Europe is full of captivating landmarks and delicious food but it is also host to a plethora of amazing music festivals to suit any holiday-maker wanting to explore the culture of a country and have a good time while doing it. The best part? You can get to many of them with minimal fuss.
Whether you’re looking for a family-friendly festival, a party pick for you and your friends, or a fun road trip destination for you and your significant other, our guide can help you find the perfect European music festival for you.
1. Tomorrowland
Where: Boom, Belgium
When: July
Best For: Fans of huge crowds and good vibes
Tomorrowland has been running since 2005 and is a haven for electronic music lovers. Typically around 200,000 people flock to the south of Antwerp to experience incredible live acts across 16 stages. There are also art installations, food stalls, and even a rollercoaster called ‘The Road to Happiness’ to make the festival experience something to remember.
The festival is whimsically themed and has had some amazing acts in its lineup in the past, including David Guetta and Fat Boy Slim – plus, it’s cashless. Yes, the bracelet you’ll use to gain access to the festival will also hold your prepurchased ‘Pearls’, which is your credit to spend at the festival.
How to get there
There are multiple ways you can get to Tomorrowland. To drive, you can take the Le Shuttle or a ferry from Harwich and Dover to Calais and then drive to the Belgium border along the E40 towards Antwerp. From there, the festival is easily accessed by either the E19 or the A12 and nearer to the festival, you can follow the signs to the festival parking area.
The closest airport to Boom is Antwerp, so you can fly directly there from London Gatwick or Heathrow, or fly to Brussels and then get a train to Boom in just over an hour. Boom train station is just a half an hour’s walk from Tomorrowland.
If you want to avoid flying but aren’t able to drive, you can get the Eurostar to Brussels where you can take a train to Boom or, if you are prepared for a seven hour journey, you can take a bus from London Victoria to Boom via Antwerpen G. Le Grellelaan and Antwerpen Cyriel Buyssestraat.
Parking
In order to park near the festival or Dreamville grounds, you will need a parking voucher, which you can get online (it is considerably cheaper than buying onsite). Depending on the voucher you get, you’ll be able to park for up to five days.
2. Colours of Ostrava
Where: Dolní Vítkovice, Czech Republic
When: July
Best For: Those who love all types of music from different cultures
If there’s a music festival that brings all types of music genres together, it is Colours of Ostrava. Artists from all over the world have headlined since its inception in 2002, most notably Macklemore, The Chainsmokers, Lenny Kravitz, and The Killers. It takes place in an area that used to be full of mines and ironwork, so the festival also has a unique industrial look that’s perfect for picture opportunities.
The award-winning festival offers more than just music, including theatre performances, films, discussions, art activities, and workshops, so there’s something for everyone.
How to get there
If you’re driving, you can get to Ostrava from Calais (after taking a ferry or Le Shuttle) via Belgium through the Netherlands and Poland on the E40 and A3 roads. It is over 1,300 miles one way but for road trip lovers and sightseers, this could be ideal.
Luckily for those who like the convenience of travelling on public transport, you can get a direct flight to Ostrava from London Stansted Airport. Then there are buses and trains that can get you to Dolní Vítkovice, or, as there is parking at the festival, you can hire a car.
Parking
This festival does have official parking lots. The general lot is around 1km away from the main site and you can purchase a ticket for either one or four days. There are separate parking lots for campers and disabled visitors.
3. Kaleidoscope Festival
Where: Russborough, Ireland
When: June
Best For: Festival fans with younger children
With amazing headliners like The Kooks and Tom Odell, Kaleidoscope isn’t just a festival for kids, it’s for the whole family. Your little ones will be spoilt for choice though, with a selection of kid-friendly entertainment and activities for them to get stuck into. There’s even the infamous ‘Baby Rave’ for the very youngest members of your family.
With alpaca meet and greets, a gaming van, bubble artists, and even wellness activities – this festival will let out the big kid in everyone attending.
How to get there
Russborough is around a 30-minute drive away from Dublin, so your best option is to get a taxi to the campsite from there or rent a car. To get to Dublin from mainland UK, you can fly from the London airports, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Liverpool, or Glasgow.
If you’re looking for alternatives to flying or you want to drive to the festival, there are ferries to Dublin from Liverpool or Holyhead in Wales. Then the car journey to
Glenveagh, just off the N81, is around 30 minutes.
Parking
Your adult ticket will include parking (and camping) and there are car parks set up beside the campsites for you to use easily. The walk between the car park and the campsite is short, perfect for little legs.
4. Pinkpop Festival
Where: Landgraaf, Netherlands
When: June
Best For: A weekend away with friends
Fireworks and epic headliners – there isn’t much more you can want from a European music festival. Pinkpop is a long-running event that gives back to its community, putting emphasis on hiring local young people while giving its audience a weekend to remember.
