The UK might be the nation with the most music festivals, but there are loads, of every variety, to be found across Europe. Here is our pick of the best, from “cave raves” in Malta to indie beneath the midnight sun in Norway.
Primavera Sound
What is it? A huge, multi-genre festival with a cutting-edge, gender-balanced lineup that goes on all night. Crawl out of there at dawn, get some sleep in the Airbnb, recover on the nearby nudist beach, then do it all again. Twice. That’s our plan, anyway.
Where is it? Barcelona, Spain.
When is it? 29 May-2 June (there’s also an edition in Porto, Portugal, 6-8 June).
Who’s playing? Pulp, Lana Del Rey, the Last Dinner Party, Vampire Weekend, SZA and many, many more.
What do people say about it? “All three days had very different flavours of headliner, and all attracted very different audiences. Occasionally you’d be struck by the realisation that these disparate groups were all at the same festival together.”
Earth Garden
What is it? An alternative (AKA hippy) festival with a market, kids’ park, dog park, chill-out area and all the usual festival gubbins.
Where is it? Ta’ Qali national park in Malta.
When is it? 6-9 June.
Who’s playing? Dub FX, Infected Mushroom, Kula Shaker and a DJ set by Groove Armada.
What do people say about it? “This is a festival with an international reputation for outstanding lineups, pumping dancefloors, friendly hospitality, hugs, fun and sun.”
Meadows in the Mountains
What is it? Psychedelic vibes up, yes, a mountain, with a mere 3,000 festivalgoers and incredible sunrises coming as standard.
Where is it? A stunningly beautiful village called Polkovnik Serafimovo in the Rhodope mountains in Bulgaria, near the border with Greece.
When is it? 6-10 June.
Who’s playing? Anatolian Weapons, Walrus, Nathalia Nyn, Bruno Schmidt.
What do people say about it? “As cringy as it sounds, Meadows in the Mountains is not just a festival, it’s truly a full body experience.”
Best Kept Secret
What is it? A medium-sized, multistage, pan-genre extravaganza set on a lake.
Where is it? The Safaripark Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek, the Netherlands.
When is it? 7-9 June.
Who’s playing? Jockstrap, Disclosure, PJ Harvey, Paolo Nutini.
What do people say about it? “This festival is basically a ‘baby Primavera’, with the strength and depth of the undercard as the main selling point. The setting and atmosphere are amazing.”
Sónar
What is it? A dance and electronic music festival, now split into four parts – “by day”, “by night” and there’s also a technology/panel discussion element in which people talk about bitcoin and AI and such.
Where is it? Barcelona, Spain.
When is it? 13-15 June.
Who’s playing? Air doing Moon Safari, Vince Staples, Floating Points, Jessie Ware.
What do people say about it? “Srsly does a sweatier festival exist?”
Roskilde
What is it? Starting in 1971 as the innocent hippy dream of two Danish schoolboys, Roskilde has grown into one of Europe’s landmark festivals. And if the bands aren’t enough, on the Sunday there’s a naked run around the campsite.
Where is it? Well, Roskilde in Denmark.
When is it? 29 June-6 July. Yes, it goes on for a week, with Danish bands starting it off before the international acts play the weekend.
Who’s playing? About 180 acts including Skrillex, Foo Fighters, Doja Cat, Romy and more to be announced.
What do people say about it? “The festival’s lineup remains peerless, and in my opinion, is massively overlooked in the mainstream festival circuit. Roskilde is also remarkably clean and well-thought-out – even the junk food tastes healthy.”
Open’er
What is it? A heavy-hitting festival that consistently pulls in big names.
Where is it? Gdynia on the north coast of Poland.
When is it? 3-6 July.
Who’s playing? Foo Fighters, Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, Ice Spice, Michael Kiwanuka.
What do people say about it? “They pack a hell of a lot into this narrow airstrip in a peaceful, picturesque corner of Europe.”
Rock Werchter
What is it? A long-running festival established in 1976.
Where is it? Werchter in Belgium.
When is it? 4-7 July.
Who’s playing? Idles, Dua Lipa, Avril Lavigne, Lenny Kravitz.
What do people say about it? “Manages to find a subtle balance between monster-sized big ticket acts and the next generation waiting in the wings to replace them.”
Mad Cool
What is it? A classic, pan-genre festival (with a terrible name) that prides itself on its star-stacked lineups.
Where is it? Madrid, Spain.
