Harley Young shares a handful of the best music festivals from across the continent
Avid music fan looking for something a little different to your average summer holiday? Then this is the list for you.
If you’re the type of person who enjoys nothing better than beautiful scenery, and great vibes, one of these below European festivals is sure to tickle your fancy.
Lucky for you, Harley’s also compared return flight prices* from the three major cities we cover; Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds.
What’re you waiting for? Give your pals a ring and get those bucket hats ready.
Nova Rock
Burgenland, Austria
Rock and metal fans, this one's for you. Austria’s biggest rock festival is back with another star-studded lineup of incredible acts including rock legends both old and new. American idiots, Green Day are headlining the first day of the festival, with Brit behemoths Bring Me The Horizon closing off this killer event. It’s going to be a big one.
When
13-16 June
Who’s performing?
Avril Lavigne, Avenged Sevenfold, Bad Omens, Sum 41, Alice Cooper and more.
For
Rock and metal fans.
Price: Weekend tickets from £205.28 (+ booking)
Tickets
www.novarock.at/en/tickets
Flights from:
Manchester to Vienna - From £244 return
Liverpool to Vienna - From £168 return
Leeds to Vienna - From £267 return
Meadows in the Mountains
Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria
This eco-conscious community festival brings like minded people together as a form of ‘magical gathering’. Dance your way up the mountain and embrace community, togetherness, skills and experiences that you can take home with you and remember for years to come. Meadows in the Mountains encourages people to travel as sustainably as possible, but if flying with a budget airline is your only option, we’ve listed a few prices below.
When
6-10 June
For
Experiencing music, art and spirituality.
Price
Weekend tickets from £220.66 (+ booking)
Tickets
www.meadowsinthemountains.com/book-tickets
Flights from:
Manchester to Sofia - From £207 return
Liverpool to Sofia - From £272 return
Leeds to Sofia - From £406 return
Glastonbury
Somerset, England
It wouldn’t be a ‘best of’ list if we didn’t include the biggest music festival in the UK now, would it? The five-day festival covering a whopping 900 acres of Somerset fields attracts people of all ages from far and wide with its diverse and energetic lineup known to attract celebrities and huge names in music.
When
26-30 June
Who’s performing?
TBC
For
Literally anyone - there’s plenty of entertainment for both adults and kids alike.
Price
Weekend tickets from £355 (+ booking)
Tickets
https://glastonbury.seetickets.com
Flights from:
Manchester to Bristol - From £166 return
Liverpool to Bristol - From £144 return
Leeds to Bristol - From £135 return
Open’er
Gdynia, Poland
Having moved from Warsaw to Gdynia, Open’er is one of Poland’s biggest annual music festivals and features a wide variety of artists and bands spanning all genres. If you’re the kind of person who loves leaving your Spotify on shuffle and your answer to ‘What music are you into?’ is a genuine ‘A little bit of everything’, you’ll really enjoy this one.
When
3-6 July
Who’s performing?
Foo Fighters, Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, 21 Savage, Slowdive and more.
For
A little bit of everything
Price
Weekend tickets from £205.56 (+ booking)
Tickets
opener.pl/en/tickets
Flights from:
Manchester to Gdansk - From £114 return
Liverpool to Gdansk - From £176 return
Leeds to Gdansk - From 167 return
Mad Cool
Madrid, Spain
Only the coolest of the cool kids go to Mad Cool Festival (try saying that three times fast). This festival has it all; amazing headliners, sunshine, world class entertainment, sunshine, a beautiful location - did we mention sunshine? Your summer will be in full swing after this one.
When
10-13 July
Who’s performing?
The Smashing Pumpkins, Nothing But Thieves, Greta Van Fleet, Pearl Jam, Jessie Ware and more.
For
Fans of indie and alternative tunes.
Price
Weekend tickets from £179.62
Tickets
www.madcooltickets.com
Flights from:
Manchester to Madrid - From £142 return
Liverpool to Madrid - From £226 return
Leeds to Madrid - From £274 return
I-Days
Milan, Italy
Not a fan of camping? No worries. Head to I-Days festival in the country’s fashion capital Milan, for a series of day festivals that still pack as much punch as your typical weekender. Some of this year’s headliners include Lana Del Rey, Metallica, and Sheffield hard rock legends Bring Me The Horizon.
When
May-July (various dates)
Who’s performing?
Bad Omens, Tedua, Green Day, Doja Cat, Queens of the Stone Age and more.
For
Fans of everything from hard rock to hip hop (and back again)
Price
Various
Tickets
www.idays.it/tickets
Flights from:
Manchester to Milan - From £38 return
Liverpool John to Milan - From £47 return
Leeds to Milan - From £160 return
Montreux Jazz Festival
Lake Geneva, Switzerland
Ya like jazz? If you’re looking for a sophisticated music festival with a two-week timeframe with one of the most stunning backdrops in the world, this is it. Attracting almost a quarter of a million attendees every year, this festival is renowned for its exceptional acoustics and legendary performances.
When
5-20 July
Who’s performing?
Tony Ann, Marguerite Thiam, Holly Macve, Victor Ray and more.
For
Jazz fans all across the globe.
Price
From £31.15 (+ booking)
Tickets
www.montreuxjazzfestival.com/en/programme
Flights from:
Manchester Airport - From £159 return
Liverpool John Lennon Airport - From £305 return
Leeds Bradford Airport - From £230 return
Looking for festivals closer to home? Check out our list of the best festivals in Manchester.
*Disclaimer: Flights and ticket prices were correct at the time of writing (March 2024) and may have changed since.
Header image: @glastofest/Instagram
Follow Harley Young on X @Harley__Young
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