron Curtain and two Yugoslavias between them, hardly anyone cares to remember that Panslavism was originally an Austrian movement; that the Slavs were the first, last and fiercest line of defense of Habsburg monarchy, often more loyal to the venerable empire than its German, Hungarian or Italian subjects; or that Austria essentially built modern-day South-Slavic nations (with possible exception of Bulgarians), together with their common language (which should rightly be called Viennese language, because that’s from where it really originates). Serbia was no exception; its emerging 19th-century national intelligentsia were all Austrian-educated, German-speaking bourgeois, mingling with their like-minded Czech, Croat, Slovenian or Slovak counterparts in saloons or coffee-houses of Vienna, Prague and Budapest.It was among these circles that the Serbian linguist and a language reformer, Vuk Stefanović Karadžić, from 1820s onward began to publish volume after volume of South-Slavic folk songs (whom he all labeled as Serbian). In his native (Ottoman) Serbia, his publications were banned on account of being potentially too political; and furthermore, his linguistic reforms were attacked by the Orthodox church, on account of them making the literary church language obsolete (in one of his publications, Karadžić complains how they accuse him of making the language sound too Croatian, i.e., too Catholic). A small part of Karadžić’s voluminous collection were by now half-forgotten Kosovo epics, which captured the imagination of one of his numerous pen-pals: the German-speaking, Czech-born Jew Siegfried Vitezslav Kapper (real name Isaac Salomon). This physician-turned-politician, poet and Panslavist, in 1851 published his opus magnum:Or, as it became known when it was translated from the original German into Serbian: the epic poem “Lazarica”. Here’s what one contemporary Croatian writer (himself also a German-speaking Slovak by origin) wrote in review of this masterpiece:We do not doubt that in Serbian nation there once existed a complete oral poem known as “Lazarica” … But what little of that Vuk managed to uncover was, unfortunately, just a few fragments. To reconstruct from those beautiful excerpts the entirety of poem on the basis of living national tradition - that was obviously the task which the poet Kapper set for himself; and the way in which he resolved it gives it all the rights of original poem, composed with magnificent epic plasticity. Not the least of her features is that the supplemental divination and fresh original spirit by which it is embedded, allow it to be considered a true folk poem, greatly surpassing all similar attempts, even of Serbian poets. Had Kapper written his “Lazarica” in Serbian, he would reap the glory of giving Serbs their national epic.August Šenoa, review of Kapper’s “Furst Lazar” in 1865. issue of “Slaevicher Blatt” [11]Kapper was essentially a Serbian Tolkien: on the basis of real knowledge of folklore and epic tradition, he wrote a new mythology which immediately inflamed the imaginations of Serbian literate class. The original Kosovo myth, as any real myth, never existed as a single, unified piece of literature; only as individual songs and poems which all alluded upon parts of communal narrative everyone understood back then. Kapper rectified that with his “Prince Lazar”, and created for Serbs an unified, literary Kosovo story, centered around ideas of national liberation, medieval Christian heroes, and struggle against Turkish oppression.Again, this was nothing unusual at the time: it was the same process which saw Swiss-born German romantic Johann Jakob Bodmer dig up half-forgotten medieval legends about Nibelungs, and rework them into a “German Iliad” of Nibelungenlied, which gave Germans their national unification, Wagner’s antisemitic operas, two world wars and Stab-in-the-back myth between them. The Serbs - and indeed, the Slavs - of Habsburg monarchy were only keeping up with general 19th century zeitgeist, which saw folk traditions, ancient histories, neopagan romanticism, revolutionary fervor and imperialistic ambitions mixed into a toxic quagmire of blood-and-soil nationalism.Kapper started working on his “Prince Lazar” in 1847, and that very year two other Slavic epics were published in Austria, packing an equally charged ideological message. The first was the ”The Mountain Wreath” by Montenegrin “founding-father”, the prince-bishop Petar II Petrović-Njegoš. It is a poem about a series of massacres, purported to have occurred in aftermath of Great Turkish War of 1683–1699, when the Orthodox Montenegrins rose to kill a whole lot of their Muslim neighbors. Njegoš presents this as liberation of Montenegro from “Turkish yoke”, and glorifies those Montenegrins of old as descendants of medieval Serbian heroes, who survived the battle of Kosovo and fled into mountains to continue the good fight. In particular, Njegoš reinvents the character of Miloš Obilić as a sort of an all-Serbian revolutionary hero, who forfeits his own life to assassinate the tyrannical sultan, and thus avenge his conquered people.^ Fresco of Miloš Obilić, as a Byzantine warrior-saint, in the halls Serbian Monastery of Hilandar - but it was added there only in 19th century!The second epic was The Death of Smail-aga Čengić, written by Croatian poet, politician and future viceroy Ivan Mažuranić. That poem lauds contemporary Montenegrin struggle against Turks, which culminates in their killing of Bosnian lord Smail-aga in 1840. In reality, Smail-aga was by all accounts a just and noble Turkish lord, whose death at the hands of what were essentially Montenegrin brigands was denounced as foul play even by many Christians at the time. Yet Mažuranić spins his story to portray Smail-aga as a power-mad tyrant, and his murderers as oppressed rayah who finally had it enough. The battle-cry he put into mouths of his rebel heroes - “Za krst časni i slobodu zlatnu!” (“For the revered cross and golden liberty!”) - became the favorite motto of Serbian nationalists, well into 20th century.Such proliferation of anti-Turkish, pro-Slavic epics in the middle of 19th century was hardly a coincidence. It came as a result of a deliberate Habsburg policy, which nurtured the rise of South-Slavic, and particularly Serbian nationalism as: a) a counterweight to its much more troublesome Hungarian counterpart, and b) a stepping stone in its Drang nach Osten policy of reconquest of Ottoman Balkans. When in 1878 by now Austro-Hungarian empire occupied Bosnia, the imperial armies, lead by Croat-Serb duo of general Josip Filipović and lieutenant field-marshal Stevan Jovanović, were marching under the tune of symphonic overture “Kosovo”, written by a Slovenian composer Davorin Jenko (otherwise also the author of Serbian anthem, ”Bože pravde”). That same year, Principality of Serbia finished its final war for independance, which resulted in expulsion of possibly as much as 70 000 Muslims from its newly liberated territories. All this lead, in the aftermath of 1878 Berlin Congress, to territorial reorganization of Ottoman empire, where its westernmost province (other than Bosnia, which was now effectively in Austrian hands) became the ill-named Vilayet of Kosovo.^ Even though the vilayet was much bigger than modern-day Kosovo, including the territories of what today is North Macedonia and south Serbia, it was nevertheless the first time that the Kosovo became a name of clearly-defined political region.This gave the emerging nationalistic myth its geopolitical aim: Kosovo was no longer just a symbol in epic poems, a lost battle to be avenged, but clearly-cut geographical reality, whose (re)conquest was to bring about resurrection of once glorious Serbian empire over Balkans. The early 19th century ideologues of Serbian expansionism didn’t so much as mention Kosovo in their political plans; but by the end of 19th century, Serbian political elites became obsessed with it. The Serbian satirist Radoje Domanović, writting in 1902, described Serbian society as traumatized by the loss of Kosovo as it pretty much still is today, with political parties rallying their followers against the vile Arbanasi (i.e., Albanians) massacring Serbian infants over there.Not that such massacres weren’t really happening, mind you! But the point is, the driving force and dividing line in - by today centuries old - Serbian-Albanian conflict wasn’t one of ethnicity or demographics, but of religion. A significant number of Kosovar Albanians were descendants of early 19th century Slavic Muslims, who, when confronted with national liberation policies of “Convert or die!”, fled and merged into the nearest ethnic groups which shared their religion, bringing their grudges with them. And when Serbia finally conquered Kosovo Vilayet in Balkan wars of 1912 and 1913, instead of trying to integrate those people (the way that Austria-Hungary, to its credit, managed to do with Bosnian Muslims), it attempted to carry out, in the words of one noble Serbian soldier witnessing those events, “the premeditated murder of an entire nation.” This attempted genocide, and the following subjugation of Albanian Muslims, is very much at the root of present-day conflict over Kosovo sovereignty.By that time, of course, Serbian nationalism will come to backfire spectacularly into Austria-Hungary’s face. In 1881, Dual Monarchy and Serbia forged an alliance which essentially made the later into a Habsburg vassal state; and the said alliance lasted for almost quarter of century, until the bloody May Coup of 1903, when the pro-Austrian royal family of Serbia was murdered by its army officers. Thus, as it once again turned out, fueling of pseudo-religious extremism into a developing proxy state in hopes it will serve in your imperial machinations was somethingwhich.Never!WORKED!WELL!!!^ Some completely unrelated pictures.But with the proverbial jinn of Islamophobic nationalism already out of the bottle, there was no stuffing it back anymore. With Austria-Hungary turned against it, Serbia found new western allies in France, Great Britain and ultimately USA, who all began to pour gasoline onto the flame of Kosovo myth with the advent of WWI. Dozens of publications about Kosovo were published among Serbian emigres in America; Kosovo epics were being translated into French; Great Britain was celebrating Vidovdan (on the customary wrong date of 28th of June) in St. Paul’s cathedral in London, in a service presided by the Archbishop of Canterbury himself. The pro-Yugoslavian Croat sculptor Ivan Meštrović was touring the world during those war years with his exhibition about Kosovo myth, for which he made sculptures of various characters from Kosovo epics, as well as a model of a huge temple that would house them all, a church “dedicated to the religion of ultimate sacrifice.” This piece of neopagan lunacy was fortunately never built, but it shows how close the Kosovo myth was to becoming a Serbian state religion.^ Meštrović’s temple was modeled on the cathedral in Dalmatian city of Split, itself a former mausoleum of Roman emperor Diocletian - a fitting symbol of imperial state-worship.ConclusionAs for the question of what could have been, I have no answer. But it can be said with some certainty that the history of Serbia and Serb society would have taken a different course, if hundred years ago its elites were more interested in consolidation of state and society, rather than in territorial expansion. With Pyrrhic victory in Balkan wars of 1912/1913, Serbian state loaded itself with baggage it never managed to deal with. Serbia could have been a highly developed country. There certainly was a potential for it. But it was sacrificed in the name of “Great idea”, which in 1990s turned Serbia back for an entire century.Holm Sundhaussen, Istorija Srbije od 19. do 21. veka [12]The fuel for that “Great idea” was the nationalistic myth of Kosovo battle: of ruin, revenge and rebirth of once glorious Serb empire. In a sense, that myth found its fulfillment in calamity of WWI, during which the Kingdom of Serbia was practically destroyed, and a terrible amount of Serbian lives was lost - only to be reborn after the war as the much greater Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, i.e. Yugoslavia, in which all the dreams of Serbian nationalist finally seemed to be fulfilled.But, as it is usually the case with nationalistic myths, the reality turned out a lot bleaker than the glorious visions. Serbs soon found themselves practically trapped inside their new state, outnumbered by and unable to control all of its other ethnicities, none of which was too thrilled about being shoved into this surrogate Serbian empire. Worse yet, the Serbs now became surrogate Turks in liberation myths of other Yugoslav nations; and all the means and methods they used in their own national liberation against “the Turks”, would soon be used against them with vengeance.Thus, by mid-20th century, two options now presented themselves to the Serbs: the first was to deconstruct the entire edifice of Kosovo myth, through critical study of historiography and ethnography, and tone down on political myth-making all across the board, for the sake of tolerable coexistence with other nations inside the common Yugoslav state. Arguably, that was kind of being done through the ‘50s, ’60s and ‘70s, when more critical research on the subject of Kosovo battle and medieval Serbian history was being produced.The second was to crank up Kosovo myth up to eleventh, and use it once again as a fuel for conflict in which Serbs would try to take as much as possible of Yugoslavia, and finally turn it into an ethnically pure Great Serbian state. This is the option for which Serbian leadership under Slobodan Milošević opted in late 1980s; and the frenzied nationalism which arose on the 600th anniversary of Kosovo battle in 1989 (celebrated, again, on the wrong date of June the 28th), is now rightly seen by historians as the beginning of end of Yugoslavia, and the ensuing wars in which Serbia lost everything it could, including Kosovo itself in the end.