10 Best Music Festivals In Europe – Festival-goers in the UK are being greeted with more options than ever before. Dance fans can sweat it out in the city; country music fans can grab some BBQ before a line-dancing class. Or if all you crave is dancing in a muddy field, there are plenty of those, too.
But for many, music presents an opportunity to escape – and this might mean getting out of the UK altogether to experience your favourite artists in incredible, different surroundings, whether that’s a dramatic mountain range or a sun-soaked Italian village.
10 Best Music Festivals In Europe:
Thousands of EDM fans congregate at Tomorrowland and Amsterdam Dance Event for a weekend filled with the world’s top DJS, while moshers and headbangers can catch their favourite bands performing at Download, Wacken and Hellfest. To help you decide on which festival suits your taste in music, we’ve compiled a guide to Europe’s music festivals.
1. Primavera Sound:
Where: Barcelona, Spain; Porto, Portugal; Madrid, Spain
When: 29 May-4 June; 7-10 June; 8-11 June
It’s not for nothing that Primavera is known as the biggest party in Europe. The Barcelona-set festival has a reputation that precedes itself and a loyal fanbase that returns time and time again. It seems that winning combination of Spanish sun, a fantastic line-up and no camping necessary simply can’t be beat. This also means, however, that Prima – as it is so lovingly nicknamed by its attendees – is also commonly sold-out. Luckily, the festival has recently expanded with events taking place in Madrid and Porto featuring almost identical line-ups. Annabel Nugent
2. Roskilde Festival, Denmark:
Small but mighty, this town west of Copenhagen has been holding down the fort when it comes to hosting the largest festival of culture and music in northern Europe. Launched by two high school buds back in 1971, Roskilde has since evolved from its hippie origins to a more mainstream event. It’s one of the best festivals in June.
Expect over 180 acts like Cardi B, Travis Scott and Vampire Weekend. There’s also usually surprising acts that make it one of the more unique music festivals in Europe, such as performances by classical musicians and opera singers or of film soundtracks.
It works hard to keep the original community spirit strong though by only partnering with organisations that support equality and even donates profits to charity.
3. Tomorrowland (Belgium):
Late July: 2 weekends of electronic music in Boom
Since 2005, Tomorrowland has been the go-to music festival for electronic music – tickets are often sold out in under an hour. It takes place over 2 weekends in Boom, a town about 16 km south of Antwerp.
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World-renowned artists (headliners have included David Guetta, Hardwell, and Martin Garrix) spin their most beloved tunes to thousands of fans from all over the world. Tomorrowland is also known for its elaborate stage designs and impressive visuals that make you feel as if you’ve stepped into another world.
Location: De Schorre Provincial Park, Boom, Belgium
Open: Final 2 weekends of July
4. La Prima Estate:
Where: Camaiore, Italy
When: 16-18 June and 23-25 June
The promise of the beautiful Tuscan seascape, diverse music and more activities than you can shake a hand-carved stick at make La Prima Estate a veritable feast for the senses. Despite only being in its second year, the event is far from an amateur venture, having been organised by the founders of the storied, month-long Lucca Summer Festival. Held over two weekends in mid-June on the golden sands of Lido di Camaiore, La Prima Estate will see big names including Nas, Bon Iver, Alt-J and Metro Boomin take to the stage. You can also try your hand at a cooking masterclass, or dull your hangover with sunrise yoga. After all, you’re on holiday! Kate Ng
5. Hideout Festival, Croatia:
Another one for the electronic music fans, Hideout ticks major location boxes. Situated in Croatia’s Zrce Beach on the Adriatic Sea you’ve got sunshine, sea and stages packing in over 150 musical acts. The four major beach clubs are taken over, the boats are commandeered and the beachside transforms into a party utopia for five days at the start of July.
Tickets start at £139 and if you’re not a fan of the whole tent situation then another thumbs up because it’s all about staying in apartments. Plus, if you can afford to go VIP, you’ll get lots of benefits like separate toilets, queue jumping and much more.
6. Download Festival (UK):
Mid-June: Rock and heavy metal in jolly old England
Download Festival is one of the world’s largest music events for rock and heavy metal music, with hundreds of bands performing over the course of a weekend in mid-June. 4 outdoor stages are usually set up at Derby’s Donington Park.
The main stage draws the largest crowd headbanging to headliners that have included Def Leppard, Whitesnake, Slipknot, and Faith No More.
Location: Donington Park, Castle Donington, Derby DE74 2RP, UK
Open: 3 days in mid-June
7. Montreux Jazz Festival:
Where: Montreux, Switzerland
When: 30 June-15 July
Montreux is undisputably the most prestigious music event in Europe, with artists as renowned as Prince, David Bowie, Nina Simone, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock and Aretha Franklin having graced its stages. Nestled between sloping hills and the tranquil waters of Lake Geneva, the festival invites its attendees to take in the gorgeous scenery and Belle Époque buildings. MJF takes place across two weeks, and this year organisers have outdone themselves. From illustrious acts such as Bob Dylan, Mavis Staples and Iggy Pop, to the decadent pop and hip-hop of Janelle Monae and Lil Nas X, MJF in 2023 is the place to be for the most passionate of music fans. ROC
8. Sziget Festival, Hungary:
One of the biggest music festivals in Europe, Sziget hosts over 1000 performances and between 450,000-500,000 festivalgoers. Yes, it’s huge. But there’s also so much to do at Sziget Festival that it’s just an overall fun and fulfilling experience. It’s also the biggest festival in Budapest, by far.
The festival has achieved the prestigious title of Best Major European Festival not once, but twice, winning the European Festivals Awards in 2011 and 2014. It’s most likely due to its varied performances from the biggest acts around, or it’s great location on an island surrounded by the Danube River.
9. Tuska Open Air Metal Festival (Finland):
Late June: A weekend of hard rock and metal in Helsinki
Tuska Open Air Metal Festival is widely regarded as Helsinki’s largest music event, attracting thousands of heavy metal fans from all over the world. Since 1999, renowned music icons such as Alice Cooper, Lamb of God, Anthrax, and Behemoth, as well as Finnish metal bands Apocalyptica, Nightwish, and Children of Bodom have performed at this metal fest.
There are 3 music stages usually set up at the Suvilahti event field, 3 km northeast of central Helsinki. Tuska Open Air Metal Festival typically takes place over a weekend in late June or early July.
Location: Parrukatu 2, 00101 Helsinki, Finland
Open: 3 days in late June
10. Oyafestivalen:
Where: Oslo, Norway
When: 8-12 August
This gem situated in the heart of Oslo offers the amenities of one of Norway’s coolest cities, and a lineup that tends to buck the trend of what’s going on elsewhere in Europe. So while every other festival seems to have hooked the Arctic Monkeys and Red Hot Chili Peppers, Oya is hosting avant-garde pop acts such as Lorde, FKA twigs, and Caroline Polachek. This year’s headliners, meanwhile, include the reunion of Britpop stars Blur and Nigerian Afrobeats star Wizkid. You might want to start saving up, though, as Oslo is notoriously expensive. Dare we say it’s absolutely worth it? ROC
