Festival season is just about to start barrelling over the horizon, but while thousands of music fans already have their tickets booked to their favourite festivals here in the UK, it’s not just here that you can while away the hours in the sun listening to some great music.
In fact, some of the best festival destinations are actually on mainland Europe, so seeing as we’re lovely helpful type, we’re got nine of the best musical experiences you can get throughout the continent right here for you.
Primavera Sound Festival
What could be better than brilliant music? How about brilliant music in the sun of Barcelona? That’s the mix that the Primavera Sound festival offers up, and it’s a rather tempting one in anyone’s book.
With the likes of Jessie Ware, Crystal Castles, Nick Cave and Phoenix all in attendance, it’s not just the gorgeous weather and the gorgeous surroundings of the Catalan capital that are easy on the senses.
Rock am Ring Festival
Nothing quite says rock and roll like a festival at a race track. Download takes of Donnington in the UK, Rock am Ring takes over the legendary Nurgburgring in the Eifel mountains of Germany.
It’s not just the setting that’s incredible, as the show’s line-up takes some beating, with Bastille, Paramore, Green Day and The Prodigy amongst a line-up that would have most other festivals crying home to momma.
The shame for those only just hearing about it is that this year’s incredible edition of the show is all sold out. Those who already have their passes are going to be in for a truly wunderbar time.
Sziget Festival
The premier festival in Hungary takes over Obudai Island outside Budpest for an entire week, and has become one of the biggest festivals in Europe. It’s going to be celebrating its 20th birthday in some style too, with a setlist as massive as it is impressive.
Amongst the vast array of talent on stage will be Alex Clare, Bat For Lashes, The Gaslight Anthem, Tame Impala and Azealia Banks, with dozens more from all over the world also aching for your attention. With the first two day’s lineup yet to be announced, it’s safe to say that anyone going to Budapest is going to be in for one heck of a good time.
Exit Festival
Standing for a little bit more than just having a good time is the award-winning EXIT Festival in Serbia, which has in little over a decade become one of the best shows in Europe.
Started by three students back in 2000 in a protest against the country’s then ruler Slobodan Milosevic, the EXIT Festival has grown into something truly special, with over 600 artists and 20,000 fans pounding the cobbled streets of the incredible Petrovaradin Fortress that holds the festival each year. Overlooking the river Danube, it might just be the most scenic festival out there. The music’s not bad either, with Rudimental, Snoop Dogg, Cee Lo Green and Fatboy Slim all a part of this year’s party. With the festival to this day still supporting political change and humanitarian missions, you can even feel good about yourself whilst shaking your tail feather.
Open’er Festival
Poland has been long known for having some real party animals amongst their flocks, but when the Open’er Festival kicks off, things get really wild, with last year an average of 50,000 people at the fesitival each day.
With Queens Of The Stone Age, Alt J, Arctic Monkeys and Kings Of Leon all scheduled to bring the noise to Poland, anyone heading out to meet them is bound to be in for a great time.
TomorrowLand Festival
Feel like something a little racier? Belgium’s TomorrowLand Festival has quickly become one of the biggest dance festivals on the planet, attracting world famous DJs from around the world and the 2013 edition of the shindig is no different.
With this year’s lineup boasting names like David Guetta, Steve Aoki and Tiesto, any dance-heads are going to have a whale of a time at one of the most colourful and exuberant festivals around.
Oya Festival
With perhaps the single most exciting lineup of any festival on our list, Oya should be top of the pile for anyone wanting to festival this summer without a pass to Glastonbury.
From Pyramid Stage headliners HAIM to Grimes, Kendrick Lamaar, Laura Mvula and Kraftwerk, Norway’s premier festival is one of the most exiting around this year, with a great mix of genres and experience in the lineup that makes it one to look out for.
Lowlands Fesitival
Perhaps the single most vaired of out collection, the Lowland Festival in Holland offers a massive array of acts that should keep just about everyone happy throughout their time there.
From Tom Odell to Nine Inch Nails via Fall Out Boy and Kodaline, Lowlands is jam packed with variety of the very highest order, and even offers theatre and dance attractions for those wanting to go even more off the beaten track.
Berlin Festival
Berlin has for some time been a mecca for those of an arty persuasion, and the city’s festival is no different, with the extravaganza getting some of the best names around for this year’s edition of the festival. Taking place in the now disused Tempelhof Airport on the 6th and 7th of September, those headed to Berlin can expect to hear the likes of Ellie Goulding, Bjork, The Klaxons, Charli XCX and Blur take the stage. Not bad by anyone’s standards.
Even when the sun sets, the action moves to Club Xberg at Arena Berlin, where the DJs take over limelight. With the city nearby, you don’t even have to bring a tent.