^ Gazimestan (“The place of heroes”), on the field of Kosovo itself, where a massive rally was held on 28th of June 1989, when Slobodan Milošević made his infamous speech about how Serbian people are once again to face battles - ”not armed ones, although such cannot yet be excluded.” The monument is inscribed with the so-called Kosovo curse, supposedly uttered by prince Lazar himself:Whoever is a Serb and of Serb birthAnd of Serb blood and heritageAnd comes not to fight at Kosovo,May he never have the progeny of his heart!Neither male nor female;May nothing grow that his hand sows!Neither red wine nor white wheat.Aside the obvious fact that historic Lazar never said anything like that, this curse is in fact a nationalistic reworking of an authentic Serbian folk poem, whose original record from 1813 reads simply:Whoever will not fight at Kosovo,May nothing grow that his hand sows,Neither the white wheat in the field,Nor grape vines in the hills.In conclusion, what’s really tragic is the complete moral and cultural degradation one can trace through the development of Kosovo Myth. For all their ahistoric fantasy, Kosovo epics produced by the Serbian Orthododx Church in 16th and 17th centuries had nevertheless a deeply Christian message. Faced with the dilema of loosing his territory or loosing his soul, the legendary prince Lazar opts for the former, and becomes a saint for it. He rather chooses to die in battle than “repay evil with evil” to his enemies; and this self-sacrifice redeems his people before their conquerors, securing them a place inside the new imperial order. The nationalist ideologues turned this morale on its head, and made Kosovo myth a story not of remission and redemption, but of victimization and revenge. Instead of seeking the kingdom of heaven, everything is sacrificed for the kingdom of earth, no matter how fleeting or corrupt it turns out to be.^ 18th century engraving of saint Lazar, depicting him as a cephalophore, i.e., a head-carrying martyr, the likes of which were popular in Western Christianity.

The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2019Šolta, CroatiaThe jewel of the Adriatic Sea, Croatia is home to more than 1,200 islands, but travel between them has long been dictated by expensive yacht charters and sluggish public ferries. In 2018, that’s set to change, now that UberBOAT, from the popular ride-sharing app, has launched on-demand transfers and private tours along the Dalmatian Coast. Hit the high seas in the direction of Šolta, a hilly isle a mere nine nautical miles from Split (the second-largest city in Croatia).Often overlooked in favor of more-developed, splashier neighbors like Hvar or Brač, Šolta’s under-the-radar nature has proved a boon: The stony islet has become synonymous with pristine nature (pebbly beaches, turquoise waters, lush greenery), medieval villages, winemaking (try the indigenous Dobričić variety), and family-run olive oil purveyors like Olynthia, a fourth-generation producer. After watching the sun set at Maslinica bay, check out the island’s peppering of stylish beach clubs, seaside bars, and open-air restaurants — then drop your bags at the Heritage Hotel Martinis-Marchi, built inside an 18th-century Venetian fort-castle and ideally situated for those who want to explore Šolta’s ancient villages and crystal-clear bays.Greenville, South CarolinaOnce a sleepy second fiddle to Southern culinary powerhouses like Charleston and Nashville, Greenville is stepping into the limelight with hot new restaurants. The town will soon be home to an outpost of Sean Brock's heirloom-crop-focused Husk and a food-centric market hall called the Commons. Other recent additions include modern Italian spot Jiannathis link opens in a new tab from Michael Kramer (the opening executive chef of McCrady's in Charleston, pre-Brock) and the moody speakeasy lounge Vault & Vator. It's an impressive collection of quality restaurants for a city of just over 67,000.Those with a predilection for high-thread-count sheets will soon be able to luxuriate at the Grand Bohemian Hotel, a ritzy boutique property with Carolina charm. In the meantime, discerning visitors can bunk at the swank Westin Poinsett, a historic hotel that was rescued from the wrecking ball in the late '90s, laying the groundwork for Greenville’s great Southern revival.GrenadaGrenada, known as Spice Island, remains one of the Caribbean’s under-the-radar gems, even though it’s got what every traveler wants: uncrowded beaches, preserved rain forests, and a lively local culture and cuisine. The island, which was spared from last fall’s brutal hurricane season, is poised to attract new luxury travelers when the Silversands Hotel opens in March 2018. The first major resort to open on Grand Anse Beach in 25 years, Silversands will offer 43 rooms and suites, nine villas, and the longest pool in the Caribbean. After a recent renovation, the beloved Calabash Luxury Boutique Hotel is now part of Relais & Châteaux, only the fifth hotel in the Caribbean to be invited to join the celebrated hotel group. Getting to the island is a cinch — JetBlue added daily service from New York City last year, and Grenada is now a port of call for 33 new cruise ships — and visitors will soon have even more options for high-end stays, with Kimpton Kawana Bay and the Levera Beach Resort both in the works.Buenos Aires, ArgentinaThis year, Buenos Aires becomes a hub for art, sports, and politics: the inaugural Art Basel Cities program, the Youth Olympic Games , and the G20 will all take place in the city, beginning with the multi-year Art Basel initiative. Though the Argentinean capital is already home to an eclectic collection of galleries, Art Basel Cities promises to elevate Buenos Aires’ reputation in the global art scene by offering professional support for local artists, as well as lectures and workshops throughout the year to draw art lovers to the city.The project culminates in September with a week of public arts programming developed by Cecilia Alemani, chief curator of the High Line in New York. Then, in October, 4,000 teen athletes from more than 200 countries will flock to the city for the Youth Olympic Games. The southern Villa Soldati neighborhood has seen significant development in anticipation of the events, with new housing, parks, and sports venues that will breathe life into the area well after the Olympians return home. Should you miss out on the world-class athletes, drown your sorrows in a world-class meal. Tegui , an eight-year-old restaurant in trendy Palermo, was recently named one of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants — the first time an Argentinean spot has made the list in 15 years.Los Cabos, MexicoLocated at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, the two small colonial towns of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo have become the hottest vacation destinations in Mexico in recent years. With wide, pristine beaches, lively nightclubs, glam resorts, and a farm-to-table food scene, the oasis of Los Cabos is drawing tourists in record numbers. As a result, the hotel scene is booming, with a clutch of new developments and renovations completed this year along the Tourist Corridor, including the sleek Chileno Bay, an Auberge Resort, and a stunning beachfront Solaz resort.A new crop of five-star brands are coming in 2018, including the Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve , the Four Seasons Los Cabos at Costa Palmasthis , the Montage Los Cabos , 1 Hotel & Homes , and the first Nobu Hotel in Mexico. Foodies will want to make a reservation at Acre , a restaurant-farm from executive chefs Kevin Luzande and Oscar Torres, who are set to unveil 12 new treehouse guest rooms on site.Walla Walla Valley, WashingtonWith more than 300 days of sunshine each year, the southeastern corner of Washington state is home to three flourishing viticultural regions: the Columbia, Walla Walla, and Yakima Valleys. But in recent years Walla Walla has come into its own as the next must-visit destination for oenophiles, golfers, and cyclists. With more than 140 wineries producing European-style Syrahs, Cabernets, and Merlots, there’s no shortage of tasting rooms in the valley, which hosts four weekend-long wine events each year. The region gets its first high-end resort in February, when Va Piano winemaker Justin Wylie and James Beard Award–winning chef Jason Wilson open the 10-suite Eritage on a 300-acre plot north of the city of Walla Walla.Change is afoot in town, too: There are new tasting rooms from Barons , Bledsoe Family , and Nocking Point , and a historic building is set to open as the Penrose Walla Walla Hotel & Spa next year.UzbekistanAlthough the former Soviet republic might seem remote, Uzbekistan once sat at the very center of the world. In the first millennium, no traveler could pass from Asia to Europe without stopping in the Silk Road strongholds of Bukhara and Samarkand, and as a result these cities evolved into rich cultural centers. For intrepid travelers, today’s Uzbekistan is a promised land: a Muslim-majority nation that’s both safe and affordable, with few tourists and an abundance of well-preserved mosques and harems. And since the death of authoritarian president Islam Karimov last year, the new regime has taken steps toward reform that have given both Uzbeks and the international community reason for optimism. Improving relations with Iran could soon bring a rail link to the Persian Gulf, and in 2016, the Afrosiyob high-speed-train line began connecting the country’s major cities. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan should benefit from the so-called Iron Silk Road, or Trans-Asian Railway — a Chinese-funded network of routes knitting together Beijing and Europe — once a segment connecting the country through Kyrgyzstan is completed. Book a customized journey with Exeter International, which specializes in the region. —Heidi MitchellEgyptPolitical strife and economic woes have taken a toll on Egypt’s tourism industry in recent years, but travelers will soon have a new reason to visit. On the arid plains of Giza not far from the Great Pyramids, a modern monument is under construction that’s more than two decades and nearly $1 billion in the making. The Grand Egyptian Museum will showcase the finest treasures of the pharaohs — including the body and golden funeral mask of Tutankhamen — in a structure spanning nearly 650,000 square feet.In addition to more than 100,000 artifacts, including pieces currently stored in the vaults of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the new museum will sport a Modernist design courtesy of Heneghan Peng Architects. Chosen from more than 1,550 design proposals from architects in 82 countries, the final building will echo both the geography of the plateau on which it rests as well as the Pyramids themselves. When the museum partially opens in 2018, visitors in the immense atrium can soak in the majestic sight of both the Pyramid of Menkaure and the Great Pyramid of Khufu from a floor-to-ceiling glass wall.Marrakesh, MoroccoThe Moroccan city has attracted an artistic crowd since the 1960s, when everyone from Yves Saint Laurent to Mick Jagger fell for its vibrant sensory landscape. Now the city’s cultural scene is being reinvigorated, thanks to two landmark happenings in the world of art and design. First came last October’s launch of the YSL Museum — a striking geometric building next to the Jardin Majorelle, which Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Bergé, bought and restored in the 1980s. Then, in February, the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair will debut at the storied hotel La Mamounia . Marrakesh has had an art biennial since 2005 — the next is slated for 2020 — and the city is home to a number of well-regarded galleries. But the arrival of 1:54, which has editions in London and New York and draws names like Billie Zangewa and William Kentridge, is set to position the city as a hub for African art. There’s also hotel news. Oberoi is poised to open its third African property here, a lakeside resort surrounded by citrus orchards. And Royal Mansour has added a 6,450-square-foot pool flanked by seven air-conditioned cabanas.FijiIt’s no secret that Fiji is home to some of the world’s most spectacular scenery — powdery beaches fringed with palms, crystalline waters with colorful reefs, and rugged coastlines covered in greenery. But the islands’ new crop of luxury accommodations is making a case for the archipelago’s man-made phenomena as well. At the exclusive, family-owned Kokomo Private Island Resort, which is spread across 140 acres of dense tropical rain forest