When is it? 10-13 July.
Who’s playing? The Killers, Måneskin, Dua Lipa (her again) and Pearl Jam.
What do people say about it? “A near-perfect pilgrimage for music fans across Europe.”
Exit
What is it? A festival in a fortress that’s been going since 2000, with a slight emphasis on sounds at the harder end of the spectrum. This year’s theme is “awakening our superpowers together” – presumably via moshing to extremely loud music.
Where is it? The historic town of Petrovaradin in Serbia.
When is it? 10-14 July.
Who’s playing? Black Eyed Peas, Gucci Mane, Tom Morello and more to be announced.
What do people say about it? “A Balkan haven for drum’n’bass and techno.”
Love International
What is it? A week-long dance music festival at a beach resort offering beach parties, boat parties, all-night raves and “sunrise sessions”.
Where is it? Tisno, Croatia.
When is it? 10-16 July.
Who’s playing? Artwork, Charlie Bones, Josh Caffé, OK Williams, Zen Arcade and umpteen other DJs.
What do people say about it? “The days become a series of seemingly endless afternoons and evenings that effortlessly merge into one another.”
Melt
What is it? An enormous rave in Germany.
Where is it? Like Whole festival, it’s at Ferropolis, so you can look at the banging industrial machines while you’re dancing to the banging industrial beats.
When is it? 11-13 July.
Who’s playing? A 150-strong lineup including Skepta, Sugababes, Freddy K, Honey Dijon and Art School Girlfriend.
What do people say about it? “The site itself is sublime, as beauty and brutality meet in an abandoned quarry an hour south of Berlin. There are some moments from across the weekend that I will genuinely remember for ever.”
Nos Alive
What is it? A smallish festival offering a fado stage and another for emerging Portuguese bands alongside the international big names.
Where is it? Passeio Marítimo de Algés, by the Tagus River in Lisbon, Portugal – so you can lay your weary head in an Airbnb rather than having to camp.
When is it? 11-13 July.
Who’s playing? Arcade Fire, Floating Points, Pearl Jam (whose song Alive gave this festival its name) and the very busy Dua Lipa.
What do people say about it? “Nos Alive’s knack for shoehorning swathes of local and international talent into modest spaces is second to none.”
Colours of Ostrava
What is it? The biggest music festival in the Czech Republic.
Where is it? A former coal and ironworks site in Ostrava. You can even climb the watchtowers.
When is it? 17-20 July.
Who’s playing? Lenny Kravitz, James Blake, Gogol Bordello, Mitsune.
What do people say about it? “Queues for drinks were quick, staff were really helpful, safety was impeccable and I didn’t see a single person getting too angry or too drunk. Coming from a background of British festivals, this amazed me!”
Fib Benicassim
What is it? Festival Internacional Benicàssim, to give it its full title, is a rock festival with a campsite that’s been going since the mid-90s. Other attractions include a swimming pool – but alas that’s backstage.
Where is it? Well, Benicàssim seaside resort. You fly to Valencia airport and after that it’s quite a hefty drive.
When is it? 18-20 July.
Who’s playing? The Libertines, Royal Blood, Yungblud, Miles Kane … you get the idea.
What do people say about it? “I went with a group of 10 who are all 18 years old and we loved it! However, campsite was all dusty and we couldn’t even put our pegs for the tent in the ground because the floor underneath was concrete!”
Bukta
What is it? A relaxed festival in a stunning setting, with local bands and left-field stars.
Where is it? Trømsøya Island at the northern edge of Norway, just 1,367 miles from the north pole – so enjoy sun at midnight and pack your thermals.
When is it? 19-20 July.
Who’s playing? The War on Drugs, the Sha-La-Lee’s, Kvelertak, Heave Blood & Die.
What do people say about it? “A festival held in the city that’s home to the northernmost brewery in the world is, quite simply, not going to serve Heineken.”
Parookaville
What is it? An elaborately designed (and huge) dance music festival.
Where is it? Weeze airport in Germany, near the border with the Netherlands.
When is it? 19-21 July.
Who’s playing? Armin van Buuren, Martin Solveig, Angerfist, Timmy Trumpet and more to come.
Whole
What is it? A queer electronic music festival bringing together a bunch of different clubbing collectives. In fact it’s so queer that it has its own douching station and cruising ground.
Where is it? Ferropolis, an old coal mining site turned open-air museum of industrial machines, near Gräfenhainichen, Germany.
