This likely won’t come as a surprise. But I LOVE music festivals. Some people outgrow festivals, but I seem to be a lifelong fan. I may not go to 20 a year the way I used to, but I thoroughly enjoy the few I do hit each year. (Outside of covid years of course).

One of the things I have missed the most during this pandemic is the lack of music events and camaraderie. Some of my favorite memories are from dancing it out all night to an epic show. And once we get past this disease - it’s one of the first things I hope to get back to! It will truly mark the return to normalcy for me.

So in honor of music and festivals, I wanted to put together a list of the best music festivals in Europe. Maybe you can celebrate a return to travel AND festivals at the same time! Here, you will find everything you need to know for the best music festivals in Europe and the best parties that might make you forget even your name.

1. Tomorrowland

Perhaps the biggest dance music festival on earth that every electronic music lover should go to is Tomorrowland. It is an electronic dance music festival held in Boom, Belgium. Since its opening in 2005, it has grown to host almost half a million visitors. It lasts for about two weeks, and once the tickets are out, they are sold out within minutes. Yearly, Tomorrowland, with phenomenal line-ups of the greatest artists, creates an extraordinary wonderland of music, dance, and art.

The festival is held every July at the De Schorre Park, and for the entire duration of the festival, it seems as if the park comes to life. The lively and vivid lights, the booming music, the people, and all the 16 stages from dawn to dusk create a dreamland that never sleeps.

Certainly, Tomorrowland expertly uses people's imagination, love for music, and even social or cultural norms to artfully design every stage. At Tomorrowland, you can admire majestic art shows and taste delicious food while enjoying some of the best DJs in the world. Boom is only a small town in a relatively small country of the world. But it is certainly the best and biggest EDM festival in the world, hosting thousands of DJs and music lovers.

2. Primavera Sound

Primavera Sound is at one of Europe's best touristic and gorgeous cities, Barcelona. Thus, the combination of the festival, the city's magnificence, and the majestic azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea are simply perfect. The festival is set to have an alternative and contemporary vibe, which precisely makes it one of the best festivals in Europe. It is a festival for those that sought after new indie or alternative musicians and artists.

Creativity is the key to this festival. Barcelona for a whole weekend turns into a vibrant and futuristic urban city filled with thousands of music lovers and well-known and up-and-coming musicians, singers, and bands. The festival is held at the Parc del Forum every June, and it stands out thanks to its fantastic line-up. Previously, Primavera Sound hosted Bjork, Radiohead, The Pixies, and The Cure. For this year, it is said Pavement, Massive Attack, and Lana del Rey will perform.

3. Rock in Rio Lisboa

Rock in Rio Lisboa may be in Portugal's capital city, Lisbon, however as its name suggests, it actually comes from Rio, Brazil. Thus, for those looking for a carnivalesque festival in Europe, this is what you've been looking for. Rock in Rio Lisboa is held at Bella Vista Park yearly in the early summer.

At Rock in Rio Lisboa, hundreds of thousands of music lovers attend to watch some of the music industry's biggest names. Incredible artists of rock, pop, and more join the festival and give mesmerizing performances that you will never forget. Rock in Rio Lisboa is all about striking stages, impressive artistic performances, and lastly, having fun, dancing, and tasting great Portuguese and Brazilian food.

4. Mad Cool Festival

Mad Cool Festival is relatively a young festival with only four years in its history. However, it grew to become one of the best in Europe. Its opening was in 2016, still at its debut artists such as Neil Young, The Who, and The Prodigy performed. And since then, it still hosts well-established artists and has grown to welcome over a hundred thousand people.

Every summer, Mad Cool is held in the ever-beautiful capital of Spain, Madrid. Even though it is still new and without a reputation such as that of Primavera Sound in Barcelona, undoubtedly in a short time, it has grown to be one of the most popular festivals in Europe. Like Primavera Sound, Mad Cool is a festival of alternative, indie, and rock music that blows away all music lovers every summer at the open-space area of Valdebebas.