and white-sand beaches, guests will have their pick of 21 beach villas (among the most spacious in Fiji) and four hilltop residences featuring infinity pools and walled tropical gardens. If you’re a diver, you’re in luck: the Great Astrolabe Reef, which is teeming with kaleidoscopic corals and exotic marine life (like reef sharks, rays, and dolphinfish), is in the resort’s backyard. The luxury ante will only be upped in March when a Six Senses debuts on Malolo Island. Set on a private beach, the boutique property will offer the brand’s namesake spa and wellness offerings (including yoga, meditation, and nutrition and sleep counseling), plus a restaurant with ingredients sourced from the resort garden. Also slated to open in 2018: Nihi Fiji , from hotelier James McBride and Christopher Burch — the same duo behind Nihi Sumba Island, which Travel + Leisurereaders named the best hotel in the world for 2017.Albuquerque, New MexicoRising above its associations with the annual hot-air-balloon festival, Albuquerque will this year set out to prove itself as a fully-fledged destination. The Sawmill District, just north of the historic Old Town, is being revived as a creative center, anchored by the arrival of the Hotel Chaco. The design of this boutique property, which opened in April, is inspired by the state’s indigenous culture, with handmade Navajo wool textiles and pueblo-inspired motifs. Come spring, downtown ABQ will also see the arrival of a new entertainment hub: the $40 million One Central , which will have a sleek bowling lounge, as well as upscale stores and restaurants. And just outside town, visitors will soon be able to experience the striking Sandia Mountains in a nail-biting new way. The proposed Mountain Coaster, an alpine sled-style ride that plunges riders down the mountainside in a total vertical drop of 380 feet, is due to open this fall. Getting to Albuquerque is becoming even easier, thanks to new nonstop flights from major U.S. cities via Southwest, United, and Alaska Airlines.ZambiaUntil now, Zambia has had little recognition as one of Africa’s great safari destinations. Yet experts know it as the birthplace of the walking safari — as well as the home of some of the most highly trained guides on the continent. In South Luangwa National Park , visitors can expect to see more animals than baobab trees, while Liuwa Plain National Park is the setting for the world’s second-largest wildebeest migration, when tens of thousands of the creatures head across the plain from neighboring Angola. Last year saw the arrival of Liuwa’s first permanent camp: King Lewanika Lodge , a six-villa safari lodge overlooking a watering hole where hyenas and antelope gather.Archipelago Sea, FinlandFinland’s Archipelago Sea is the world’s largest, with 25,000 miles of shoreline and innumerable islands. Still off the beaten track for international tourists, who gravitate toward Helsinki in summer and Lapland in winter, the archipelago is the well-kept secret of the Finns, generations of whom flock to family-owned islands. And there’s never been a better time to join them, with increased airlift — including transatlantic flights on Norwegian Air starting around $350 — and a burgeoning food and beverage scene in nearby Turku, Finland’s medieval capital. (Start at the Kauppahalli, or market hall, where the salmon is as fresh and flavorful as a summer tomato.) The archipelago has a subarctic glamour, with eerie, sunlit summer nights and dark winter days, its rocky, tree-lined islands dotted with storybook wooden cottages. Hike, bike, or drive the islands; or hole up on one all your own.Colombia’s Pacific CoastSince the government’s 2016 peace deal with the FARC paramilitary group, memories of Colombia’s civil war have begun fading. As a result, new parts of the country are becoming accessible — among them the Pacific coast, which contains a once-dangerous strip of virgin beach and rain forest known as El Chocó. Regular commercial flights now connect travelers from Bogotá and Medellín to the fishing villages of Nuquí and Bahía Solano. From there, small boats run along the shore to chic eco-lodges like Punta Brava , which sits above two private beaches, and El Cantil Ecolodge , which is near surf breaks and a thermal spring. —Nicholas GillIguazú Falls, Argentina and BrazilTo better accommodate the millions who visit Iguazú Falls, a UNESCO site of 275 mighty waterfalls straddling the border of Argentina and Brazil, nearby Cataratas del Iguazú Airport is being modernized and enlarged. Within Iguazú National Park, the Ecological Jungle Train, which takes visitors on a 25-minute journey to the epic Devil’s Throat cascade, is converting from gas to environmentally friendly electric trains. Starting this February, travelers will be able to bed down at the long-awaited Awasi Iguazú resort where 14 rainforest villas will each have plunge pools and guests will have access to a personal excursion guide and 4WD vehicles. Expect visits to native Guarani tribes, river kayaking, and jungle treks led by a resident biologist. Selvaje, an upscale 12-room lodge, will also open early this year and will offer a menu of couple-friendly activities, from picnics to spa treatments. For the ultimate in romance, though, Argentinean travel outfitter Mai 10 (run by Travel + Leisure A-List Agent Maita Barrenechea) can arrange private dinners alongside the falls under the light of a full moon.Salina Island, ItalyOf all the islands that make up Italy’s Aeolian archipelago, Salina is arguably the most alluring: it is not yet a celebrity haven like its neighbor Stromboli, where Giorgio Armani, Domenico Dolce, and Stefano Gabbana have homes; and it’s not yet overrun with the luxury yachts of affluent soccer players like nearby Panarea. That the isle has stayed blissfully unspoiled for this long eludes those who know of its imposing natural beauty — steep mountains blanketed in blossoming trees and wildflowers, small villages speckled with olive and lemon groves, fig trees, and miles of terraced Malvasia vineyards. The Relais & Châteaux property Capofaro Malvasia & Resort is one of Salina’s finest places to check in to, thanks to its secluded location, private beach, Tasca d’Almerita wines, and restaurant spotlighting local flavors (think wild fennel, orange, and caper leaves). Once you’ve settled in, skip on over to the town of Lingua to watch the sun set on the Marina Garibaldi, and order the best almond granita of your life at the Da Alfredo waterfront café.MontenegroMove over, Croatia. Long overshadowed by its neighbor to the northwest, Montenegro is ready for the spotlight. The ancient city of Kotor is already attracting plenty of visitors, like the celebrities vacationing at luxurious boutique hotel Forza Terra , just outside the medieval walls, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of cruisers who’ve arrived with companies like Viking, Celebrity, and Princess. The swank marina Porto Montenegro is thriving in the formerly sleepy coastal town of Tivat, and the complex’s Regent hotel unveiled an expansion in 2017. Nearby, luxury development Luštica Bay is slated to open this summer, with plans for villas, a golf course, and a five-star Chedi hotel. Further west on the Bay of Kotor’s jagged coastline is the site of the country’s most anticipated arrival, the One&Only Portonovi, which will be the brand’s first European outpost when it opens this summer. Plans for the resort, situated on a 60-acre site overlooking the Adriatic, include 140 villas and residences, a tennis club, and a spa.Toronto, CanadaWith its recent 150th anniversary celebration, pop-culture cred (Drake, Ryan Gosling, and Justin Bieber have Canadian roots), and charismatic prime minister, the Great White North has finally begun to receive the international recognition it deserves — and Toronto has been preening itself for this lead role. Luxe properties and forward-thinking restaurants have been popping up across the city: there’s Queen Street’s historic Broadview Hotel , which reopened in the burgeoning East End with guest-room details like vinyl turntables and burgundy velvet drapes, and the stylish Bisha Hotel downtown, where the likes of Lenny Kravitz and celebrity chef Akira Back have lent their design and culinary expertise. In stereotypically modest Canadian fashion, Brothers Food + Wine — one of the city’s most exciting new openings — is housed inside a tiny, nondescript space just above the Bay Street subway station, but dazzles with seasonal dishes like crispy steelhead trout with braised gem lettuce and yogurt-and-caper sauce. Next up: in Spring 2018, the Museum of Contemporary Art will move into a century-old former factory in the Junction Triangle.Pyeongchang, South KoreaOver the past few years, South Korea’s Gangwon Province has shed its sleepy past and come into its own as a prime winter-sports destination — a transformation that will take center stage during the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics (February 9–25). Ahead of the big event, the region will debut a new high-speed rail line that will whisk travelers from Incheon International Airport to the resort town in just 70 minutes, making it easier to access the Taebaek Mountains’ panoramic pistes and tourist-friendly attractions. Powder hounds will want to lodge at the InterContinental Alpensia Pyeongchang Resort, which commands a prime location at the foot of the Alpensia ski slopes, steps from two Olympic-class runs, and is one of a handful of hotels built for the games. Break from all the outdoor action at the Ocean 700 indoor water park, complete with wave pools and tubing rides.San Antonio, TexasThis year is San Antonio’s 300th anniversary, and the city is marking the occasion with events, activities, and new infrastructure. Ahead of the festivities, there’s been a flurry of development: In the past few months, the botanical gardens completed an expansion; the city’s first food hall, the Bottling Department, debuted at the Pearl; and San Antonio’s iconic passenger barges got an upgrade, with colorful electric models replacing the old gas-fueled boats. In January, the city will unveil Confluence Park, an expanse of trails and science-focused education facilities near the convergence of San Pedro Creek and the San Antonio River. A commemorative week is planned for early May, with celebrations at each of San Antonio’s five missions and the dedication of San Pedro Creek Culture Park, a once-unremarkable drainage ditch that’s been transformed into a waterfront promenade with public art and performance spaces. Ruby City , a new David Adjaye–designed art center that will house more than 800 pieces from the Linda Pace Foundation Collection, is expected to be completed at the end of 2018. And boutique stays still in the works — including a Thompson Hotel and the third location of the Saint Hotel — hint that San Antonio’s heyday is just beginning.Valletta, MaltaA picture-perfect trio of islands lapped by turquoise waters, the Maltese archipelago has all the charm of nearby Sicily with far fewer tourists. Valletta, the tiny nation’s capital and a UNESCO World Heritage site, feels like something plucked straight from Westeros. The historic walled city dates back to 1565, and has a vibe that’s Mediterranean with a North African twist. This underrated destination is finally stepping into the global limelight as a 2018 European Capital of Culture. To celebrate the occasion, the city has planned more than 140 projects and 400 events throughout the year. The festivities begin on January 20, with contemporary dance, a choral symphony, and acrobatic performances across the city’s four main squares. Should you miss the grand opening, swing by in February for Carnival, or in June for the Malta International Arts Festival and the Valletta Film Festival .IrelandThe Emerald Isle has seen a rush of American visitors recently, spurred by favorable exchange rates and increased airlift. If you haven’t yet made the trip, now’s the time to go. Adare Manor , a hotel set in a grand 19th-century mansion on 840 acres of rolling County Limerick countryside, reopened in November after an 18-month overhaul. The picturesque estate now has a new 42-room wing, a redesigned golf course, and the first La Mer Spa in the British Isles. Ireland’s whiskey scene has been quietly blooming for the last decade, and recently historic estates have embraced the trend. In August, Slane Castle in County Meath opened its new distillery to the public, and later this year, the iconic Powers court Estate in County Wicklow will debut its own craft facility. In Dublin, Pearse Lyons, a wealthy Irishman with Kentucky-bourbon bona fides, recently opened his names akedistillery in the former St. James’s Church, and more whiskey destinations with visitor centers are soon to come from the Dublin Libertiest and Roe & Co. And now that Luas, Dublin’s light rail system, has finally completed its latest expansion, getting around the city is a breeze — the $433-million project has linked two lines and added new stops near many of the city center’s most popular sights.JordanHistory buffs and intrepid travelers have long been attracted to Jordan and its famous archaeological site of Petra, a “lost” citadel dating back 2,000 years. And despite political unrest in the broader region, the country remains a safe destination to discover the wonders of the Middle East. After