Whether you’re a fan of rock, pop or electronic music, here’s everything you need to know about the best 2023 summer music festivals in Volotea destinations.
Volotea not only takes you to the cities that are staging this year’s top festivals, but it’s also the organiser of Volotea Music Fest, which was held on 5 April at Stereolux in Nantes and was a great success! Emerging local artists (VAPA, Michelle & Les Garçons, Solar Project) got the crowds singing and dancing, alongside the “godfather” of the event, Ben L’Oncle Soul.
If you can’t wait to get moving to the beat in the top European locations, pick the event that suits you best, find your flight and get ready to soak up the festival atmosphere and explore some of Europe’s most charming destinations!
The best 2023 festivals in France
Les Nuits Sonores
- Where: Lyon
- When: 17-21 May 2023
- Website: https://nuits-sonores.com/en/
Nuits Sonores calls itself a “cultural, artistic and urban laboratory”, focusing on the world of electronic and digital culture. An unmissable event for lovers of electronic music, taking place on four different sites in Lyon from 17 to 21 May, turning the city and its different districts into one vast club. During the day, emerging artists will be performing in the industrial site that formerly housed the Fagor-Brandt home appliance factory, whilst at night, iconic names such as Maceo Plex, Dixon and Laurent Garnier will take their turn on the other stages.
Hellfest
- Where: Clisson (Nantes)
- When: 15-18 June 2023
- Website: https://www.hellfest.fr/en/
Founded in 2006 and based in the town of Clisson, Hellfest has established itself as one of the main European festivals dedicated to hard rock. A real marathon of hardcore, punk, grind, death metal and trash, just a few minutes from Nantes by train. Over four days, metal legends will take to the stage (of which there are six), to literally raise hell. There are 180 acts in total, including Kiss, Iron Maiden and Slipknot. One-day and multiple-day passes are sold out, but the festival website is operating an official resale service.
Marsatac
- Where: Parc Borely, Marseille
- When: 16-18 June 2023
- Website: https://marsatac.com/
The Marsatac festival has been taking place for more than twenty years and is the perfect event for kicking off summer with some music and fun; it’s held every year in mid-June in a large park covering an area of 12,000m2, Parc Borély, in Marseille, drawing artists from the worlds of electronic music and rap. Emerging talent mixes with more famous names from the urban scene, such as Aya Nakamura, PLK and Josman.
You can buy 1-day, 2-day and 3-day tickets on the festival’s website.
La Nuit de L’Erdre
- Where: Nort-sur-Erdre
- When: 29 June – 2 July 2023
- Website: https://www.lanuitdelerdre.fr/
La Nuit de l’Erde is a diverse music festival featuring artists from different genres and styles; the event is held every summer between the end of June and the beginning of July in the Atlantic Loire region, around 25km north of Nantes. French headliner acts, such as Suzane and Louise Attaque, and international artists, including Franz Ferdinand and Phoenix, take their turn on the stage throughout the three days of the festival, which also aims to raise awareness of important social and environmental issues.
2023 marks the 24th staging of the festival, and 1-day tickets can be purchased from the website.
Garorock
- Where: Marmande (Bordeaux)
- When: 29 June – 2 July 2023
- Website: https://www.garorock.com/
“The Garorock Experience is impossible to explain, you have to be there”, say the organisers of this French festival, which promises to welcome the summer with a long weekend of madness!
From 29 June until 2 July 2023, Garorock returns to Marmande with an exclusive line-up of 60 artists, performing on four stages in over 20 concerts a day. The line-up for the largest festival of contemporary music in south-west France is unmissable, with acts such as David Guetta, Macklemore, Phoenix and Skrillex. You can also camp at this event and enjoy all kinds of entertainment, including a funfair.
Calvi On The Rocks
- Where: Calvi (Bastia)
- When: 30 June – 3 July 2023
- Website: https://www.calviontherocks.com/fr
The magical setting of Calvi Beach, one of the most popular tourist spots in Corsica, is hosting the 20th Calvi on the Rocks festival at the end of June, an unmissable event where electronic music comes together with rock and pop, as well as local culture. French and international artists will get the audience on their feet beneath the sun and the stars of Corsica, not only on the official stages, but also at the beach parties or in the town’s clubs, which during the festival offer an extensive calendar of events. This year’s line-up is yet to be announced, but you can get an idea by taking a look at the 2022 acts: Agoria, Barbara Butch, Andy4000…
Vieilles Charrues
- Where: Carhaix (Brest)
- When: 13-17 July 2023
- Website: https://www.vieillescharrues.asso.fr/
Les Vieilles Charrues is the largest summer music event in France, a huge festival of indie rock and pop, lasting four days and held in the town of Carhaix, in northwest France. The festival will take place for the 31st time from 13 to 17 July and aims to get thousands of festivalgoers singing and dancing to the beat of songs by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Robbie Williams, Rosalia, Blur and many more acts. You can camp on site if you like.
