You don’t have to be standing in a muddy field in wellies and waterproofs at a music festival – not if you go abroad.
Calum Macdonald from Latedeals.co.uk says: “We’re finding more people are now combining their summer holiday with a European festival so not only do they get a sunshine fix, but they avoid hefty UK festival ticket prices, with some summer gigs in the UK working out more expensive than a week-long break in Europe.”
A weekend ticket for Glastonbury 2013, due for resale next week, costs £205 while T in the Park, Bestival and V are all nearing the £200 mark – and that’s for entry only. When you add food, drink and other extras, the total spend of a festival goer easily exceeds £300. According to the Association of Independent Festivals, the cost was £346 including ticket, with those attending Camp Bestival the biggest spenders with an average of £532 per person.
Latedeals.co.uk’s pick of the top five early summer festivals includes:
Primavera Sound 2013 from May 22-26 – Barcelona’s beach-side Parc del Forum auditorium hosts an eclectic line up over three days including Blur (above), Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Animal Collective and Band of Horses. Prices start from 55 euros, and if you want to make a holiday of it, you can enjoy a week in the Costa Dorada beforehand for around £250 per person.
Optimus Primavera Sound 2013 in Porto, Portugal, from May 20 to June 2, with a similar line up, and prices from 45 euros, with a seven-night break coming in around £296 per person.
Rock in Roma 2013 at the Hippodrome Capannelle from May 29 with over a month of daily performances from Italian and international groups including Green Day, The Killers and Artic Mondays. Gig prices start from 33 euros, plus an additional £298 per person for a week’s stay.
For some sun, sea and serious dance music on the Turkish Riviera, there’s the Sun Splash Festival from June 2-9. Turkey’s ‘Biggest Little Festival’. SunSplash Antalya is a boutique music festival that combines style, travel and dance music. Prices start at £40 a day, and a week’s holiday nearby comes in at only £278 per person.
Although later in the summer, this is one to mark in your diary as it’s a hidden gem. From August 8-11, Mand’Stock is a festival in the Italian Alps with amazing food from local farmers, local wine, local beer, and great music on three stages. You also get to experience activities such as rock climbing and skateboarding, all for only £50 (early bird booking) for a four-day stay. You can get a week’s late deal for around £500 per person.
Calum added: “There are some great festivals to choose from across Europe at a fraction of the cost, so why stand in an overcrowded, muddy field when you can bask in beautiful sunshine in Barcelona.”