playing out Indiana Jones fantasies amid the rose-colored, rock-cut façades of Petra’s famous landmark, Al Khazneh (the Treasury), set out to unearth the nation’s other historical attractions. In the lesser-known city of Jerash, 170 miles from Petra, you can see the ruins of an ancient Roman settlement, including the second-century Hadrian’s Arch, while in the protected desert wilderness of Wadi Rum, you’ll find some 25,000 rock carvings that trace the early development of the alphabet.Beyond offering a glimpse into ancient history, Jordan is also making a name for itself as a luxury destination. Hilton opened the Dead Sea Resort & Spa in March 2017, making it the first Hilton in the country. Located at the lowest point on earth, some 1,345 feet below sea level, the resort offers beach access, Middle Eastern cuisine, and treatments containing the mineral-rich black mud.Bangkok, ThailandThai tourism is as robust as ever: more than 21 million international visitors poured into the capital in 2016, making it the world’s most visited city. To accommodate all those arrivals, the metropolis is welcoming a bevy of posh new hotels in the coming year. The Waldorf Astoria Bangkok will have a spa, rooftop bar, and outdoor infinity pool overlooking the Royal Bangkok Sports Club, while the 155-room Bangkok Edition will open this summer in MahaNakhon, a towering skyscraper with a swirl of cubical cutouts wrapping around the building. Four Seasons and Capella both have properties in the works on the Chao Phraya Estate, a lush riverfront development that’s part shopping and dining destination, part tropical escape. The Michelin Guide will make its long-awaited debut here this year, drawing attention to one of the world’s most dynamic culinary scenes. And for art lovers, there’s a flock of brand-new multipurpose creative spaces to explore, including the Thailand Creative & Design Center, which just relocated to a former General Post Office on historic Charoen Krung Road; Warehouse 30, a series of World War II-era warehouses revamped by starchitect Duangrit Bunnag; and ChangChui , an immense complex of bars, shops, and restaurants constructed out of upcycled materials, including an airplane salvaged from the scrap pile.MauritiusU.S. travelers have historically overlooked Mauritius in favor of other Indian Ocean destinations like the Seychelles and Maldives. That could all change, though, now that this remote, idyllic island some 1,200 miles off the African coast has become easier to reach. A flurry of new airline services launched at the end of 2017: KLM began servicing Mauritius from Amsterdam, and British carrier Thomas Cook Airlines introduced biweekly flights in November. Upon arrival, travelers can take in dreamy lagoon views from the newly reopened One&Only Le Saint Géran, fresh off a multimillion-dollar renovation. Every room and suite now has a private terrace or balcony, marble baths with cascade showers, and sophisticated teak, stone, and leather accents. Guests can also look forward to updated dining experiences — like lunch spot La Pointe, which grills fresh-caught seafood over firewood and coconut embers, or open-air restaurant La Terrasse, which offers Mauritian specialties. Unchanged at Le Saint Géran is its aura of exclusivity, thanks to the resort’s unique position on a private peninsula jutting out from the island’s eastern shore.The Peloponnese, GreeceThe Greek highway system has seen several recent upgrades, with a new route making the 2,000-year-old olive trees and lesser-visited ruins of the Peloponnese, the country’s southernmost swathe of mainland, more accessible. Completed in late 2016, the new A71 highway from Lefktro to Sparta shaves off two hours of driving time from Athens, and has also connected the Lefktro region to nearby Kalamata Airport, about 90 minutes away. Meanwhile, ports have been expanded at Gytheio and Katakolon — the latter a stopping point for the Viking Star, which launched in 2014. Farming is still integral to the region, and agritourism resorts like Eumelia constantly refresh their food and wellness-themed workshops, in addition to serving local dishes like maniatiki pasta with dry mizithracheese, and moustokouloura, or cookies made with grape molasses. Goddesses seeking more temple-like accommodations should head to Porto Heli, on the eastern side of the Peloponnese, where everyone is talking about Amanzoe’s new Villa 31b, a serene space with grandstand views of the surrounding coastline that contains a unique installation by light artist James Turrell.São Paulo, BrazilWhile São Paulo’s concrete sprawl doesn’t offer the verdant beauty or mythic beaches of Rio de Janeiro, its thriving art and food scene has in recent years transformed what was once just Brazil’s financial capital into its cultural epicenter. Stroll the city’s gritty alleyways and avenues to see where celebrated street artists Os Gemeos and Eduardo Kobra got their start. São Paulo’s Art Biennial, which is second to Venice’s in longevity, kicks off in September 2018 and showcases contemporary talent, both international and homegrown. For a truly immersive experience into Brazilian fare, don’t miss Alex Atala’s D.O.M.t, named one of the best restaurants in the world. Atala champions native ingredients — from priprioca root to ants, often foraged from the Amazon region by the chef himself — and weaves them into his inventive dishes. The arrival of luxe hotel brands is another signal of the city’s burgeoning cosmopolitan status. The prestigious Oetker Collection, with only nine other properties (in glitzy places like Seychelles and the Côte d’Azur), recently opened Palácio Tangará, a gorgeously appointed mansion set in leafy Burle Marx Park, a welcome oasis from the city’s high-rises. The Four Seasons will also debut a new property in mid 2018, marking the brand’s first foray in the country.The Berkshires, MassachusettsLeaf-peeping and a thriving farm-to-table food scene (the country’s first CSA sprouted here) lure out-of-towners to the bucolic far western corner of Massachusetts. But the arts have long been their own major draw: Tanglewood, the Clark Art Institute, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival all call the area home, as does MASS MoCA, a popular modern art destination housed in a circa-1800s textile mill in North Adams.Last summer, the museum expanded its artistic footprint by over 130,000 square feet, making it the largest contemporary art space in the country. The new Building 6 houses long-term installations by artists like James Turrell, Louise Bourgeois, and Jenny Holzer. Two new museums are still in the works for North Adams, both spearheaded by former Guggenheim director Thomas Krens. At the Global Contemporary Art Museum, curators will work directly with artists to acquire and commission site-specific pieces, while the Extreme Model Railroad & Contemporary Architecture Museum will showcase works by the likes of Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid, all built in miniature as part of an elaborate model train system. Design is also top-of-mind at Tourists, a modern take on the roadside motel that’s set to open this summer. The resort — situated on 55 acres at the convergence of the Appalachian and Mohawk Trails — will have 48 rooms, each with floor-to-ceiling windows that put the focus on surrounding vistas.Luang Prabang, LaosLandlocked Laos might be quieter than Southeast Asian neighbors like Vietnam and Thailand, but 2018 could transform the country into the region’s next hot spot. Wattay International Airport, in the capital of Vientiane, is set to complete a terminal expansion to accommodate more international links next year, but the biggest changes are foot in the UNESCO World Heritage–inscribed town of Luang Prabang, in central Laos. This serene riverside spot lures travelers to its golden Buddhist temples, French-colonial architecture, hiking trails, nearby elephant sanctuaries — and now, glamorous new digs. Last year, the design-forward Azerai opened inside a century-old French-colonial building that was formerly an officer’s quarters. The debut concept from Aman Resorts founder Adrian Zecha has airy, light wood interiors that nod to local culture in their use of batik textiles and Laotian artwork. There’s also an 80-foot swimming pool in a tree-shaded central courtyard. The upcoming Rosewood Luang Prabang aims to be a destination in itself. Opening in mid 2018, this highly anticipated resort will feature pavilion-style villas, luxury tents, and a spa that seems to float above the jungle.New Orleans, LouisianaThe Big Easy turns the Big 3-0-0 this year, and in this city where the good times roll, the parties will be epic — think citywide art shows, supersized Mardi Gras parades, and a festival of lights using landmark buildings as backdrops. Thirteen years after Hurricane Katrina, there is much to celebrate: The Central Business District, once a dead zone after dark, now crackles at all hours thanks to four new hotels (the Ace, Troubadour, Catahoula, and NOPSI), each with its own rooftop bar. The neighborhood is also home to new restaurants like Maypop — a Vietnamese-Creole joint from acclaimed chef Michael Gulotta. Another area coming to life is the three-mile riverfront, where a renovated Spanish Plaza will reopen this spring. More riverfront updates, including a new Four Seasons Hotel, will roll out in the next few years. Toast the tricentennial at the Sazerac House, a French Quarter museum dedicated to the official cocktail of New Orleans, opening later this year.Boise, IdahoWith an exciting influx of new and revamped hotels, an up-and-coming restaurant scene, and a blossoming wine industry, Idaho’s capital city—traditionally known as a convention destination — has started to attract the attention of leisure travelers. Boise’s invigorated downtown is evidence of the trend, with the newly opened Inn at 500, a 110-room boutique property whose perks include balconies overlooking the capitol, and its on-site restaurant, Richard’s, owned by James Beard Award-nominated chef Richard Langston, leading the way. (Meanwhile, Hotel 43 and The Grove both recently unveiled swank renovations.) The city’s craft-beer scene continues to impress; one noteworthy newcomer is White Dog Brewing, whose rustic taproom features a 24-foot “frost rail” that keeps your beer, well, frosty. In other toast-worthy news, Boise has become a hub for Idaho’s growing wine industry. Oenophiles shouldn’t miss a stop at the new downtown tasting room of Coiled Wines. Owner Leslie Preston — a native Idahoan who sharpened her skills at Clos du Bois and Stags’ Leap in California — makes a spectacular dry Riesling. Getting there is easier than ever: to meet rising demand, American Airlines has launched new nonstop service from Chicago O’Hare, while Southwest now runs a nonstop from San Diego.Enrique Abe Takahashi/Courtesy of Design Week MexicoMexico City, MexicoThe city has cemented its reputation as a must-visit destination with its most recent honor: it’s been named 2018 World Design Capita, the first ever in the Americas. It’s no wonder: despite challenges like the recent earthquake, young Mexican creatives are no longer searching for opportunities abroad but staying to build something meaningful at home. Their success is evident in arts initiatives like Zonamaco and the Material Art, Fair in February, Design Week Mexico in October, and the Condo Fair, which will debut in Mexico’s capital in April. Aesthetes have plenty of design-forward places to stay and eat, too. Bed down at Downtown Mexico, the newest hotel by Grupo Habita, which plans to open another property, Catedral M X, nearby in 2018. Or book a room at the Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City, which unveiled an ambitious redesign by Gilles & Boissier in 2016. Dine at Enrique Olvera’s world-famous Pujol, which relocated last year to a mid-century house and has a fresh, pared-down look. The new space is outfitted in natural materials — a fitting design for a restaurant that celebrates wood-fired cooking.The BahamasThose who think they’ve seen and done it all in the Bahamas should think again. Baha Mar, the multibillion dollar hotel and casino development on Nassau’s Cable Beach, will be fully up and running when Rosewood resorts launches there this spring. (Baha Mar’s Grand Hyatt and SLSthis link opens in a new tab properties are already drawing visitors with their sophisticated, contemporary rooms.) On neighboring Paradise Island, the iconic Ocean Club resort is under new management with Four Seasons. And at Atlantisthis link opens in a new tab, the adults-focused Cove resort now has an outpost of Sip Sip restaurant, Julie Lightbourn’s Harbour Island favorite, while the family-friendly Coral Towers debuted a new lobby, guest rooms, and pool courtesy of star hotel designer Jeffrey Beers. And T+L’s World’s Best winner Kamalame Cay has added stylish beach bungalows — stand-alone suites that start at a whopping 450 square feet and feature private verandas and outdoor showers.Abu DhabiFor proof of Abu Dhabi’s burgeoning status as the cultural capital of the Middle East, look no further than Saadiyat Cultural District, which is quickly becoming a treasure trove of world-class art and groundbreaking architecture. The multibillion-dollar initiative has already resulted in one major project, the Jean Nouvel-designed Louvre Abu