Øya, August 8-12 (Oslo, Norway)
Scandinavian music-lovers really are spoilt for choice when it comes to festivals across the region. The crowds are intimidatingly well-dressed and coolly aloof but up for a good time; the weather is perfect – sunny and still, without being overbearingly boiling; and the region’s capitals (Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm and Helsinki) are easy (and cheap!) to reach from most UK airports. A haven for nature lovers, Øya has a stellar lineup this year – catch sets from Blur, Sigrid, Wizkid and Amyl and the Sniffers. Tickets are available here.
Sziget, August 10-15 (Budapest, Hungary)
Taking place on an idyllic forested island just a short walk from the centre of Budapest, Sziget has deservedly earned its place among the top ranks of European festivals. The musical offering is brilliant – Billie Eilish, Lorde, Mumford & Sons, Florence and the Machine, Sam Fender, Foals and Yungblud – but it’s the secretive after-hours parties, joyful atmosphere and opportunity to try your (glitter-covered) hand at everything from yoga to swimming at the festival’s own beach that sets it apart. Tickets are available here.
Rock en Seine, August 23-27 (Paris, France)
This Parisian festival delivers knockout line-ups every single year, and 2023 is no exception. Catch sets from New York indie rockers The Strokes, 21-year-old sensation Billie Eilish and electronic/rock pioneers like The Chemical Brothers and Placebo, among others. Tickets are available here.
Cala Mijas, August 31-September 2 (Malaga, Spain)
This Spanish festival could be your perfect sign-off from another summer filled with great music; think calming sunsets, beautiful beaches and jugs of Sangria (slash paper cups of beer) just a few easy hours of flying away from the UK. The line-up boasts NYC golden boys The Strokes, Florence and the Machine, Slowthai and Metronomy. Tickets are available here.
MEO Kalorama, August 31-September 2 (Lisbon, Portugal)
2022 marked the first edition of this intimate yet buzzing festival in Lisbon’s Bela Vista Park. With only four stages, it has the feel of a well-kept secret, but you can expect some of the world’s biggest acts to be tearing those stages up. As the Portugese sun blares down, catch the likes of Florence and the Machine, Arcade Fire, Belle & Sebastian, Foals and Ethel Cain. Tickets are available here.
Electric Picnic, September 1-3 (Stradbally, Ireland)
Hop on the short flight or ferry over to Ireland for Electric Picnic, the country’s premier festival that always guarantees great craic. Billie Eilish, Lewis Capaldi and The Killers will headline this year’s event, while homegrown heartthrob Niall Horan (formerly of One Direction) is also sure to get the crowds going. The perfect way to round off the summer. Tickets are available here.
Oasis – Into the Wild, 27-29 October (Morocco)
A festival inside a movie set might be the most unique offering on the international events schedule this year. Oasis festival, which hosts some of the world’s hottest electronic talent alongside Moroccan cuisine and hospitality, this year decamps to Atlas Studios, where blockbuster productions from Gladiator to Game of Thrones have been filmed. Lineup coming soon. Tickets are available here.
This article is kept updated with the latest information