Each year, the festival invites a variety of acts, from local artists to big names like Sam Smith, Arctic Monkeys, Foo Fighters, Bruce Springsteen, Pharrell Williams, Fleetwood Mac, P!nk, and so many more. It’s been going since 1970, so if you want a lively atmosphere in a well-oiled music machine, this is the place for you.
How to get there
Unlike many other European festivals, it’s easier to get to Pinkpop by train. Changing over in Brussels, you can get a train to Landgraaf from London St Pancras International. The festival is then a half an hour walk away or you can rent a car as there is parking seven miles from the main site.
If you want to drive the whole way, you can drive to Dover and get the ferry to Calais or you can get Le Shuttle to Calais. You would then drive to the Dutch border, which is two hours away and then continue over to Landgraaf via the E40 and E314 (also crossing the Belgium border).
Alternatively, there are buses to Landgraaf from London Victoria via Aachen or you could take your own car and drive. From Folkestone, you can get Le Shuttle through the Channel Tunnel to Coquelles and then drive from there for just over three hours to Pinkpop, perfect for road trip lovers.
Parking
There are free shuttle buses from Landgraaf station so you can park there for convenience. There are also car parks provided in the neighbouring towns of Heerlen and Maastricht and you would then get the train to the festival grounds.
5. Sziget Festival
Where: Budapest, Hungary
When: August
Best For: Travellers who love to party
Surrounded by woodlands on the island of Óbudai-Sziget and hosting over 1,000 acts each year, the Sziget Festival celebrates ‘peace, love, and unity’. It’s a six-day long party (but you don’t have to attend every day) and includes exciting rides, tasty treats from the food stalls, and the crowd experience is supposedly unmatched.
There are camping and glamping options for Sziget Festival goers, plus opportunities to witness an eclectic assortment of music and art performances.
How to get there
The Sziget Festival is unique as it has the Sziget Express which will take you directly to Budapest. It departs from Utrecht and includes on-board DJs to get you in the mood for a day of festival fun.
To get to Utrecht, you can either travel from Folkestone to Coquelles through the Channel Tunnel and then drive from there, or get the Eurostar from London. Driving will take around 19 hours without breaks as you go through the A26 to Rheims onto Metz via the A4 to Strasbourg, the A35 to Linz (Austria) and then the A1 and A21 around Vienna. The M1 should then get you to Budapest.
You can also fly to Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport from Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, or Stansted and then get public transport or taxi to the festival ground from there. There is also a shuttle bus to and from the airport to Sziget.
Parking
There is a secure car park 12 minutes from the festival ground but you will need to book a parking ticket ahead of time. There are three-day and full-week tickets available.
6. Lollapalooza
Where: Berlin, Germany
When: September
Best For: The whole family
The European counterpart to the iconic American festival, Lollapalooza takes place in the Olympia Stadium and Olympic Park. With a combination of music, interactive experiences and a fun fair, there really is something for every member of your family here.
It’s a colourful two-day event that definitely has a party side but also a family-friendly side. There’s a relaxing arts and crafts section for everyone to enjoy, plus Kidzapalooza, a ‘fantasy world’ made from multiple zones for the little ones to enjoy.
How to get there
For a speedy trip to Berlin, you can travel by plane from Bristol, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London Gatwick, Newcastle, London Luton, or Manchester and land in either Berlin Tegel Airport or Berlin Schönefeld Airport. From there you can take public transport, including the subway to the festival site.
Driving-wise, you can pick a ferry or the channel tunnel to Calais and then take the A16 and A25 towards Lille. You will then travel into Belgium on the E42, leaving the E42 north of Namus and following the E411 and E25 to Luxembourg. Once in Germany, most of the journey is via the A8.
There is also the Eurostar and train option, but you will have to make a couple of changes via Brussels Midi and Cologne Hauptbahnhof.
Parking
Even though Lollapalooza is a car-free festival, the local train stations, Spandau and Jungfernheide, do have car parks and you can travel from there.
7. Pol’and’Rock Festival
Where: Czaplinek, Poland
When: August
Best For: Diverse music lovers with a passion for sustainability
As the largest music festival in Poland, the Pol’and’Rock festival has hundreds of thousands of people celebrating music and community each year. The two stages have hosted thousands of rock acts but the beer zone, fun activities, and the fact that the festival is free are also a massive pull.
Everyone is welcome, with an emphasis on love and tolerance, plus the stages are regularly used as social justice platforms and the festival has an eco initiative that includes phasing out single-use plastic.
How to get there
From Calais, you can drive on the A16 towards Bruges in Belgium, then take the E40 from Ghent and the E34 via Hanover towards Czaplinek.