Dhabi, which opened in November. Though its construction was controversial, the museum has quickly become the premier creative beacon in the Emirates. Work is under way nearby on the Zayed National Museum, by Norman Foster; the Abu Dhabi Performing Arts Centre, by Zaha Hadid Architects; and the Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, which when completed will be the largest Guggenheim museum in the world. The city’s hotel-building campaign is also in full swing: this year Marriott debuted a 400-room hotel in the Al Forsan sports center, and next year will see the opening of the Abu Dhabi Edition and Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas.Shanghai, ChinaA century ago, Shanghai was China’s star city, a cosmopolitan center of art, technology, and finance. Today, it’s reclaiming that mantle, parlaying the economic boom that began in the 1990s into a world-class array of cultural and culinary attractions. On the West Bund riverfront, Tank Shanghai will transform disused oil tanks into a sprawling arts complex with a gallery, an education center, and parks when it’s completed later this year. Farther north, the Norman Foster and Thomas Heatherwick–designed Fosun Foundation, with its façade of shifting bronze cylinders, began hosting performances and art shows last fall. The North Bund is being redeveloped with a park linking it to a new lifestyle development that’s anchored by the city’s first W Hotel. In the residential Minhang district, Cordi debuted in May, and Amanyangyun will open nearby after relocating Ming and Qing dynasty buildings, as well as 10,000 ancient camphor trees, from Jiangxi province. More luxury stays are still to come in 2018, including the Middle House, the Bulgari, and the Edition.Copenhagen, DenmarkTravel to the Danish capital has jumped more than 80 percent in the past decade, thanks in part to René Redzepi’s influential Noma restaurant (slated to reopen in its new location in February), as well as Scandinavian Airlines’ ongoing flight expansion. Today, Copenhagen is teeming with inspiring places to eat and drink, in addition to a number of sleek new hotels — so much so that the New Nordic food, beverage, and design movement has now spread worldwide. Even before it debuted in July, Restaurant Barr — the beer-centric boîte by Redzepi and chef Thorsten Schmidt that occupies the old Noma plot — was already garnering international attention. Then there’s Apollo Bar & Kantine, the recently minted, design-focused restaurant in the Kunsthal Charlottenborg gallery from Frederik Bille Brahe, proprietor of hit café Atelier September. Brothers Mikkel Borg Bjergsø and Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø, of Mikkeller and Evil Twin Brewing, respectively, have in the last couple of years introduced the world to experimental Danish craft beer, and their brews can now be sampled at bars and beer halls across Copenhagen and beyond. Stylish new places to stay, such as Hotel Danmark and Sanders, as well as a revamp of the classic, Arne Jacobsen–designed Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, reinforce the reasons the Scandinavian aesthetic is so popular right now.Brussels, BelgiumVisitors may want to return to the Belgian capital in 2018 to visit two cutting-edge museums. The Millennium Iconoclast Museum of Art opened in the once-infamous Molenbeek district’s old Belle-Vue brewery this past spring, to showcase contemporary art from around the world. There’s also the Citroën Cultural Centre, a new collaboration with Paris’s Centre Pompidou, which will launch its first exhibition in May. The edgy JAM Hote, an industrial-chic property with exposed brickwork and concrete beams housed in a former art school, is the perfect place for culture-lovers to stay. Don’t leave town without paying homage to Belgium’s UNESCO-recognized beer culture at youthful breweries like Brasserie de la Senne or Brussels Beer Project, both of which are shirking brewing traditions in favor of more experimental microbrewery techniques.Mornington Peninsula, AustraliaIt’s easy to see why this outcrop of land just an hour’s drive from Melbourne has long been a weekend retreat for the city’s well-heeled residents. Rolling vineyards in its interior give way to seaside villages and sandy shoreline. Travelers can swim with wild dolphins, visit wineries on horseback, or soar above the landscape in a gondola. And with a new flurry of openings, the region has begun to attract global attention. The latest addition is Point Leo Estate on the peninsula’s southernmost point. Set on 330 acres, it combines a tasting room, a 110-seat fine-dining restaurant, and a sculpture park, with more than 50 works by Australian and international artists like George Rickey and Inge King. Its arrival follows the launch of Jackalope, a seductive, art-infused boutique hotel neighboring a working winery. Elsewhere, Peninsula Hot Springs, a day spa set amid geothermal pools, is slated to unveil seven new pools and a new treatment list in 2018.Mendoza, ArgentinaIt’s one of the world’s great wine capitals, and like any great vintage, Mendoza is only getting better with age. Start your tasting tour in the Uco Valley, where Casa de Uco vineyard-view eco-villas will debut this year. Head down the road to to Vines of Mendoza Winemakers’ Village for small-production wines from the likes of Corazón del Sol and SuperUco, and to dine at winery Bodega Monteviejo, where renowned Spanish chef Nadia Harón cooks up Mediterranean-tinged fare inspired by the wines. In Maipú, wineries like Club Tapizand Trapiche are giving visitors a true taste of the local terroir, using produce grown on the vineyard grounds in their restaurants. Back in town, plot your return trip over a pie at Francis Mallman’s year-old pizzeria, Orégano. With new direct flights from Lima, Panama City, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo, and low-cost carrier Norwegian Air plotting dozens of new routes, tacking a Mendoza stop on to your next South American itinerary will be a breeze.Big Sur, CaliforniaWhen historic rainfall pummeled California last February, the damage to Big Sur was severe. Mudslides cut off access to Highway 1, the region’s only thoroughfare, from the south; then a crack ripped through the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge, blocking the northern end. Almost overnight, this 90-odd-mile stretch of craggy coastline — long beloved for its sense of remoteness — became an island. Nearly a year later, Big Sur is stirring back to life. The bridge has been replaced and a major slide has been cleared. After an elaborate renovation, the 160-acre Ventana Big Sur has reopened as the first Alila property in the U.S. — and is a luxurious rival to Post Ranch. The place is a stunner, whether you’re facing a forested canyon from the pool or enjoying pink and orange sunsets from the terrace. In addition to the plush ocean-view suites, clad in weathered wood, there are now glamping tents nearby that marry rusticity and comfort, with amenities like luxury linens and fire pits.Tel Aviv, IsraelTel Aviv has attracted a lot of attention for its nightlife and creative culinary scene in recent years. These days its center of gravity has shifted south, to the site of the ancient port town of Jaffa (technically part of the city itself). This month, the Setai opens in a former Ottoman prison; a new W Hotel housed in a 19th-century former convent and pilgrims’ hospice is scheduled to open in March. It’s just the latest in a growing list of upscale hotels, restaurants, and boutiques to arrive among the winding streets of this former fishing village. Jaffa’s once-shabby flea market is now populated by a number of high-end antique dealerships, which sit alongside trendy cafés and bars — many offering live music into the night. Don’t miss Maskit, an iconic Israeli fashion house known for its embroidery that has been recently reincarnated after closing in the 1990s. Numerous interesting chefs have also set up shop among Jaffa’s churches, mosques, and archaeological sites. Try Beit Kandinof, a restaurant housed in a 17th-century building, where creative dishes like artichoke-and-pesto bruschetta are served alongside local art exhibits.Washington, D.C.The capital may be set on banks of the Potomac, but it’s never had a reputation as a great waterfront city. That could all be about to change, thanks to the $2.5 billion, 24-acre District Wharf, which opened in October just south of the National Mall. The shiny new InterContinental Washington D.C.-The Wharf offers access to the development’s new parks, music venues, 50-plus shops, and 20 restaurants — which include projects from area chefs like Fabio Trabocchi, Mike Isabella, and wunderkind Kwame Onwuachi. This is also set to be a banner year for culture: the Freer and Sackler galleries, sister museums that champion Asian art, recently reopened after a 20-month renovation, the National Gallery of Art will host the first-ever show dedicated to Cézanne’s portraits from March to July, and the Kennedy Center continues its inaugural season of hip-hop programming curated by Q-Tip.BaliAs Bali goes increasingly upmarket, it now offers visitors access to a buzzing food scene in Ubud, its cultural capital, as well as an island-wide luxury-hotel boom. The Ubud Food Festival, which is in its fourth year, showcases the diverse flavors of the Indonesian archipelago in dozens of events, including cook-offs, demos, talks, food tours, and events in new restaurants. Notable newcomers on the town’s food scene include Spice, a casual Asian-fusion restaurant from Chris Salans, formerly Bouley Bakery’s chef de cuisine and head chef at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon; Room4Dessert from Will Goldfarb, whose now-closed avant-garde New York eatery of the same name won him a James Beard nomination; and Moksa, a vegan café, bakery, and organic farm with its own grocery. Heading up the wave of new high-end hotels is luxury Japanese chain Hoshino Resorts,which unveiled Hoshinoya Bali, 30 thatched-roof villas in the rain forest outside Ubud. Capella Ubud will launch 22 ultra-luxury tents, each with an outdoor saltwater Jacuzzi pool, in early 2018. And Jumeirah Bali plans to debut 123 villas surrounded by tropical gardens in upscale Jimbaran in mid 2018. A two-year overhaul at Four Seasons Jimbaran Baymeans its villas will now have bigger bedrooms and better ocean views, while at Four Seasons Sayan in the Ubud rain forest, guests are being offered a new activity: being rocked to sleep in a silk hammock in a bamboo hut by an former Buddhist nun, the resort’s wellness mentor.Southern Sri LankaThough decades of civil war made parts of the island unsafe, tourism is on the rise in Sri Lanka, where international visitors exceeded 2 million for the first time in 2016. The momentum is particularly strong along the south coast, which has the highest concentration of hotels and resorts after Colombo. The 172-room Amari resort recently opened on the beachfront in Galle (known for its UNESCO-protected Dutch fortress) with ocean views from every balcony. Water also plays a central role at Alila Koggala, a new luxury eco-resort with 36 suites and private villas, opening 20 minutes outside of Galle in June. The property sits on the serene shores of Lake Koggala and will feature an ayurvedic spa where treatments can be taken on a platform floating on the lake. Further along the south coast, Mirissa Beach is attracting travelers in need of a full mind-body reset. The laid-back surfer town — think Venice Beach minus the tech crowd — comes alive at night with bars and barbecue restaurants overlooking the turquoise bay; when you’re ready to turn in, there are earthy, low-key lodges peppered throughout the jungle, such as Surf & Yogathis link opens in a new tab, which offers daily on-site yoga and private surf lessons.GreenlandCruise ships and luxe lodges are familiar sights in western Greenland, but more recently, the untamed tundra of the east has begun opening up. Natural Habitat Adventures is leading the push: two seasons ago it debuted Base Camp Greenland, a seasonal eco-lodge comprising eight rustic but cozy tented cabins, which visitors use as a home base for exploring East Greenland by boat, helicopter, and on foot. When you’ve had enough of the wilderness, return to the western shore. Upscale additions there include the glamping retreat Camp Kiattua, which has tipi-like tents with fireplaces and fur-draped furnishings, and the new Ilimanaq Lodge, which feels like the Arctic’s answer to the overwater bungalow. Each of 15 Scandi-inspired cabins feature floor-to-ceiling windows and oceanfront terraces for whale-watching and iceberg-spotting.Nagambie Lakes, AustraliaJust an hour and a half north of Melbourne, Nagambie Lakes is one of Australia’s oldest viticulture areas, with some vines dating back to the mid 19th century. This part of Victoria has long been considered a great day-trip destination for its outdoor activities — waterskiing, rowing, and sailing — and renowned wineries. Now there’s reason to linger, thanks to the November debut of the Mitchelton Hotel, a 58-room resort and spa at Mitchelton Winery. With its fine-dining restaurant, the Ministry of Chocolate, and 5½ miles of trails circumnavigating the vineyard, it’s the perfect base for a weekend in the region. Start your trip with a tasting on-site — Mitchelton