Europe Festivals
Britain is expected to experience a heat wave in the summer, but does anyone
really trust our stereotypically unpredictable weather to deliver scorching sun
and bright skies for the whole of the holiday season? Nothing really captures
British summers as well as the usual photos of muddied, drenched festival
revellers. Yet Europe has an array of exciting summer festivals to suit all
tastes with almost guaranteed fun in the sun.
For something truly original, consider the following festivals. Catch the final
of the White Nights festival in St Petersburg. Due to the city’s northern
location, the sun never sets during this festival’s entirety so you can embrace
the light whilst enjoying a diverse programmed of ballet, dance, opera, jazz and
classical music. Another unusual event is Il Palio in Siena, Italy’s most
spectacular festival. It is a bareback horse-race around three laps of the
dangerously tight Piazza del Campo, with each of the ten jockeys competing
representing one of the city’s 10 districts. Of course, a discussion of quirky
festivals would not be complete without a mention of La Tomatina, Valencia. On
the last Wednesday of August each year, the village of Bunyol prepares itself
for the onslaught of 20,000 people engaging in a tomato fight featuring around
275,000lbs of tomatoes!
Yet big traditional music festivals are still on offer on the continent.
Benicāssim always puts forward an impressive line-up, with this year’s including
the Killers, Kings of Leon and Oasis. Roskilde Festival is the largest North
European culture and music festival and offers an eclectic range of music and
performance arts with the profits going to good causes. Rock heavyweights Faith
No More feature as one of the headliners for 2009. Perhaps the most hyped
festival in recent years however has been Exit Festival in Serbia. Set in
breathtaking scenery, this festival consistently attracts top acts such as The
Prodigy, Manic Street Preachers and Moby, all for a very reasonable price tag.
Going abroad for a festival does require a small amount of preparation. Research
the country it is based in to check if you require extra visas or additional
documents on arrival. For obvious reasons, ensure you have a valid passport and
travel insurance to cover you in all eventualities. Pack lightly and sensibly as
while the sun may be shining, festivals are still not the best places for
designer sandals or expensive gadgets. Finally, remember to take your mobile.
This is especially important at a festival as it can be hard to find people and
plans can change in an instant. To avoid taking a huge chunk out of your wallet,
opt into the Vodafone Passport scheme - a deal that has put to rest all those
roaming charges, throughout the summer months. If you’re not signed up, visit
the Vodafone website for a look at all their
mobiles, which can
benefit from the Passport scheme. With just a small amount of effort the wonders
and sights of European festivals are open to you this summer; your wellies and
anorak can be left behind. |
