Summer 2019: five festivals you have to go to
In response to the macrofestival boom, recent years have seen an unstoppable rise in boutique festivals. Limited in size and offering parallel activities and a select style-focused line-up in dream settings – such as an island, an ancient farm or next to a palace – they offer festivalgoers one-of-a-kind experiences. Below, we offer you four of these live music events that you simply can’t miss this summer. And, if you prefer something bigger, we’ll let you in on all the details of a larger festival right on the beach.
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1 The best-kept secret
Like every summer, Vigo’s estuary is home to the Sinsal SON Estrella Galicia music festival, held on San Simón Island (the boat ride is included in the ticket). The truly unique thing about this musical event is that festivalgoers attend without knowing what the line-up is. This year’s performers will be revealed from 25 to 28 July, when this festival – in which indie music has prevailed for the last few years – takes place. The expectation is such that, from April, thousands of users have been trying to get a ticket for this event that is limited to no more than 800 people, including audience, artists and staff.
Fly to Vigo to enjoy Sinsal SON Estrella Galicia from 9,000 Avios (return) -
2 Partying on an old farm
The Monticule Festivals, whose line-up focuses on electronic music (Blawan, Courtesy and Jennifer Cardini have been confirmed as DJs), takes place from 19 to 23 June in the Lot Valley, at an hour and a half from Toulouse. The event is held on private land with a swimming pool and an old farm. The activities organised include workshops on astronomy, painting, yoga and massage. It also boasts a Champagne bar with views to the French countryside for a totally immersive experience.
Fly to Toulouse from 9,000 Avios (return) and attend Monticule festival - image by Rubens Ben -
3 Country, almost 7,000 km from Nashville
Spain’s country music fans no longer have to catch a flight to the US to enjoy this musical genre originating in the American South. The municipality of Riaza, in Segovia, is hosting the Huercasa Country Festival from 5 to 7 June, with a line-up including well-known artists such as Ashley Campbell, Hayes Carll and Will Hoge. This is the best event for listening to country music in Spain. At the last edition, the entire town was dancing in the square with country line-dancing classes.
Huercasa Country Festival takes place in Segovia, 1:30h from Madrid, where you can fly from 9,000 Avios (return) -
4 Dancing in the palace gardens
Classical music also has its place at summer festivals and, at New Generation, it is done in style. Held from 28 to 31 August in the idyllic gardens of Florence’s Palazzo Corsini – an 18th-century building next to the Rio Arno – the event focuses on intimate recitals, with acoustic concerts and operas including The Marriage of Figaro. The event’s gastronomy, with dinners offered in the garden, will focus on seasonal and local products as well as Italian wines.
Go to the New Generation festival flying from Florence from just 15,000 Avios (return) -
5 A big festival with its feet in the sand
If you’re looking to combine parties and concerts on the Costa del Sol, the Weekend Beach Festival Torre del Mar is the perfect option for fun days at the beach. From 3 to 6 July, this event features a surprisingly eclectic line-up. Becky G, Bad Gyal, Laurent Garnier, Luz Casal and Ska-P will all perform in this town in the province of Málaga. It has become one of the major events in the southern part of the country and this is the sixth edition (the fifth one attracted more than 140,000 attendees).
The Weekend Beach Festival Torre del Mar celebrates in Malaga, where you can fly to from 9,000 Avios (return)