Delta Festival
- Where: Plages du Prado, Marseille
- When: 23-27 August 2023
- Website: https://www.delta-festival.com/en/
Are you looking for a festival that combines electronic beats with culture, art, sport and beach life? The Delta Festival, held at Les Plages du Prado, the beaches to the south of Marseille, is a cracking five-day event full of music and entertainment that could be just what you need.
Three festival stages will host a line-up of big names in techno music: Amelie Lens, Nina Kravitz and many more; and between one session and the next, you can enjoy some water sports and beach parties. With the sea as your backdrop, the beach vibes and shows by acclaimed artists from the worlds of house, hardstyle, hip-hop and everything that gets your heart racing, Delta is without doubt an event to mark in your calendar of summer dates.
The best 2023 festivals in Italy
Firenze Rocks
- Where: Florence
- When: 17-18 June 2023
- Website: https://www.firenzerocks.it
Calling rock fans from all over Europe: this event is for you! After the success of last year’s event, with over 200,000 spectators, 17 and 18 June 2023 sees the return to Florence of one of Italy’s largest music events: Firenze Rocks. Two unmissable evenings at Visarno Arena, with a line-up of international rock acts, such as The Who and Maroon 5. The 2022 line-up included Green Day, Muse, Metallica and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Ypsigrock
- Where: Castelbuono, Palermo
- When: 10-13 August 2023
- Website: https://www.ypsigrock.it/en/festival/
A lovely, welcoming Sicilian town, the wonderful sea nearby, Sicilian food and hospitality and the best music of the moment. What more could you want? The most popular indie festival in Italy, Ypsigrock, returns for the 26th time to the amazing location of Piazza del Castello in Castelbuono, close to Palermo, between the Madonie mountains and the coast.
This year’s line-up has not yet been announced, but some of the big names featured in the past are The National, Editors, Mogwai, Beach House, Belle & Sebastian, Caribou and numerous other international and Italian acts.
The festival also has camping facilities in the San Focà pine forest. Tickets and passes are available from Dice.
Red Valley Festival
- Where: Olbia
- When: 12-15 August 2023
- Website: https://redvalleyfestival.com/
Following the huge success of the 2022 event, the largest August public holiday (ferragosto) music event in Italy is returning this year: we’re talking about the Red Valley Festival in Olbia, taking place on the large stage of the Olbia Arena for four nights, and featuring some of the best artists on the Italian and international music scene. So put 12 to 15 August in your calendar for some singing, dancing and all-night fun to the sounds of Lazza, Black Eyed Peas, Articolo 31, Tananai and many more, with a total of 30 artists and over 40 hours of music.
The best 2023 festivals in Spain
Primavera Sound
- Where: Barcelona and Madrid
- When: 1-3 June and 8-10 June
- Website: https://www.primaverasound.com/es/primavera-sound-barcelona-madrid-2023
A total of 200 acts spread across this three-day festival in Barcelona, at the Parc del Fórum, and in Madrid, at La Ciudad del Rock (City of Rock) in Arganda del Rey. For the first time in the history of the festival, held in Barcelona since 2001, the event will take place in the two cities over two consecutive weekends, sharing the same line-up. An amazing and varied line-up, including artists of the calibre of Blur, Rosalia, Kendrick Lamar and Depeche Mode, and always welcoming all genres and new trends in music, full of innovative, bold and surprising acts. The Barcelona venue, just outside the city overlooking the sea, has made Primavera a hugely popular event among European festivalgoers.
Bilbao BBK live
- Where: Bilbao
- When: 6-8 July 2023
- Website: https://www.bilbaobbklive.com/en/
For some years now considered one of the top festivals both nationally and internationally, Bilbao BBK Live in 2023 will once again, for three days, be home to the most interesting current trends in music. The line-up for this summer is now complete and features some great artists, including Arctic Monkeys, Florence + The Machine, The Chemical Brothers, Phoenix and Pavement. Besides the quality of the music, the festival is also unique in terms of its exceptional natural setting, Mount Cobetas, in the heart of Bilbao.
The best 2023 festivals in Greece
Rockwave festival
- Where: Athens
- When: 1-9 July 2023
- Website: https://www.rockwavefestival.gr/
The Rockwave Festival, held at the Terra Vibe Park in Attica, was first staged in 1996, and since then has established itself as one of the top European rock festivals, managing to attract some of the world’s greatest bands. More than 300 acts have appeared at the festival so far, and this year’s line-up includes Robbie Williams, Deep Purple and The Black Keys.
The best 2023 festivals in Croatia
Ultra Europe
- Where: Split
- When: 7-9 July 2023
- Website: https://ultraeurope.com/
Ultra Europe is a great gathering of artists from the worlds of house, trance, dubstep, electronic music and many other genres with a common goal: to get the crowds dancing ‘til dawn! DJs from all over the world make sure that they’re in Split from 7 to 9 July to play their most explosive sets at Park Mladezi. Confirmed for this year are Afrojack, Carl Cox, Hardwell, Charlotte de Witte and many more.
Looking for other ideas for the summer? Get some inspiration from the Volare magazine articles on the top Volotea destinations for your holiday!