When is it? 2-5 August.
Who’s playing? The Blessed Madonna, Juliana Huxtable, Roi Perez and someone rejoicing in the name of DJ Fuckoff.
What do people say about it? “Community workshops offer ‘genital renaming’ and ‘get high on your hormones’ instruction. A special Flinta (female, lesbian, intersex, trans, and agender) space is set up for ‘cosy, sexy, consensual, playful interaction’.”
Punk Rock Holiday
What is it? A headbangers’ lost weekend offering bands, skateboarding, a beach and stages without any barriers, presumably in order to facilitate stagediving.
Where is it? Sotočje peninsula in Tolmin, Slovenia.
When is it? 6-9 August.
Who’s playing? Alkaline Trio, Flogging Molly, Death by Stereo, Charlie Bit My Finger.
What do people say about it? “Everything you’ve heard is true. Breathtaking scenery, sunshine and beaches. Unrelenting punk rock, high-octane hardcore and stagediving chaos.”
Sziget festival
What is it? A huge and somewhat lairy festival boasting bands, fairground rides and an extremely trippy environment called the Luminarium.
Where is it? On an island in the Danube in Budapest.
When is it? It’s another one that lasts the best part of a week: 7-12 August.
Who’s playing? Four Tet, Louis Tomlinson, Stormzy, Yard Act and the aptly named Fred Again.
What do people say about it? “Sziget has the most internationally diverse festival I’ve been to. Speak to someone and you never know where they might be from. Unless they’re waving, holding or wearing a massive flag as a cape that is.”
Way Out West
What is it? A big, bold festival with an ethos of sustainability – it caused a fuss in 2012 by going totally vegetarian.
Where is it? In a large park in Gothenburg, Sweden. After the main site closes for the night, the party continues in various venues around town.
When is it? 8-10 August.
Who’s playing? Sampha, Big Thief, Queens of the Stone Age, J Hus and more to be announced.
Untold
What is it? An enormous dance music festival which hosted more than 100,000 ravers a night last year.
Where is it? Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
When is it? 8-11 August.
Who’s playing? Sam Smith and Swedish House Mafia have been announced – everyone else is under wraps.
What do people say about it? “The crowd across the weekend are open, friendly and totally there for it.”
Flow
What is it? A boutique festival with an eclectic lineup and talks and film screenings on the side.
Where is it? Helsinki, Finland.
When is it? 9-11 August.
Who’s playing? Raye, Idles, Blonde Redhead, PJ Harvey, Pulp and Knife Girl.
What do people say about it? “The understated jewel in the European festival crown, Flow lets its stellar lineup and unique, avant garde appeal speak for itself. If there is a festival of the future, Flow is it.”
Glitch
What is it? An electronic dance music festival offering “cave raves”, boat parties, pool parties and more banging rave activities.
Where is it? Malta.
When is it? 13-16 August.
Who’s playing? FKA.M4A, Brutalismus 3000, Ben Klock, Ki/Ki, horsegiirL and more.
What do people say about it? “I think the key to enjoying the whole thing is arranging transport for after, it is honestly so bad that it can ruin the weekend.”
Paredes de Coura
What is it? Portuguese festival leaning towards indie rock, established in 1993. Bucolic, riverside, hammock-swinging vibes are on offer when you’ve finished moshing.
Where is it? Praia do Taboão in Paredes de Coura, Portugal.
When is it? 14-17 August.
Who’s playing? Fontaines DC, the Jesus and Mary Chain, Cat Power, Sleater-Kinney.
What do people say about it? “There were virtually no queues (except, of course, for food at peak hour), most grass stayed green for most of the festival, as it should, and shows didn’t feel crowded.”
Pukkelpop
What is it? A big old three-dayer featuring hundreds of bands and about 180,000 punters.
Where is it? Hasselt, a city in Belgium that presumably doesn’t know what’s hit it.
When is it? 15-18 August.
Who’s playing? Fred Again, Stormzy, Sam Smith, Skrillex, the Smile.
What do people say about it? “All ages people, great atmosphere, great sound, good weather, no queues, and all kind of music!!”
Electric Picnic
What is it? A “music and arts” festival offering theatre, comedy and other cultural delights alongside the bands – or in other words, the Irish Glastonbury. Currently sold out.
Where is it? Stradbally Hall in Stradbally, County Laois, Ireland.
When is it? 16-18 August.
Who’s playing? To be announced. Last year boasted Billie Eilish, the Killers and Wet Leg.