is known for its Riesling — before venturing to other nearby wineries like Tahbilk, which has been producing quality vintages since 1861, and Goulburn Terrace, which specializes in natural wines. Other popular local vintners include McPherson Wines, David Traeger Wines, and Box Grove Vineyard.SloveniaEver since Tolminc raw-milk cheeses and Slovenian marbled trout were featured on an episode of the Netflix series Chef’s Table with chef Ana Roš, Slovenia’s culinary star has been on the rise. Hiša Franko, the Soca Valley inn and restaurant that Roš runs with her sommelier husband, is now one of the region’s hardest tables to get — prompting the pair to open a small brewpub, Hiša Polonka. Surging demand for Slovenia’s natural and orange wines has driven local winemakers like Burja Estate and Moviathis link opens in a new tab to expand. And in the capital of Ljubljana, adventurous chefs at Monstera, Atelje, and Restavracija JB are helping redefine modern Slovenian cuisine, while the experimental farm and eatery Gostišče Grič bhas brought in a Swedish celebrity duck farmer and full-time forager to create one of Europe’s most unexpected dining experiences.Edmonton, AlbertaAs Canada's token middle child, Edmonton has long gotten short shrift amid its glitzier sisters (we're looking at you, Toronto and Vancouver). But no longer — food and museum news is casting a spotlight on Alberta’s capital city. After stints at Noma in Copenhagen and Manhattan's Daniel, chef Scott Downey returned to his hometown to open the Butternut Tree in September, with a focus on indigenous foods — grilled bannock with wild mushrooms and winged kelp; bison served with Saskatoon berry jus; maple-butter cake with black-currant jam. We're waiting to make our dinner reservations until the new Royal Alberta Museum opens its doors. Designed by Dialog architects on the site of a former Canada Post distribution center, the 419,000-square-foot space will include Ice Age horse fossils and a dig pit for children. To experience Edmonton’s indie side, stay at Crash Hotel, an homage to the Ace, which opened last winter. Its themed Hi-Fi room walls are lined with vintage speakers, and hangover pills are at the ready in the mini-bar.Iya Valley, JapanKnown as the Tibet of Japan, the remote Iya Valley is tucked away in the mountainous interior of Shikoku, the least visited of the country’s four main islands. Tourism to the region took a leap forward when it hosted the World Rafting Championship in 2017 — putting its turquoise Class Four rapids firmly on the adventure-travel map. New ziplines and hiking trails are sprouting up in the canyons, while upgrades have been made to accommodations in the area’s traditional thatched-roof farmhouses, or minkas. Chiiori House is the most luxurious; the property also maintains an excellent portfolio of more affordable options.Bayreuth, GermanyThis German town lays claim to not one but two of the world’s greatest opera houses. Most music lovers know about the acoustically perfect Bayreuth Festspielhaus, built in 1876 by composer Richard Wagner as the home for his summer music festival. But the city also contains the grandest Baroque theater in the world, the Margravial Opera House, built between 1744 and 1748 by Princess Wilhelmina of Prussia. Named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2012, the theater has been closed for repairs for the past six years. It reopens in April 2018 with a performance of Artaserse by the 18th-century German composer Johann Adolph Hasse. Bayreuth also makes an excellent starting point from which to explore the rest of the region, famous for its hundreds of Bavarian biergartens and vineyards producing internationally renowned Franconian wines.

Here Are All the Major Music Events Canceled Due to Coronavirus (Updating)Billboard has compiled an ongoing list of major concerts and events that have been postponed or canceled due to the outbreak.As the disease continues to spread, live event organizers have been canceling or postponing large gatherings from technology conferences to major concerts.Cancellations Announced in MarchMarch 12 - Billie Eilish announced that her Where Do We Go? tour dates for the rest of the month have been postponed. "I’m so sad to do this but we need to postpone these dates to keep everyone safe. We’ll let you know when they can be rescheduled. Please keep yourselves healthy. I love you," she wrote.Taylor Swift was scheduled to headline Capital One's JamFest in Atlanta on April 5, as part of the 2020 NCAA March Madness Music Festival. The event has been canceled, following news that the Division I men’s and women’s 2020 basketball tournament is also not happening.Nonprofit Christopher Street West announced on Thursday (March 12) that all events related to this year's LA Pride have been postponed.Amoeba Music canceled all in-store performances for the rest of March.The Grammy Museum made the decision to close through March 31, 2020, which includes all Public Programs, on-site Education Programs and guided tours.Harlem's Apollo Theater is canceling all public programs such as WOW - Women of the World Festival, Amateur Night at the Apollo, School Day Live, Historic Tours, Live Wire, Apollo Comedy Club,and Apollo Music Café events through April 4. Additionally, the Apollo Theater and African Film Festival’s Africa Now! concert featuring Oumou Sangaré on Saturday, April 4 has been postponed until the fall.Reba McEntire shifted her spring tour to a summer kickoff, and will now begin on July 9 in Huntsville, Alabama. “For the safety of everyone, we have decided to postpone our new arena tour until July,” she said. “All tickets will be honored for the new dates. Most importantly, stay safe and take care of you and your loved ones. We’ll get through this together.”Pussy Riot postponed their Santa Ana tour stop Thursday evening until the fall. "dear all, due to safety & health reasons the show in SANTA ANA today is not happening, it's postponed and will happen in the fall, all tix will be valid," the punk bank tweeted. "stay tuned for more news about the tour. stay safe!"STYX is rescheduling concerts from March 13 to March 28.The Allman Betts Band canceled the rest of their scheduled shows in March. "We are looking at options to reschedule dates and appreciate your patience while determining next steps. As soon as we have additional info to share, we will. Stay safe and follow the guidelines in your community -- we all need to do our part to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and look out for each other," the band wrote in a statement.Hamilton performances at the Hollywood Pantages Theater for the remainder of March have been suspended by California Governor Gavin Newsom. Fans can still purchase tickets for future dates during the musical's scheduled run until Nov. 22.Blake Shelton postponed the final two weekends of his Friends and Heroes Tour 2020 until later unknown dates in spring 2021. "Omaha, I’m here in your city with my friends and heroes and am ready to play a show for you, but for all the right reasons -- chiefly everyone’s safety and well-being -- we have to reschedule tonight and the rest of the tour," said Shelton in a press release on the night of his Omaha tour stop. "Please take care of yourself and your loved ones. You can bet we’ll see you back here soon!"The C2C: Country to Country music festival in London, Dublin and Glasgow has been postponed to later unknown dates. Headliners Eric Church, Luke Combs and Darius Rucker were set to kick off the festivities Friday (March 13). "Thank you all for your understanding and patience at this very difficult time. C2C and its organizers apologize wholeheartedly for the time to work through the issues to get this statement out," the C2C festival organizers said in the statement. Old Dominion had pulled out of the festival last week citing concerns.Quavo announced on Instagram that he's canceling the third annual celebrity flag football game Huncho Day on the Nawf originally set for April 5, 2020. "We are disappointed, but feel strongly about doing our part to keep people safe and this virus contained. Thanks for your support and understanding," the rapper's letter read. "Please make sure you're taking the necessary steps to take care of yourself and your family."Broadway officially sets its closure at 5 p.m. ET Thursday night until April 12 at New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's nearly immediate command. "Our top priority has been and will continue to be the health and well-being of Broadway theatregoers and the thousands of people who work in the theatre industry every day, including actors, musicians, stagehands, ushers, and many other dedicated professionals," said Charlotte St. Martin, President of the Broadway League, said in a press release.AEG joined competitor Live Nation in recommending concerts be postponed through the end of the month. Earlier Thursday (March 12), Live Nation officials told employees they were pausing arena tours through the end of the month.Michael Bublé postponed the remaining arena shows in March and April to later unknown dates. "I was looking forward to getting back on the road but the safety of my fans and my touring family of course take priority under the current circumstances. We will be coming back soon with new dates and everyone will be safe to enjoy a great night out. Stay well everyone,” Bublé said in a release. His tour dates beginning May 2 and on will continue as scheduled.Kenny Chesney announced that he's postponing the first 11 shows of his Chillaxification tour out of an abundance of caution. “You can’t take risks without really understanding the consequences,” he said in a statement. "In times of uncertainty, I won’t take chances with those I love. I can’t imagine, as much as we love being out there playing for the fans, being able to do that through the worry our nation is experiencing."Cher postponed the remainder of her ABBA-inspired Here We Go Again Tour with new dates from September to December. "I'm heartbroken, but the health of my fans and my touring family comes first. The shows have been really special but, nothing is more important than everybody's safety. I’m excited to see everyone when we’re back out on the road,” the singer said in a press statement.All Los Angeles Philharmonic concerts held at Walt Disney Concert Hall have been canceled until March 31. "The California Department of Public Health issued a mandate that all public gatherings, including concerts and presentations at Walt Disney Concert Hall, should be canceled through March 31, 2020 to protect public health and slow the rate of transmission of COVID-19," read an official statement on the orchestra's website.The 2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Public Hall in Cleveland honoring Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, the Doobie Brothers, T-Rex, Notorious B.I.G. and Whitney Houston has been postponed until a later date.Organizers of Lollapalooza Argentina have officially announced that the festival will be postponed until the second half of the year.Maluma has postponed the European leg of his 11:11 World Tour.Tove Lo has rescheduled the remaining dates on her European tour to September. "I have been looking forward to these shows for so long, but it has become unsafe and impossible for all of us to continue as planned," she tweeted.Dan + Shay have postponed their spring tour -- dates now start in July. "Thank you all for your patience and understanding. It is a strange, strange time for all of us, but we felt this was the right thing to do. Previously purchased tickets will be honored at all rescheduled dates. We hope everyone can make it. Keep an eye on venue websites for further information and updates. Stay safe out there," the band said in a statement.All events at Carnegie Hall in New York City for the month of March have been canceled. "With the health and safety of its public, artists, and staff as its foremost priority, Carnegie Hall today announced that it will be closed for all public events and programming through the end of March, effective midnight tonight, in an effort to reduce the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19)," read an official statement on the venue's site.Pixies scrapped the final five dates of their Australian tour, citing "caution for current public health concerns."The Who postponed their UK/Ireland tour, which was slated to kick off on Monday (March 16) in Manchester at the Manchester Arena. "The fans' safety is paramount and given the developing Coronavirus situation, the band felt that they had no option but to postpone the shows," read a statement that promised the dates will be rescheduled for later in the year. Singer Roger Daltrey assured fans that the gigs will "definitely happen and it may be the last time we do a tour of this type, so keep those tickets, as the shows will be fantastic," with guitarist/songwriter Pete Townshend adding, ”[the band] haven't reached this decision easily, but given the concerns about public gatherings, we couldn’t go ahead... if one fan caught Coronavirus at a WHO concert it would be one too many.” The pushed off shows include a Teenage Cancer Trust show at Royal Albert Hall on March 28.March 11 - Dark Mofo, a festival in Australia's southernmost state, has been canceled due to concerns surrounding COVID-19. Bon Iver was scheduled to perform at the June fest.Italian orchestral death metal band Fleshgod Apocalypse postponed their North American tour -- which was slated to feature their first accompaniment by a string quartet -- due to travel restrictions tied to the coronavirus. The shows will take place at a later, as-yet-unspecified, date. "It is with heavy hearts that we must announce the postponement of our upcoming tour in North America with the Veleno String Quartet and The Agonist," the band wrote to fans. "We’re absolutely devastated about the delay, but we’re already working to reschedule the tour for late Summer/early Fall (exact dates coming soon). We know that there are so many people waiting for us in the US and Canada and we can’t wait to see you."Israeli pop band Lola Marsh rescheduled a string of European dates for June and September. "We are sad as this tour was a real dream for us, but looking forward to seeing everyone at the new shows! Wishing health and safety to all," they wrote in an Instagram post with the new dates.K-pop group Stray Kids will not be touring Europe this spring after all. The boy band's planned gigs in Madrid, Berlin, Brussels, Paris and Moscow have been put on ice, as well as their show at London's Wembley Arena on May 17 on their District 9: Unlock tour. "We ask for your understanding as this decision has been made in consideration for the safety of the artists and audience," they wrote.Following an emergency health declaration from Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, all remaining events for RodeoHouston have been cancelled. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo runs from March 3-22. Kane Brown was scheduled to perform March 11, with additional country sets by Dierks Bentley on March 15 and Keith Urban on March 16.The latest festival to cancel in the wake of the virus -- which has spread to 38 states and the District of Columbia -- is Knoxville, Tennessee's Big Ears Festival, which was slated to take place from march 26-39. "This has been a tough decision. Not only is the principle that 'the show must go on' woven into our DNA, but the impact of this cancellation on the community that makes Big Ears possible — the artists, the festival attendees, our staff and production teams, and the Knoxville community with all of its businesses and workers — cannot be overstated," read a statement. Refunds will be offered to ticketholders for the event slated to feature sets from Devendra Banhart, Joe Henry, Kronos Quartet, Patti Smith and Thundercat, among others.The MUSEXPO Creative Summit 2020 set for March 22-25 in California was postponed due to following the announcement by The World Health Organization that the coronavirus (COVID-19) is now officially a pandemic.Concert Industry Faces Cruel, Cruel Summer as Coronavirus SpreadsThe GLAAD Media Awards were set to take place in New York on March 19, but have been cancelled in the interest of public safety over the spread of the coronavirus. Rich Ferraro, GLAAD's chief communications officer and an executive producer of the GLAAD Media Awards, says, "we will be in touch with nominees shortly with plans for how award categories scheduled for the New York show will be announced."Glass Animals canceled their March 14 show at Neumos, Seattle, following Washington governor Jay Inslee's temporary ban on group events with more than 250 people.Papa Roach canceled shows in Paris, Tilburg, Düsseldorf, Hamburg and Copenhagen due to government restrictions on public gatherings. At press time the dates have not yet been rescheduled.Pearl Jam hosted a fan FAQ on their tour postponement, explaining, "We have been through a lot as a band over the past 30 years and we did not make this decision lightly. Our team worked tirelessly to see if we could keep the tour going. It became clear by Monday afternoon that we would not be able to – in good conscience – head out on the road. Even though our gear was already en route and our crew was on the ground for rehearsals, we made the difficult decision to postpone. We wanted you all to know as soon as we knew so you could make your own plans." The band also explained if original tickets will be honored, whether anyone in the band is infected (they're not) and if it will affect the March 27 Gigaton album release date (it won't).Iconic D.C. rock venue 9:30 Club has joined Lincoln Theater, the Anthem and other Washington venues in canceling shows until at least March 31 after the city's health department recommends calling off gatherings of 1,000 people or more.Reunited prog rockers Yes canceled shows in Florida and their Cruise to the Edge appearance. "Although YES performs with the spirit that 'the show must go on,’ we’ve reached the point where various factors require us to cancel our forthcoming U.S. dates and cancel our appearances on the 7th ‘Cruise To The Edge,'" wrote guitarist Steve Howe of the event slated to feature Marillion, Saga, Kings X, Gong and others. "We are full of regret, as we’ve been preparing for these shows with maximum excitement. Running a relatively large show aided by our 12-piece crew and full production requires insurance coverage, which is currently unavailable to us for a variety of reasons beyond our control." Cruise to the Edge is still slated to leave the port of Miami on March 27 without Yes.Metal band Machine Head postponed the second European leg of their 25th anniversary tour, which was scheduled to take off in Zaragoza, Spain, on April 19. "It is with heavy heart that we must announce the postponement of our upcoming EU/UK tour in support of the 25th anniversary of Burn My Eyes," they wrote. "As residents of the Bay Area, we’ve been hit hard and have witnessed firsthand what has been going on. Public gatherings of more than 1000 have been banned in San Jose, and events in downtown San Francisco including major concerts and conferences have been shut down."Under order from the Colombian officials banning gatherings of 1,000 or more, Juanes postponed a planned Para Todos show on March 14 in Bogota.They Might Be Giants have pushed all March and April shows in New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. to the end of the year. "It is our hope the 4.30 Boston show and May shows can proceed as planned, but only time will tell," they told fans.Boise, Idaho's Treefort Music Fest postponed this year's event from March 25-29 until Sept. 23-27. "With support from The City of Boise and Central District Health, postponing the festival is the best option for the Treasure Valley, the far-reaching Treefort community and the individuals and organizations that support Treefort Music Fest," the fest wrote. Among the acts on this year's lineup are: Japanese Breakfast, Chromatics, Grouplove, Tennis, Calexico and Built to Spill.TMZ reported that the final live auditions in Charlotte on Friday (March 13) and New York on March 21 for the reboot of Making the Band have been canceled. "As a precautionary measure to ensure the health of our production crew, talent and aspiring artists, all public auditions for MTV’s Making the Band in Charlotte, NC on March 13-14 and New York City on March 21-22 have been canceled," read a statement. "Safety remains our utmost priority, and we’re continuing to defer to health officials and the CDC for guidance." The show is still accepting auditions online.Reunited riot grrrl band Bikini Kill have postponed their planned tour of the the northwest, which was slated to kick off on Friday (March 13) with a two-night stand in Olympia, Washington. "We take the health and safety of our supporters, crew and opening bands very seriously, and given the situation in Seattle as well as the lack of information about the actual infection rate of the surrounding areas, it doesn’t make sense for us to go forward with any of the shows in the region,” the band tweeted. Though the shows will not go on for now, the band asked fans to donate to the Interfaith Works Emergency Overnight Shelter, which was to be the beneficiary of their Olympia shows.Niall Horan's Helpful Honda SoundSpace show performance on Friday (March 13) has been canceled.March 10 - Miley Cyrus canceled her trip to Australia for the World Tour Bushfire Relief concert, due to concerns relating to the coronavirus outbreak. Lil Nas X, The Veronicas and Seb Fontaine were also booked for the now-canceled concert, originally scheduled for Friday (March 13) in Melbourne.RuPaul's DragCon LA announced that the planned convention set to take place on May 1, 2 and 3 has been canceled. In a statement posted on their website, DragCon made clear that the cancellation was due directly to the outbreak of COVID-19, and that the "health and safety" of fans and queens must come first.Pentatonix announced that their world tour, scheduled to kick off on March 16 in Warsaw, Poland, will no longer happen. "Despite our best efforts and intentions, it is, simply, no longer possible for us to execute this tour the way we want to: safely, confidently and completely," their statement read. The group went on to note that they are working on rescheduling dates.Zac Brown Band announced via Instagram that they are postponing The Owl tour. "This was an extremely difficult decision, but the well-being of our fans is always our top priority," they wrote.Carlos Santana, who was ready to launch his Miraculous 2020 world tour on March 17 in Krakow, Poland, postponed his tour dates.Planned Parenthood of Greater New York was scheduled to join The Feminist Institute in a "Bans Off My Body" benefit concert on March 14, for gender equality and access to sexual and reproductive health care. However, due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus, the event has been canceled.It's Official: Coachella & Stagecoach Have Been RescheduledThough they didn't mention COVID-19, EDM duo Disclosure announced the postponement of their intimate U.S. DJ tour just two days after rolling out the dates due to "unforeseen circumstances." "We feel it's for the best to reschedule all of these club sets when we can play them all properly," they wrote.Sammy Hagar posts a video message to fans announcing the cancelation of his South American tour with The Circle.March 9 - Madonna's Madame X Tour has come to an abrupt halt due to new restrictions on public gatherings implemented in France amid the COVID-19 virus spread."Following official notification from the Office of the Police this morning prohibiting all events with an audience attendance of over 1000, Live Nation regrets to announce the final two Madame X performances previously re-scheduled to 10-March and 11-March are forced to be cancelled," reads a note on Madonna's site.Pearl Jam was scheduled to kick off its North American tour on March 18, but the four-month long run is postponed amid coronavirus fears.The 2020 editions of Coachella and Stagecoach will need to be moved to later this year, or canceled altogether, admit organizers Goldenvoice.Though they are forging ahead with their End of the Road tour, Kiss manager Doc McGhee tells Blabbermouth that the band's members have been advised to temporarily scrap all fan backstage meet-and-greet events.Coachella & Stagecoach in Talks to Move to October Due to CoronavirusPoison singer Brett Michaels, 56, has pulled out of The 80s Cruise, on which he was slated to play on March 13 and 14. "As of Sunday March 8, 2020 it has been advised by the Centers for Disease Control that cruise ship travel be deferred for those with compromised immune systems," read a statement on the singer's site. "Bret Michaels, a lifelong type 1 Diabetic, falls under the category of those that run the extreme high risk of contracting this illness. Even if this illness is not contracted by Bret, he runs the risk of being quarantined on the ship with fellow music fans that might fall ill."Marc Anthony and Henry Cárdenas’s annual Maestro Cares fundraising gala has been postponed. The “Changing Lives, Building Dreams” gala, which was celebrating its ninth annual event March 12 in New York City, has been postponed. A new date is expected to be announced soon.The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers has canceled this year’s 15th annual ASCAP Experience music conference over concerns about the spreading coronavirus. “Out of consideration for the health and safety of our members and all other participants, and due to rising concerns about the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus), the determination has been made to cancel the 2020 ASCAP Experience,” said the organization in a statement.Ultra Abu Dhabi -- the Middle Eastern edition of the Miami-based festival -- has been canceled. It was set to happen March 5-6.Mariah Carey has postponed her Honolulu date until November. "I was so excited to come back to Hawaii on my 'anniversary month' but evolving international travel restrictions force us to consider everyone's safety and well being," Carey wrote on Instagram.British singer Yungblud called off a tour slated to kick off in South Korea, as well as shows in Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Singapore, according to NME. “At first I was going to say, ‘F--k it’ and come, but we have been advised again to seriously not,” the singer reportedly explained in an Instagram story.March 8 - Richard Marx rescheduled his first European tour in nearly a decade, pushing it from the spring to the fall due to the global health crisis. “We