Events and Festivals

Five of the best festivals in Europe

So you’ve missed Glastonbury, but fancy letting your hair down at a festival this summer. Here’s our guide to some of the best festivals in Europe, with headline acts, prices, how to get there and where to stay.

G! Festival, Faroe Islands
How about heading to a remote island, Eysturoy, in the Faroe Islands, where a rock/folk festival is held in the village of Gota each July? Previous acts have included the Guillemots and Travis, while this summer Orka, Bambino and Kris Kristofferson are booked. It’s in a dramatic setting surrounded by cliffs, and the best way to enjoy the experience is to go camping or stay in one of the festival’s camper vans.
Details Day passes cost £94 and the festival is held from July 13-15 (gfestival.fo). Fly to Vagar with Atlantic Airways. Stay at the festival campsite (£35) or book one of the camper vans (£142)

Sziget Festival, Budapest
The word sziget means “island” in Hungarian and this week-long festival, suitably, takes place on one, on the River Danube in Budapest. Since its beginning in 1993, Sziget has grown to become one of the biggest and craziest festivals in Europe, with a long tradition of cutting-edge rock, dance music and hip-hop. Most camp out on the island (pitched tents are available). This year’s line-up includes Kasabian, PJ Harvey, Rita Ora, Nervo and DJ Shadow.
Details Day passes cost €70 (£62) and a week-long pass is €325. The festival runs from August 9-16 (szigetfestival.com). Easyjet has flights to Budapest. Stay at Brody House in Pest, a chic hotel with double rooms from £88 (i-escape.com)

Ypsigrock, Sicily

Going medieval: Ypsigrock, Sicily

Ypsigrock, Castelbuono, Sicily
Fancy a festival by a medieval castle? Then head for Ypsigrock, which is held in the main square of Castelbuono on Sicily’s north coast. It has a rich rock’n’roll, folk and dance music heritage, stretching back to 1997; in recent years there have been performances by Primal Scream and Alt J. This summer’s acts include Aldous Harding, Ride and Cigarettes After Sex. Camping is available; a three-day camping pass is €39.
Details Three-day passes cost from €76; August 10-13 (festicket.comwww.ypsigrock.it/en). Fly to Palermo with Ryanair. Stay three miles away at Relais Santa Anastasia, a stylish hotel with a pool; four nights over the festival costs from £808 (booking.com)

Oya Festival, Oslo
Each August more than 60,000 music lovers descend on Toyen Park on the east side of Norway’s capital for four days of mainly rock acts. Previous incarnations of the festival attracted Nirvana, Frank Zappa and the like; this year Lana del Rey, the Pixies and the xx are playing. It’s all very civilised, with a grass bank that acts as a natural auditorium, organic food stalls and shops selling vinyl and vintage clothes.
Details Day passes cost 949 Norwegian krone (£88). The festival runs from August 8-12 (oyafestivalen.no). Norwegian has flights to Oslo. Stay at Oslo Guldsmeden, a stylish eco-hotel with double rooms from £93 (guldsmedenhotels.com)

Arona Summer Festival, Tenerife
This one-day electronic dance music festival has a cult following and allows you to combine a beach holiday with a day’s partying. This year’s line-up includes Steve Aoki, Michael Calfan, Kryder, Atica and Deejay Dario. It’s held on the grounds of the Amarilla Golf and Country Club in the south of the island, so you can even fit in a round of golf, if so inclined.
Details Day passes cost €37. The festival is held on August 5 (aronasummerfestival.com). Monarch has flights to Tenerife South. Stay at the super-stylish Baobab Suites on nearby Costa Adeje from £171 (i-escape)