Louisiana artist Marianne Angeli Rodriguez mixes paint colors.
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The South, filled as it is with deep-rooted creative traditions and scenic beauty, is full of small towns with outsized art scenes. “There’s always been an art undercurrent here; now it’s swelling,” says Nick Cantrell, an artist in Orange Beach, Alabama. We’ve rounded up several especially vibrant destinations: glassblowing studios in Kentucky’s Appalachian foothills, a whimsical sculpture collection in the Lone Star State, an eclectic 30A enclave with Old Florida vibes, and more.
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STORIES WITH ARTISTIC SPIRIT |
Eight Art-Filled Festivals
to Attend This Spring |
A Maximalist’s Wild Collection
of Colorful Ozark Pottery |
Atlanta’s Surge of New and
Revamped Art-Inspired Hotels |
Unspooling Kentucky’s
Legacy of Quilts and Quiltmakers |
Seven Southern Towns
for Pottery Lovers |
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Louisville’s Whiskey Row.
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A SPIRITED RENAISSANCE: Louisville’s long distilling history is no secret. What you might not know is that the city is experiencing a fresh bourbon revival. In 2023 alone, Louisville saw a host of bourbon-themed hotels, festivals, restaurants, and retailers open, including new tasting-room attractions: Bourbon & Billets, Buzzard’s Roost Whiskey Row Experience, Bardstown Bourbon Company, and Bourbon Barrel Foods. And the bourbon boom shows no signs of slowing down. This spring look for the opening of the Refuge, a new restaurant, whiskey bar, and live music venue from the iconic singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Then visit chef David Danielson’s new chophouse, Log Still Distillery Monk’s Road Boiler House, on Whiskey Row. By fall, the Pursuit Spirits tasting room and a bourbon concept from Kentucky’s first female master distiller, Marianne Eaves, are slated to debut. And to close out the year, Louisville’s Rabbit Hole and Angel’s Envy are expected to begin expansions. Discover Louisville’s bourbon boom.
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VOTE NOW FOR THE SOUTH’S BEST BISCUIT |
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Tuscany and Florence. Every time I visit Italy, I notice how similar Italians are to Southerners. Gracious and welcoming, they’ll often beckon guests to sit for a spell while they pour drinks and bring something delicious from the kitchen. On a recent trip, I savored both the city vibe in Florence and the serenity of the Tuscan countryside. Here, a few recommendations from my latest dip into la dolce vita.
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Wine windows: World-class art abounds in Florence, and seeing Michelangelo’s David in person is a must-do. But I especially loved the living history of buchette del vino, or “wine holes”—approximately 150 small arched windows on facades across the city. Dating to the seventeenth century, they were once used to sell vino directly to consumers. Most are now filled in, but at a handful of restaurants and bars, modern-day customers can be served a glass through the window. It’s a wonderful way to explore Florence: Once you spot one, you see them everywhere.
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Modernized medieval digs: The gorgeous, 2,700-acre estate of Castelfalfi is known as an albergo diffuso, or scattered hotel, with accommodations spanning multiple buildings. The five-star resort in the Tuscan countryside is fresh off a $120 million makeover, including a snazzy spa, but the fairytale village—eight hundred years old, with its own castle and church—evokes bygone eras. Staff can arrange activities like truffle-hunting, zip-lining, and wine tasting. One of my personal favorites? Morning runs past fog-shrouded vineyards.
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Day tripping: The walled medieval town of San Gimignano is blissfully serene in the offseason. Famous for its architecture, the UNESCO site once had seventy-two tower homes boasting families’ wealth and power; today, fourteen remain. I found my most cherished gifts from the trip here: handmade (and machine-washable) fabric bread baskets that add a touch of Tuscan charm to any table.
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