What do people say about it? “It was genuinely incredible to witness the overall atmosphere and enthusiasm at this year’s festival.”
Rototom Sunsplash
What is it? A reggae festival with half a dozen stages, a Rastafari tent and the intriguingly named Reggae University.
Where is it? After moving around a fair bit over the years, it has now settled in the beach resort of Benicàssim, Spain.
When is it? 16-21 August.
Who’s playing? They haven’t announced it. Last year the likes of Burning Spear, Capleton and, perhaps inevitably, UB40 graced the stage.
What do people say about it? “The freedom and love felt in Rototom Village (the campsite) is amazing. I don’t make friends at Rototom, I make family. Even if you don’t love reggae music, there is so much to do it’s amazing.”
Rock en Seine
What is it? Your classic alternative rock festival with 20 years under its belt, though there were reports of overcrowding last year.
Where is it? The Parc de Saint-Cloud to the west of Paris.
When is it? 21-25 August.
Who’s playing? LCD Soundsystem, Massive Attack, Baxter Dury, the Kills, the Last Dinner Party and the inevitable Fred Again.
What do people say about it? “Rock en Seine prides itself on the great diversity in the nationalities of the artists, as well as in the genres.”
Reykjavík jazz festival
What is it? A festival with a growing reputation offering jazz in all its forms.
Where is it? Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland, so you can enjoy jazz against a backdrop of volcanoes.
When is it? 28-31 August.
Who’s playing? The lineup is yet to be announced but last year it included the Nordic Quintet, Daníel Helgason and Cathrine Legardh.
What do people say about it? “A broad range of musical approaches, from the mainstream to the manic.”
Meo Kalorama
What is it? A very recently established festival whose two previous iterations have received rave reviews. The lineup is strong and while it’s smaller than many of its competitors, it’s also a lot cheaper (145 euros for three days).
Where is it? The Bella Vista park in Lisbon, Portugal.
When is it? 29-31 August, so kiss goodbye to the summer here.
Who’s playing? This summer’s stalwarts LCD Soundsystem, Sam Smith, Peggy Gou, Yard Act and the Smile.
What do people say about it? “By the end of the weekend, other faces in the crowd become familiar and all attendees feel a strong sense of community and togetherness – a feeling that is becoming increasingly lost as festivals become more commercialised and oversold.”
Mysteryland
What is it? The biggest dance festival in the Netherlands, established in 1993, and hosting about 100,000 ravers.
Where is it? Haarlemmermeerse Bos, a huge park in Haarlemmermeer which – unusually for the Netherlands – has a hill and therefore vantage point.
When is it? 30 August-1 September.
Who’s playing? About 300 as yet undisclosed artists on 22 stages, all decked out in eye-popping psychedelic artwork.
What do people say about it? “It truly is more than just a music festival; it is a total immersive artistic experience.”
ION
What is it? A big old Balkan rave stacked with cutting-edge DJs.
Where is it? Dhërmi, on the picturesque Albanian coast.
When is it? 4-11 September. Summer’s not over! Also, pace yourselves, this is a week.
Who’s playing? Batu, Bobby Scallop, Mother of Mankind, Yung Singh, and it’s that woman again DJ Fuckoff.
What do people say about it? “Punters are invited to take part in hour-long yoga sessions overlooking the beach, or the less frequented ‘cacao experience’ where attendees can try raw cacao, famed for its natural stimulant properties.”
Iceland Airwaves
What is it? A multi-genre festival for those who want to keep the festival spirit burning into the winter.
Where is it? Various venues in downtown Reykjavík.
When is it? 7-9 November. Brr!
Who’s playing? Early names includ Shygirl, Bar Italia, Joy (Anonymous) and Klemens Hannigan.
What do people say about it? “Iceland Airwaves succeeds by tapping into the culture and heritage of Reykjavík and expanding on it by booking some of the most exploratory new names worldwide.”
Le Guess Who?
What is it? The greatest experimental music festival since the glory days of All Tomorrow’s Parties, curated by several guest musicians and featuring a number of surprise performers.
Where is it? Various venues in Utrecht.
When is it? 7-10 November.
Who’s playing? No lineup or curators announced yet.
What do people say about it? “What Le Guess Who? does better than most festivals is introduce acts who have hitherto deliberately just flown below the radar, who may have cornered a market at home without making ripples abroad, or who are just about to have their moment.”
