
Our Top 5 Festivals
Ahhh festival season.
That glitter-coated time of year - of burnt faces, empty wallets and full hearts. There’s more 10/10 festivals out there than you can shake a disco ball torch (£3.95 from Tiger) at but these ones will have you shivering with FOMO.
Here’s our guide to the top 5 best festivals this summer…
That glitter-coated time of year - of burnt faces, empty wallets and full hearts. There’s more 10/10 festivals out there than you can shake a disco ball torch (£3.95 from Tiger) at but these ones will have you shivering with FOMO.
Here’s our guide to the top 5 best festivals this summer…
Best New Festival: Kala
Kala, Albania
Sometimes it pays to be wary of new festivals (looking at you, Fyre), but sometimes you've just gotta take a deep breath and say 'this looks like the cat’s nuts.'
Kala is a brand new festival on the Albanian coast, where the Adriatic meets the Ionian sea. You hop on a boat to a secluded beach forest, ringed by cliffs, caves and crystally water. Spoiler: it’s pretty peng.
Kala is a brand new festival on the Albanian coast, where the Adriatic meets the Ionian sea. You hop on a boat to a secluded beach forest, ringed by cliffs, caves and crystally water. Spoiler: it’s pretty peng.
As well as golden beaches and dirt-cheap alcohol, Kala’s got one of the best line-ups going. There’s Tom Misch, Moodymann and The Black Madonna.
Fly to Corfu and a ferry will pick you up from there. Tickets start from £127 including hotel and is on the 20th-27th June 2018.
Fly to Corfu and a ferry will pick you up from there. Tickets start from £127 including hotel and is on the 20th-27th June 2018.
Best Rural Vibes: Meadows in the Mountains
Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria
Like a Rainbow Gathering with a bit less nudity and psychedelics. Meadows in the Mountains frees the dirty hippie in us all.
Independent artists play a mix of soul, disco and folk, which echoes through the misty valley like whispers from pagan Gods...
Independent artists play a mix of soul, disco and folk, which echoes through the misty valley like whispers from pagan Gods...
It's packed with environmental art (think recycled tire sculptures), underground music acts and 24/7 yoga classes, all wrapped up in the magical woodlands of the Rhodope mountains.
Hop on a coach from Sofia, then a donkey cart up a mountain to get here. Easy. From 7th-11th June, tickets are €140.
Hop on a coach from Sofia, then a donkey cart up a mountain to get here. Easy. From 7th-11th June, tickets are €140.
Best Batshit Cray: Terraforma
Milan, Italy
Terraforma is not a festival. It’s a way of life.
They 'create an atmosphere' by bringing together artists, installations and seriously environmentally friendly ideas, add some of the top names in techno aaand throw the whole lot into a rural palace in Italy.
They 'create an atmosphere' by bringing together artists, installations and seriously environmentally friendly ideas, add some of the top names in techno aaand throw the whole lot into a rural palace in Italy.
Installations help set the tone of the music, which is all flavours of electronic. Jeff Mills, Donato Dozzy and Batu are crowning the line up this year.
And it’s just a 30 minute train from Milan. From 29 June - 1st July
Tickets are a bargain; €31 per day, or €75 for 3 🙀
And it’s just a 30 minute train from Milan. From 29 June - 1st July
Tickets are a bargain; €31 per day, or €75 for 3 🙀
Best Teeny Tiny: Monticule
Cajarc, France
Monticule is more intimate than first cousins kissing in the back of Uncle Gerald’s Volvo Estate.
Held in Domaine de Gayfié - a private house with a massive swimming pool and fairytale woodland in the middle of France. This teeny festival (800 people max) feels like a beautiful, out of control house-party turned way of life.
Held in Domaine de Gayfié - a private house with a massive swimming pool and fairytale woodland in the middle of France. This teeny festival (800 people max) feels like a beautiful, out of control house-party turned way of life.
Catch John Talabot, Modeselektor and Gilb’R on the bill this year.
Hop on a train from Toulouse to Cahors then a bus to Cajarc.
From 20th - 24th June. Tickets are €140 for the whole week.
Hop on a train from Toulouse to Cahors then a bus to Cajarc.
From 20th - 24th June. Tickets are €140 for the whole week.
Best Spiritual Vibes: Body & Soul
Ballinlough, Ireland
At this solstice-inspired music festival there’s acrobats in the air, cider in your pint glass and glitter in places you didn't want it.
Body & Soul is a magical tribute to paganism, with mind-expanding workshops, Ireland’s best masseuses and all the yoga, sound-healing and dancing that you can downward-facing dog at.
Body & Soul is a magical tribute to paganism, with mind-expanding workshops, Ireland’s best masseuses and all the yoga, sound-healing and dancing that you can downward-facing dog at.
This year Fever Ray, Jon Hopkins and Chronixx grace the lineup this year.
Ballinlough is just over an hour from Dublin. From June 22n-24th tickets are €200.
Ballinlough is just over an hour from Dublin. From June 22n-24th tickets are €200.