Top European Music Festivals

Europe has one of the most impressive summer festival calendars in the world, with events ranging from intimate indie gatherings to enormous multi-stage spectacles. Here is a selection of some of the continent's most established and best-loved festivals - from rock to electronic, and from the UK to Serbia. Dates and line-ups change each year, so be sure to check the official websites for current information.

Glastonbury Festival, UK

Glastonbury is legendary and a ‘must-do’ for any music festival lover. You’ll never be short of bands to see or things to do as you’ll sprawl around this vast site. It’s probably the biggest music festival on the planet and attracts thousands of artists from various genres. Recent headliners include Jay-Z and Beyonce but it is still predominately a Rock festival. Glastonbury is located in Somerset and is not far from Bristol and Bath. However, be warned that you need to apply for tickets well in advance and they usually sell out very quickly . The festival celebrated its 50th birthday in 2020 and has gone from strength to strength since. Genre: Various Location: Pilton, Somerset Dates: Check the official website for current dates  

Leeds and Reading Festivals, UK

Leeds is a city in Northern England and Reading is in the Southeast, not far from London. The festivals run on the same weekend each year and have a pretty much identical line-up with bands playing Leeds one day and Reading the next (or vice-versa). Genre: Indie/Rock Location: Bramham Park in Leeds, and Richfield Avenue in Reading Dates: Check the official website for current dates  

Sónar, Spain

One of Europe’s finest cities has achieved what most of the others have failed to achieve and organise a damn good music festival. Attend Sónar by day for up and coming acts or Sónar by night for an array of top DJs and bands mostly from the world of electronica. If you’re hardcore you can do both and rave pretty much party non-stop from Thursday through to 8:00 am on Sunday morning. There’s also a load of parties and events (often free) if your budget doesn’t stretch for the full €310 every-day VIP ticket. Genre: Electronic Location: Fira Montjuic de Barcelona and Fira Gran Via de L’Hospitalet Dates: Check the official website for current dates  

FIB Benicàssim Festival, Spain

A big hit with regulars on the UK festival scene. This is thanks to a line-up that can compete with any of the main British festivals with the added benefit of beaches and nice weather. It is Spain’s biggest music festival but you shouldn't expect that much local representation in the line-up. Headliners for the 2022 edition include Kasabian, Justice and Two Door Cinema Club. Early bird tickets start at just €60 making it also one of the best value options on the European festival calendar. Genre: Indie and Alternative Location: Benicàssim, north of Valencia Dates: Check the official website for current dates Website: https://fiberfib.com/en/info-2/  

EXIT Festival, Serbia

The setting is perhaps the best of any of the European summer festivals with more than 1,000 artists who play on more than 40 stages and festival zones. It has grown from humble beginnings to become one of the largest and best-loved festivals in Europe with a varied schedule on the numerous different stages representing great value for money. Novi Sad lies on the Danube and you can very quickly hop over into nearby Croatia which is also home to a number of cool summer festivals. Genre: Electro/Rock mix, metal, and hip-hop Location: Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad, Serbia Dates: Check the official website for current dates  

Sziget Festival, Hungary

This six-day event is pretty damn enormous with 60 different stages set in woodlands by the River Danube. With so many stages, there is music to suit all tastes with everything from pop and punk to psychedelic rock and reggae on the bill. There are also loads of extra events from boat parties to art programs, performances and talks. The event takes place on a wonderful island in the middle of the river, but it’s easy to hop over a bridge into the heart of the Hungarian capital and explore what is one of Europe’s most interesting cities. Genre: From rock, indie and pop through to all varieties of dance music Location: Óbudai-sziget, Budapest Dates: Check the official website for current dates  

Open’er Festival, Poland

This 4-day event takes place in an important port city in Northern Poland and has a very different vibe to some of the others, as you might be able to tell from the moody looking images on its website! There is something of an industrial feel to the whole thing but it is frequently the setting for some powerful performances from some of the most talented artists and bands on the planet. Tickets are of excellent value and much cheaper than comparable events with similar lineups in Western Europe. It promotes itself as an eco-friendly event too and also boasts fashion and art stages to go with the tunes. Genre: Rock and Electronic Location: Open'er Park, Gdynia Dates: Check the official website for current dates  

Iceland Airwaves, Reykjavik, Iceland

Airwaves was first held in an aeroplane hanger back in 1999 and has since grown into a really special event lasting four days. The festival takes place during the onset of the dark Icelandic winter which adds a special vibe to the event and makes it quite unique from other festivals as it takes place at a time when the Europe festival calendar has long since winded down from the summer buzz. You might not get as many household names at Iceland Airwaves but it’s still a fascinating and beautiful country to visit and for a small city. Reykjavik has plenty of brilliant bars and live music venues making it the perfect setting to check out some of the hottest new bands. It is worth noting though the the cost of travel in Iceland is very much on the high side so it’s not a good choice for anyone looking for a budget festival experience. Genre: Electronic music, rock, indie, electronic/techno, hip hop, folk, pop, R&B, soul Location: Various venues in downtown Reykjavík Dates: Check the official website for current dates  

Roskilde Festival, Denmark

This is one of the largest music festivals in Europe and was created in 1971 by two high school students. Pretty much anyone who’s anyone in the world of music has played this Danish festival over the years with the likes of Bob Marley, Nirvana, R.E.M and Radiohead all former headliners. The festival officially lasts eight days and consists of activism, camps and art as well as music. There is plenty of fun and quirky things to do from taking a dip in the swimming lake, to visiting the on-site cinema or for the exhibitionists amongst you taking part in the naked run! Genre: Electronic, Indie, Multi-Genre, Rock Location: Roskilde, near Copenhagen Dates: Check the official website for current dates  

Tomorrowland, Belgium

This festival was one of the success stories of the 2010s and has turned into something of a mecca for fans of dance and electronic music. It attracted 400,000 people in 2019 and promises to be one of Europe’s biggest festivals in 2022 when, all being well, thousands will flock to Belgium once more. This is another festival that can sell out very quickly and it attracts hundreds of top DJs from around the world. There are also now a number of spin-off events building on its success such as Tomorrowland Winter in the French Alps. Genre: Dance, Electro Location: The recreation area in De Schorre, Boom, between Antwerp and Brussels Dates: Check the official website for current dates