Festivals & Events in Europe
Europe throws some of the greatest parties on earth, its calendar packed with centuries-old traditions, exuberant carnivals, world-class arts festivals and riotous street celebrations. Timing a trip to catch one can be the highlight of a lifetime of travel.
From beer halls and bull runs to masked carnivals and midsummer bonfires, every country guards its own spectacles, and many draw visitors from across the globe. Book accommodation far ahead, as the best events fill their cities to bursting.
These are some of the continent’s biggest and best.
Europe's Best Festivals & Events#
Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany The world’s largest folk festival, where millions gather in vast beer tents over two weeks each autumn for litre steins, brass bands and Bavarian revelry. Lederhosen and dirndls are the dress code. Book beds a year ahead.
Carnival of Venice, Italy A spellbinding masked carnival filling the canals and squares with elaborate costumes and Baroque balls each February. Its mystery and elegance are unmatched. The masks are works of art.
San Fermin, Pamplona, Spain The famous Running of the Bulls, when thrill-seekers sprint ahead of charging bulls through the old town each July, amid a week of nonstop fiesta. It is exhilarating and controversial. The white-and-red dress is universal.
La Tomatina, Bunol, Spain The world’s biggest food fight, when tens of thousands pelt each other with 150,000 tomatoes in a small town near Valencia each August. It lasts barely an hour but is gloriously messy. Goggles are recommended.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Scotland The largest arts festival on the planet, when the Scottish capital fills with thousands of comedy, theatre and music shows every August. The whole city becomes a stage. Serendipity is half the fun.
Las Fallas, Valencia, Spain A spectacular March festival where enormous satirical papier-mache sculptures are paraded and then dramatically burned amid fireworks. The noise and spectacle are overwhelming. It is Valencia at full throttle.
Il Palio, Siena, Italy A breakneck bareback horse race around the medieval main square, run twice each summer amid fierce rivalry between the city’s contrade. Pageantry precedes the ninety-second race. Passions run extraordinarily high.
Notting Hill Carnival, London, England Europe’s biggest street festival, a vibrant celebration of Caribbean culture with steel bands, sound systems and dazzling costumes each August. Two million revellers fill west London. The food and music are irresistible.
King’s Day, Amsterdam, Netherlands The entire country turns orange and takes to the streets and canals to celebrate the king’s birthday each April, with boat parties and citywide flea markets. Amsterdam is the epicentre. It is joyous, chaotic fun.
St Patrick’s Day, Dublin, Ireland Ireland’s national day explodes into a multi-day festival of parades, music and, of course, Guinness each March. Dublin is awash with green. The craic is mighty.
The Christmas Markets From Vienna and Prague to Strasbourg and Nuremberg, Advent fills the squares with wooden stalls, mulled wine and twinkling lights. They are the essence of a European winter. Each city has its own traditions.
Glastonbury Festival, England The world’s most famous music festival, a vast, muddy, joyous gathering on a Somerset farm each summer that has become a cultural institution. Tickets sell out in minutes. It is a rite of passage.