all decided that it was for everyone’s own good, it was for the best interest of the health of everyone I’m counting on to come see me play," he said in a video announcing the news. "I’m super bummed, selfishly. I was really, really excited about this tour…Every show was sold out. I haven’t played in Europe in eight or nine years at least. The fact you guys supported this tour the way you did made me even more excited to play."Miley Cyrus Cancels Bushfire Benefit Concert Due to Coronavirus ConcernsMarch 7 - 1980s "Take On Me" band A-ha canceled its Japanese tour, saying it will be rescheduled at a later date. "We were really looking forward to seeing our fans & friends in Asia, but the safety of our fans has to come first of course," they write. The affected dates include early March gigs in Tokyo, Fukuoka and Nagoya.Ciara postponed a performance at the USO Fort Hood slated for March 19. The 34-year-old singer, who is pregnant, said, "With the continued spread of the coronavirus throughout the U.S., as a pregnant woman, my doctors have advised me to limit travel and large group gatherings,” in a statement according to the Associated Press. “I am disappointed I won’t be able to return this month to the place where I was born, Ft. Hood Texas, and put on the amazing show we had planned.” The show is now slated to take place later this year.Country band Old Dominion pulled out of their planned appearances at the Country Country festivals in the UK. "After much consideration, we have decided to withdraw from our upcoming performances as part of the @c2cfestival in Berlin, Amsterdam, Dublin, London, and Glasgow,” the band wrote. "We are so sorry to disappoint our fans overseas; however, with the growing uncertainty and unpredictable nature of the virus that is spreading throughout the world, the safety and security of our entire team is the top priority."March 6 - In a major blow to the Austin, Texas music community, the 2020 SXSW festival hascanceled its entire event. The loss of the interactive, film and music events with an estimated $356 million economic impact on the city comes after Austin's Mayor, Steve Adler, declared a local disaster due to COVID-19 fears. It marks the first cancelation of the entire event in its 34-year history.March 5 - Louis Tomlinson tweeted to fans that the President of the Council of Ministers had decreed that his March 11 show at the Fabrique in Milan has been called off.Queen and Adam Lambert notified fans that the group's planned May 26 show at the AccorHotels Arena in Paris has been postponed "following a government decree in France to cancel all indoor events over 5,000 capacity in France until 31st May in an effort to contain the spread of Coronavirus." The band said they are working with the promoter to reschedule the date and will announce a new one soon.Organizers of Tomorrowland Winter in France announced that they have canceled the 2020 winter edition of the electronic dance music festival due to health concerns connected with the spread of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus. Tomorrowland Winter 2020 was set to run March 14-21 at the French alpine ski resort of Alpe d’Huez Grand Domaine Ski.March 4 - Ultra Music Festival's flagship Miami festival scheduled for March 20-22 has been called off, according to city officials.Slipknot postponed a planned Asian tour slated to kick off on March 20 with the two-night Knotfest, while fellow hard rockers Whitesnake, Sons of Apollo and the Michael Schenker Fest all canceled dates too.As a result of Apple pulling out of this year's SXSW festival -- along with Twitter, Amazon, TikTok, Facebook and other major companies -- Spike Jonze's Beastie Boys Story documentary is not slated to premiere at the event. Nine Inch Nails has also dropped out of the film portion of the annual fest in Austin, Texas, tweeting, "We're sorry we won't be giving our Watchmen keynote at SXSW this year (because we had some surprises in store!) However, it was the right decision."March 3 - Maluma has postponed his upcoming concert in Milan amid the outbreak in Italy.March 2 - Wolf Parade canceled European and U.K. dates for the tour supporting their latest album, Thin Mind. The first show was scheduled for Mar. 2 in the Netherlands.Lacuna Coil canceled their tour of Asia and Australia. "Our home region of Lombardia, Italy, is in the midst of a coronavirus outbreak," a statement reads. "Everyone’s health and safety must come first and this includes our fans."The National canceled their March 17 and 18 shows in Tokyo for "the interest of public safety." In an online statement, The National said, "We look forward to returning in the future and performing for our friends in Japan." The group was set to see support from Phoebe Bridgers.Portugal's Talkfest Forum and Iberian Festival Awards Postponed Over CoronavirusMarch 1 - Set It Off called off dates in Asia on Sunday, "due to unforeseen circumstances and for everyone's safety." The band also canceled their opening slots for Jimmy Eat World on March 12 and 13 in Manilla and Singapore, respectively.Cancellations Announced in FebruaryFeb. 29 - Avril Lavigne was set to begin the Asian leg of her Head Above Water World Tour in Shenzhen, China, on April 23, but the "Sk8er Boi" singer announced the 12-date trek would not be happening. "Please everybody take care of yourselves and stay healthy," she wrote. "You're in my thoughts and prayers and we are hoping to announce rescheduled shows soon."Feb. 28 - Green Day postponed their tour of Asia "due to the health + travel concerns with coronavirus," a statement from the band reads. The Bay Area trio vow to announce new dates soon.Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals took to social media to announce the cancellation of their March 2-5 tour dates in Japan. Harper took to Twitter to say, "Most importantly we are wishing well to all those affected. We apologize to our fans in Japan for this inconvenience and we hope to reschedule soon."Feb. 27 - BTS canceled several concerts planned in Korea due to the global coronavirus outbreak, according to a post on the group's mobile fan platform Weverse (via Twitter). “It is unavoidable that the concert must be canceled without further delay,” reads the post, which was originally written in Korean and translated by Variety. “Please understand that this decision was made after extensive and careful consideration.”The National Symphony Orchestra canceled the five remaining performances in Japan of its Asian tour, originally scheduled to run to eight dates.Feb. 26 - New Order scrapped shows in Tokyo and Osaka. "With the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, we are concerned about the potential quarantine we may face affecting further shows and appearances," a statement from the British band reads. "We would also hate to risk our fan’s health or the of risk spreading the virus on our return."Feb. 25 - The Korea Times Music Festival announced that its concert scheduled for April 25 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles "has provisionally been postponed due to the increasing uncertainty threat of coronavirus." The annual musical festival, which is in its 18th year, had already announced the likes of K-pop girl group MOMOLAND, solo singer and former Wanna One member Ha Sungwoon and rock band No Brain.Testament, Exodus and Death Angel's The Bay Strikes Back show at the Trezzo Live Club in Milan, Italy has been scrapped due concerns over the coronavirus outbreak. "Regarding the epidemic situation, our personal conviction is that the infection does not stop by stopping only the entertainment, sport and culture, instead leaving free access to shopping centers, supermarkets, shops, banks, public transport and offices," a statement read. "It is a virus that has reached every corner of the globe and is transmitted even just by walking, but which fortunately has a very limited incidence of danger."Scott Rudin Slashes Ticket Prices to Hit Broadway Productions Due to CoronavirusFeb. 23 – English singer Mabel canceled her Feb. 24 concert at the Magazzini Generali venue in Milan. Mabel took to social media on Feb. 23 to state “Due to recent events concerning the Coronavirus in Italy, we’ve been advised by the Minister of Health and the President of the Lombardy region not to go ahead with tomorrow’s show in Milan.”Feb. 20 - Australian pop artist Ruel postponed the Asian leg of his Free Time World Tour to September 2020 "as a result of the coronavirus," reads a statement posted to his social media accounts.Feb. 18 - Promoter Live Nation Japan announced that Ari Lennox needed to cancel her March 3 performance at WWW X Tokyo due to travel restrictions in several Asian countries.Feb. 14 – R&B artist Khalid postponed his Asian tour dates citing concerns for “the safety of Khalid's fans, his team and everyone who has been working on these concerts.” Khalid was set to perform in Bangkok, Singapore, Jakarta, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Seoul, Mumbai and Bangalore between March 24- April 14.Feb. 13 - U.K. grime rapper Stormzy announced on Feb. 13 that he would be postponing a scheduled Asian tour due to fears over the coronavirus. The rapper had been scheduled to perform in Japan, China and Korea between March 27-29.Feb. 9 - Seventeen's high-profile Ode to You world tour has canceled all of its upcoming dates in February and March.Feb. 6 - K-pop superstar Taeyeon canceled two concerts in Bangkok over health concerns. Taeyeon had been set to perform at Thunder Dome Muang Thong Thani between Feb 22-23.Feb. 5 - The Philharmonic Society of Orange County in Southern California canceled its Feb. 5 Chinese New Year Celebration concert by the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra in light of the coronavirus epidemic citing “concerns expressed by community members.”Asian Entertainers Cancel Shows Amid Fears Over Coronavirus SpreadFeb. 4 - Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai postponed her show March 7 performance in China.The National Symphony Orchestra called off shows in Beijing on March 13 and 14, and one in Shanghai on March 17.The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra's tour to Japan and Korea has also been postponed. The tour was originally scheduled to run between March 5-13 with stops at Osaka Symphony Hall, Tokyo Suntory Hall, Deajeon Arts Center, Seoul Arts Center, Chuncheon Culture & Art Center, and Gwangju Culture & Art Center.Feb. 2 – South Korean girl group GFriend decided to hold their Feb. 3 showcase without an audience due to concerns about coronavirus. The event was instead streamed for fans on Feb. 3.Agency YG Entertainment announced the cancellation of both WINNER's Feb. 8 concert in Singapore and AKMU's Feb. 8 and 9 concert dates in Changwon.Cancellations Announced in JanuaryJan. 31 - Three stops on GOT7’s world tour “Keep Spinning” tour were postponed including their concerts in Bangkok planned for Feb. 15 and 16 at Rajamangala National Stadium and a concert in Singapore planned for Feb. 22.K-pop group TWICE’s Tokyo fan signing events set to be held on Feb. 1 and 2 were canceled.The inaugural C.E.A. (Charming Eastern Awakening) Fest at Joy Park in Chengdu in China scheduled for April 18-19 is canceled. The event was set to headlining performances from Martin Garrix and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike.Jan. 30 – NCT Dream’s promoter One Production announced the cancellation of the group’s two shows in Macau, China, on Feb. 7 and 8 and their Feb. 15 concert in Singapore.The Boston Symphony Orchestra announced the cancellation of its Asia tour. The orchestra had been scheduled to go on a four-city tour that included Seoul in South Korea, Taipei in Taiwan and Shanghai and Hong Kong in China from Feb. 6 to 16.Jan. 28 – Cantopop singer Leon Lai postponed his two shows in Macau, China. Lai’s Leon Metro Live 2.0 concerts were originally slated for Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 at Studio City Event Centre.Promoter Live Nation announced the postponement of Miriam Yeung's Feb. 8 concert in Singapore. The show, which was slated to take place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, is postponed indefinitely, due to the travel and freight conditions in China.American rock band X Ambassadors took to social media to announce that their Feb. 14 and 15 shows in Shanghai and Chengdu, respectively, were canceled.Coronavirus Paralyzes China's Live Sector as Concert Cancellations and Box Office Losses MountJan. 27 – Japanese rock group Suchmos canceled a slate of dates in China that were scheduled between Feb. 7-11. The group said that they hoped to play dates in China as soon as possible.Jan. 26 - Canto-pop singer Andy Lau canceled 12 concerts scheduled throughout February at the Hong Kong Coliseum. The My Love Andy Lau World Tour Hong Kong 2020 was scheduled to start on Feb. 15 and end on Feb. 28. Lau said in a statement, “Sorry about this. I wish that everyone will remain healthy. And that we get through this difficulty together." According to the South China Morning Post, more than 100,000 fans will be impacted by the cancellations.Jan. 24 - The Chinese government has closed the Mercedes-Benz Arena indefinitely. The venue's promoter and its joint-venture partner, a media group owned by the Shanghai government, have postponed over a dozen shows until the virus is contained.