5. Ultra Europe

Every music lover who follows festivals must have heard of Ultra Music Festival. It has expanded worldwide, and the European edition is none other than Ultra Europe held every summer at the sunny Croatian coast. It was firstly established in 2014 and started as a two-day festival. Now it has become one of the biggest festivals and parties in Europe that lasts over a week.

Ultra Europe, also known as Destination Ultra, includes Ultra Beach on Hvar, a Regatta beach party on Brac, and several parties hosted by Resistance inside beach clubs and fortresses. It is a European dance fantasy worthy as a successor to the original Ultra Music Festival.

6. Glastonbury

Glastonbury is by far the most diverse music festival in Europe. Usually, when we think of music festivals, we immediately think of great music, artistic stages, dance, and perhaps tasty food and refreshing drinks to fill our bellies. Indeed, Glastonbury offers all the above for 50 years now. However, the festival also turns into a mythical land. The festival is in Somerset, England, specifically at Worthy Farm, and it is the largest greenfield festival in the world.

Although much like other festivals, Glastonbury offers fantastic performances of great singers, bands, and artists. It is the other side of the festival that really makes it shine. The extravagant world of Shangri-La, the wellness paradise of the healing fields, the Left Field, where today's world issues are discussed, the flame-throwing Arcadia spider the underground Piano bar are just a few of Glastonbury’s hidden surprises waiting to be discovered. Nonetheless, some of the previous artists that attended Glastonbury are Dolly Parton, David Bowie, Jay-Z, and Adele.

7. Sziget

Sziget has been rocking Hungary's capital, Budapest, for almost 30 years now with remarkable artistic stages, outstanding music performances, and other activities. It was established in 1993 and became one of Hungary's anticipated festivals and one of the biggest in Europe. The festival is held every August for a week on the island of Obudai-Sziget in the Danube river.

Sziget's multicultural identity, the thousands of artists from across the world, and the various quirky events of outdoor cinema, theatre, circus, sports, or beach parties, create an exciting ambiance that you would wish never comes to an end. Furthermore, Budapest is certainly one of Europe's most romantic and gorgeous cities. Thus, the fusion of the festival's quirky ambiance with the city's quaint lifestyle is simply perfect.

8. Lost and Found

The Lost and Found festival is ideal for those looking for a dance party next to the azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea in the scorching temperatures of the summer. The festival is held at the stunning St Paul's Bay Resort on the island of Malta. It's perfect both for enjoying an entertaining music festival and fantastic holidays at one of the hidden gems of Europe.

Lost and Found festival is known as one of the best dance music festivals in Europe. Generally, the festival invites artists of house, techno, garage and more. Malta then turns into a party island, an ideal destination for dance and party fans. Festival-goers can party across open-air clubs, pool parties, boat parties, beach parties, and even castle parties.

9. Parklife

Last year Parklife celebrated its 10th year. It is held every summer in Manchester, UK. It had begun as a dance and alternative music festival. Now it is one of the country's most anticipated music festivals. It has a diverse line-up from different music genres such as hip-hop, chrome, house, techno, drum and bass, and others across the eight stages of Manchester's Heaton Park.

The festival lasts for a weekend. Since it is curated by various of the UK's most renowned clubbing brands, the festival's weekender has rubber-stamped its position at the very front of the country's dance music scene.

10. Hideout

In 2021 Hideout will celebrate its 20th anniversary. The festival is held at Croatia stunning Zrce beach for five days, and it is surely the ultimate European beach party. The festival is dominantly an electronic dance music party with venues from hundreds of artists of house, trance, drum and bass, grime, and techno genre.

Overall, the festival is a huge party that consists of pre-parties, pool parties, beach parties, boat parties, and an even bigger after-party. The festival is held at Novalija's most famous clubs, perhaps some of the world's best beach clubs. These are Papaya, Aquarius, Noa, and Kalypso. With the never-ending parties, the stunning crystal-clear waters of the sea, and the sun's burning heat, Croatia's festival is definitely amongst the best dance parties in Europe.

Best Music Festivals in Europe