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From Times Online

May 8, 2008

Europe's 20 best summer music festivals

Missed out on tickets or weary of the British weather? Head to the Continent for a proper holiday with the best of soundtracks

Concert -goers chill out at Fiberfib at Benicassim, Spain

Gareth Scurlock

Just as the British music festival scene bulges and threatens to burst at the seams with phenomenal demand and increasing supply, so European events become ever more accessible with cheap flights to just about anywhere.

Increasing numbers of Brits are looking to new or exotic locations to combine their festival-going with a holiday.

Repeated muddy Glastonbury experiences and a dreadful British summer in 2007 has left music fans gagging for better weather and different cultures.

The lure of the Spanish coast and the Med, reports of hard partying and cheaper everything in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, the viking madness of Scandinavia - not to mention the plethora of events in Germany and France - make it all too tempting to jet off to experience similar lineups of bands in new surroundings.

Despite the pound being in trouble against the euro, many places are still cheaper to have fun, and ticket prices are generally lower for festivals across the Continent. And real bargains can be had where the euro has not yet been implemented - Poland's Open'er festival will set you back just £66 for 3 days of the very best bands. Less than half the price of UK equivalents.

What's more there's tickets available for most of the big festivals across Europe, unlike many in the UK.

Tempted yet? If you are make a beeline to one of these excellent destinations...

See the festival websites for ticket details

Primavera Sound, Barcelona, Spain - May 29-31

Where better to enjoy an urban event than in buzzy Barcelona. Primavera Sound is first of four fine festivals to be held in the Parc del Forum convention space this summer. There's space for a few differnet venues and fine views to the stage and out to sea in the main amphitheatre arena.

Portishead play twice, there's hip-hop and rap from legends De La Soul and Public Enemy, and a host of the best indie, dance and rock bands including British Sea Power, Cat Power, Vampire Weekend, Simian Mobile Disco, The Go! Team and Tindersticks.

Sonar is a legendary electronically-inclined event that has large all-night parties at Parc del Forum as well as live acts and DJs in more intimate venues across the city from June 19-21. Performers include Goldfrapp, Bestival and Radio 1's Rob da Bank, Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animal's 80s retro project Neon Neon and dancefloor luminaries Miss Kittin, Ricardo Villalobos and Frankie Knuckles.

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would serioulsy advise checking out sziget in budpest. mammoth line up on the main stage, but loads of amazing smaller bands and world music, +loads of activities. beats oxegen, reading+leeds etc etc hands down. cheap beer+good food 2! cant wait 4 this years fest!!

cormac, Belfast, N Ireland

Rhodesrock08 was Spectcular,.Held in the shadow of the Acropolis, in Lindos. above St Paul's bay.
All the best in Tribute Bands. but oops! you'll have to wait 'til 09. 'cause you just missed it! Bone dry and Hot.

Alan F Dean, whitwick Coalville, uk

Hey everyone

We LOVE the festivals-so muh so that we sell festival props, fancy dress, unique sunglasses, quirky hats, grassy umbrella's on our site, www.rockthekitschbar.com

We have a Monty Python jukebox of sketches while you shop, customer gallery, blog, pr page, come check it out!
Lucy x

Lucy, Sidcup, UK

you can't miss ORTIGUEIRA festival in the north of spain
folk music, free concerts, free camping next to a beatiful beach...

it's cheap, full of activities, there's a lot of cultural mix and you don't need a lot of money.

have a view in www.festivaldeortigueira.com

Laura, asturias, spain

May I add the Godiva Festival in Coventry, first weekend in July and it's FREE.

Paul, Coventry,

Hahahahahahahahaha. Being a Croatian and all, I think it's kind of funny that you mentioned both VIP InMusic and Exit festival and you failed to mention the Pukkelpop festival in Belgium. LOL :D

http://www.pukkelpop.be

'84-'08 :D Check the lineup :D

<3

-polygon, Zagreb, Croatia

Got my ticket for Roskilde ready. They've got such a diverse line-up, everything from rock, jazz, pop, hip hop and electronic; something for everyone. Plus the atmoshpere is fantastic, the Danish are such laid back, fun loving people (the ones that go to Roskilde anyway)

Kaja, London, UK

Hove Festival in Norway looks definately as the festival with the most diverse program. The crowd in the gigs at Hove is the best festival crowd I have ever seen at any festival anywhere :) and the most beautiful festival area(allways sunny in southern Norway in June:)

Only catch: HIGH beer price

DJ Drugis, Oslo,

Exit Festival 07 in Serbia was AWESOME, best European festival for sure. 08 is supposed to be even better. Highly recommended.

Tim, Wales,

You have forgotten about Norways best jazz and bluesfestival in Arendal, July 21 - 27. The pearl of Southern Norway! www.canalstreet.no - check it out!

Lisa, Arendal, Norway

Rock Am Ring anyone???

Jordan, Loughborough, UK

Ian - Suggest looking at the full Roskilde line-up, much more than the few electro-poppers mentioned and there's plenty of variation in styles and genres - it's looking like one of the best around. www.roskilde-festival.dk

Sue, Worthing, UK

What about the Macerata Opera festival? Held in July and August in a spectacular open air ampitheatre tickets start at only 15 euros for standing only and good seats can be had for 40 euros. Macerata is a medieval hill top Italian town in Marche with beautiful scenery in an unspoilt area of Italy

c chapman, corridonia, italia

I think the line-up for most of these festivals explains why tickets are still available.

Richard Stevenson, Charlotte, USA

Agree with Ian Fraser. This article title is misleading- music is not just Pop/Rock.

caroline, Paris, France

Vltava and Budapest? PLEASE.
Sziget is the best indeed.

kobren, Uxbridge, UK

Regarding the " Sziget " in Budapest the name of the river is NOT
the Vltava it is the Danube .

The " Sziget " is one of the best in Europe .

Catch it while you still can ... before the Hungarians join the
Euro ... :-(

Tamas , Los Angeles ,

yeah, yeah there is a Vltava river in Budapest, what's running through London Siena??? btw Sziget was OK,but too crowdy now there is a Balaton festival for the second time this year w Massive Attack & Fatboy Slim! Cheers!

Damir, Zagreb, Croatia

Summercase - great festival, cheap, ace lineups, but terrible location and logistics in Madrid. 40 min bus journey out of the centre, no camping, and a horrendous night bus journey back to not even the centre of Madrid at 4.30 am. And a concrete feria ground, with the smallest piece of grass ever.

Lizzie, Marbella,

Sorry , but when I saw the title "Summer Music Festivals" , I assumed that you were to be detailing Festivals where MUSIC was to be heard.

All I saw was a list of festivals featuring electrified pop .

Whatever happened to festivals where Real Music (Classical , Jazz , Folk etc) are performed?

Ian Fraser, Newcastle upon Tyne,