The closest airport to the festival is the Berlin Brandenburg Airport, which you fly to from London City, Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, or Stansted Airport. You can then get the bus or train to Kostrzyn nad Odrą which is two miles from the festival.
Alternatively, you can get the train from London St Pancras International to Frankfurt via Brussels, Cologne, and Berlin and then get a taxi to the festival or, if you’re up for a 22-hour journey (that will be cheaper), you can take a bus from London Victoria to Kostrzyn nad Odrą, via Berlin.
Parking
The festival itself is a car-free zone but there is a festival parking site nearby that you have to pay for. You can also park your motorcycle in this car park.
8. La Mar de Músicas
Where: Cartagena, Spain
When: July
Best For: Those who want summer festival vibes without the big crowds
This month-long festival takes over the town of Cartagena, bringing a wide range of folk music across several stages to locals and visitors alike. The performers come from all over the world and each year, La Mar de Músicas picks a different country as the theme, so it’s a celebration of culture as well as music.
It features art exhibitions and some incredible, scenic venues, plus a lot of the festival is free or very affordable. You’ll feel part of something special at this one and it will provide memories for years to come.
How to get there
Rafael Núñez International is the closest airport to Cartagena and you can get direct flights there from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Belfast, and Edinburgh. The flight would only take a couple of hours and then the festival is only five miles away by car or taxi, making it the quickest travel option (but if you fly to anywhere else in Spain, there are easy train and bus routes to Cartegena if you’re looking to explore the country more).
To drive the whole way, it’s a long one (around 22 hours) but you pass through some amazing locations that you can stop at. For the quickest route from Calais, take the A16 or A28 to Rouen, then the A28 to Le Mans and Tours. You will then be able to drive on the A10 south to Bordeaux and on to San Sebastian through to the A23 to Valencia and on to Murcia.
Parking
As the events of this festival take place all over the town of Cartegena, there isn’t a specific car park but there is parking all over the town, close to all the events. Most hotels and accommodation have their own car parks too.
9. The Donauinselfest
Where: Vienna, Austria
When: June
Best For: All music lovers and party-goers
In recent years, this three-day open-air festival has become the biggest in Europe when it comes to crowds. Nearly three million people passed through in 2023, enjoying iconic sets from local artists, unique activities, and some fantastic scenery surrounding the festival.
The Donauinselfest showcases all types of music, from rock and jazz to electronic and pop, but it has also had some huge acts perform. Sean Paul, The Backstreet Boys, Ronan Keating, and Bonnie Tyler have all passed through this large-scale event.
How to get there
The U1 subway to Donauinsel station is the quickest and simplest way to get to the festival but there are also the U6 trains to Handelskai or Neue Donau station, plus the 25, 26, 31, and 29A tram and bus lines.
You can get all of those lines from Vienna-Schwechat International, which you can fly to from London, Bristol, Edinburgh, Birmingham, and Manchester.
For a longer road trip, you can get the Le Shuttle over to Calais in France and then drive through to Austria via Germany. There are tolls on the autobahn and a toll sticker is required for driving in Austria but, because Austria is mountainous, the views will be incredible.
Parking
The festival site itself doesn’t have any parking as it is technically on an island, so parking in Vienna and getting the metro from there is your easiest option.
10. Les Vielles Charrues
Where: Carhaix-Plouguer, France
When: July
Best For: Social festival-goers
As the largest music festival in France, Les Vielles Charrues attracts big indie and pop stars for its lineup plus over 250,000 festival-goers. Since its inception in 1992, it has been committed to being as eco-friendly as possible, plus the campsite is just as lively as the festival itself.
Rides, food stalls, blue skies and a wonderful atmosphere make this popular choice one for your bucket list.
How to get there
As it’s in France, you can get to Les Vielles Charrues via the Channel Tunnel or by ferry to Calais. It is then a six-hour journey to Carhaix-Plouguer, going through Rouen and Caen by using the E402 and the E401. You’ll be going along the Brittany and Normandy coasts so you can make it a longer trip and make some scenic stops.
You can also get to the festival via public transport from Paris. To get to Paris, you can travel by Eurostar or by plane from London Gatwick, Heathrow, and Manchester. From the French capital, there are trains directly to Carhaix railway station or there is the Ouibus.
Parking
There are multiple car parks attached to the festival. The orange car park is designated for campers and the purple one is for everyone else. As you drive closer to the festival ground, there is clear signage for you to follow to each one.
Insuring your European adventure
Whether you’re road-tripping to one of the festivals above or going on a family holiday, having the correct insurance is essential for stress-free travelling. At Sterling, we understand this and will work with you to find the correct European car insurance for your needs.
Call 0344 381 9990 for a swift no-hassle quote or request a callback at a time that suits you.
