The European festivals putting unexpected locations on the map

June 4-11, 2025 

Taking place on the same site as ION, Kala is a boutique festival looking forward to its sixth edition next year. Its success – as a sundrenched, affordable holiday, with programming that grows more diverse by the year – is just one of the reasons why the Albanian coast is being dubbed the ‘new Croatia’, despite it still being pretty darn tricky to get to (you’ll have to fly to Tirana then drive through the mountains or board a choppy boat from Corfu). At Kala, spend your days enjoying gong baths and yoga in front of the Adriatic sea, sweat out your hangover on the beach or trek up to the charmingly rugged old town. By night, swap the waves for the rave: last year saw the likes of DJs Jeff Mills, Folamour and Elkka play alongside jazz and funk band Kokoroko. 

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August 31-September 1, 2024

While Bristol has its fair share of good festivals, none seem to have made as much impact in recent years as the introduction of Forwards, a showcase of up-and-coming musical talent alongside big hitters (last year’s debut saw Aphex Twin and Erykah Badu) and progressive-minded talks, nodding to the city’s bustling creative scene. In 2024, Yussef Dayes, Romy, Four Tet, Loyle Carner and Greentea Peng are taking to the stage – why not catch their sets and spend some days exploring all this edgy (yet often overlooked) UK city has to offer?

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April 7-12, 2025

First things first, this place is remote. Like, really remote. But it is probably one of the most unique places you’ll ever go for a music festival. The Azores are a rugged archipelago between Lisbon and North America with temperamental weather – you can pretty much expect drizzle on the daily – which might explain why they’ve not been on your travel bucket list thus far. But they very much should be – especially for this festival, which has cultivated a tangible community for music lovers which you just can’t get in the more commercialised events on the circuit. The venues are super varied – expect shows in clubs, churches and warehouses, as well as a fishing village, a working quarry and a lake you need to hike to – and the genres just as so. Last year saw the likes of DJ Haram, Lambrini Girls, Sam The Kid, Marie Davidson and Colleen perform.

July 5-20, 2024

This historic festival in the French-speaking part of Switzerland dates back to 1967. Since then, it’s quite literally put the town on the map, attracting budding musicians to make the pilgrimage to play its late-night jam sessions and boasting an iconic stage for some of the biggest international talent around. The music starts around 5pm each day, consisting of a paid programme – this year saw Deep Purple, Jon Batiste, Raye, Tyla and The National on the bill – as well as a tonne of free stages. Montreux itself is charming: enjoy a soothing dip in Lake Geneva, book a local vineyard tour or enjoy a cheese fondue in the old town.

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