5 music festivals in Europe worth travelling for in 2024

Europe’s beloved electronic music festival celebrates ten years in the business, with an extended programme stretching over ten days and featuring more than 200 artists to mark the occasion. The festivities begin at Het HEM, a former ammunition factory in Zaandam, north of Amsterdam, where the likes of Avalon Emerson, DJ Python and Bicep will perform over three nights. In the days leading up to the usual weekender at Amsterdamse Bos, Dekmantel will be hosting live concerts in Oude Kerk, Amsterdam’s oldest building, and other venues situated along the IJ waterfront. The final three days are as outrageously packed as ever, featuring evergreen favourites Jeff Mills, Kode9, Marcel Dettmann, Octo Octa, Eris Drew, Ben UFO & Joy Orbison.

Line-up includes: Kali Malone, Actress, Helena Hauff, Mala, Octo Octa, Lorenzo Senni

July 26-August 4, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Taking over the dreamy landscape of Cappadocia once again this year in late May, Cappadox is back with an exciting programme packed with live music, food events and outdoor activities. The festival kicks off with a concert by Gevende, Turkey’s cult indie-folk band, and runs for four days. Other acts include local heroes like Teoman and Büyük Ev Ablukada alongside international heavyweights including Jordan Rakei and Mammal Hands. The guided outdoor walks and bike tours are a great opportunity to explore Cappadocia’s otherworldly (and Instagram-friendly) scenery, marked by towering rock formations known as fairy chimneys. The early bird catches the worm at Cappadox as the 06:00am sunrise concerts running from Friday to Sunday are free.

Line-up includes: Mercan Dede, Ulla, Âme Live b2b Trikk, Casper Clausen, Kerala Dust, Lalalar, Danilo Plessow (MCDE)

May 23-26, Cappadocia, Turkey.

One of Europe’s biggest music festivals, Primavera returns to Parc del Fòrum in Barcelona’s breezy seaside. As ever, the line-up is a sonic smorgasbord of superstars, indie darlings and everything in between. This one is a great option if you’re travelling with a group of friends with widely different tastes as there’s something for everyone in the programme, including Pulp, Vampire Weekend, Lana Del Rey, The National, Disclosure and Troye Sivan. As if we ever needed an excuse to visit one of Europe’s cultural and culinary capitals.

Line-up includes: Lana Del Rey, Justice, Arca, 070 Shake, Charli XCX, PJ Harvey, Mitski

May 29-June 2, Barcelona, Spain.

London's All Points East (APE) festival has become such a classic that it might as well become a bank holiday soon. Running for two consecutive weekends from Friday to Sunday in August, APE features stadium-fillers alongside underground favourites as per usual. Kaytranada, Loyle Carner and Mitski headline the first weekend at Victoria Park, but it’s the second weekend that we’re more excited for. Dance-pop icons LCD Soundsystem top the bill on Friday with support from Jai Paul, Pixies and Floating Points. Saturday’s Field Day, meanwhile, hosts French electronic music giants Justice and alt-pop queen PinkPantheress. Also look out for APE’s In The Neighbourhood programme, which is the festival’s free-to-enter midweek events including live music, theatre, workshops and family activities.

Line-up includes: Thundercat, Nas, André 3000, Beabadoobee, Jockstrap, 2manydjs, The Postal Service & Death Cab for Cutie

16-25 August, London, UK.

Portugal’s community-led, week-long festival in the countryside bills itself as “high weirdness served lakeside”. Yes please. Tucked away in rural Crato, Waking Life offers an immersive experience for those seeking a more intimate connection to music. To help maintain the wholesome vibe carefully created over many years of community-driven effort, attendees are discouraged from filming on the dancefloors – and refraining from douchey behaviour in general. With a lineup that leans towards the more experimental and wonderfully weird side of the underground, Waking Life is our pick for the intrepid festival-goer who might want to take a dip in a lake in between dancing to off-kilter techno.

Line-up includes: Ben UFO, DjRUM, GiGi FM, Jane Fitz, Mala

June 19-24, Crato, Portugal.