Music festivals worth travelling to that are not Glastonbury

From Morocco to Romania, party in a castle, park or on an island this summer

Singer and guitarist Alex Kapranos performs with Franz Ferdinand at Jazzablanca festival in 2019. Photo: Jazzablanca

With another sold-out version of UK festival Glastonbury beginning on Wednesday, as usual there are fans left at home disheartened because they couldn't get a ticket.

This could be a blessing in disguise as Europe and North Africa are packed with summer music festivals in picturesque locations.

And the best part is that they also feature a number of the headliners performing at Glastonbury, so fans need not miss out on the action after all.

From six days of pop and rock on an island in Hungary to a 24-hour music marathon in a castle in Romania, here are 10 festivals you won't want to miss this summer.

June 22 to 24: Jazzablanca

Jazzablanca features Moroccan and international jazz and rock acts. Photo: Mohamed Filali Anssari

Where: Casablanca, Morocco

Headliners: Nile Rodgers, Mika, Aloe Blacc and Beth Hart

Why go? This boutique city festival provides a solid mix of travel and entertainment. Held across two stages in the expansive Anfa Park, the festival has pop and jazz stalwarts as well as breakout stars.

jazzablanca.com

June 28 to 30: Afro Nation

Where: Algarve, Portugal

Headliners: Burna Boy, Wizkid, 50 Cent, Aya Nakamura and Ms Banks

Why go? With afrobeats' popularity growing with each viral hit, this is one of the genre’s premiere festivals.

Beginning in 2019, Afro Nation branched off to launch satellite events in Ghana, US, Mexico and Puerto Rico.

However, it is the original location in the beach city of Algarve, a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Portugal's capital, Lisbon, where the stars truly come out.

afronationfestival.com

July 6 to 8: Mad Cool

Where: Madrid, Spain

Headliners: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Robbie Williams, Lizzo and Queens of the Stone Age

Why go? The line up expertly blends the popular and the cool.

This year is no different with another eclectic feast of music to have you dancing, singing along to pop anthems and head banging to propulsive guitar riffs.

madcoolfestival.es

July 6 to 9: Exit Festival

Where: Novi Sad, Serbia

Headliners: The Prodigy, Wu-Tang Clan, Skrillex, Nina Kraviz and Rico Nasty

Why go? Another dynamic line-up playing amid an 18th-century Petrovaradin Fortress.

The gigs take place in more than two dozen stages located within the fort, which also features moats, trenches and tunnels.

exitfest.org

July 19 to 23: Electric Castle

Where: Transylvania, Romania

Headliners: Macklemore, Iggy Pop, George Ezra, The Chemical Brothers and Sigur Ros

Why go? Set on the grounds of the 15th century Banffy Castle in Transylvania, the festival has various camping options and a 24-hour programme of non-stop events, ranging from performances to amusement rides, art installations and even stand-up comedy.

The line-up is suitably eclectic, from the thumping beats of the UK dance duo, The Chemical Brothers, to the haunting and mostly instrumental sounds of the Icelandic group Sigur Ros.

electriccastle.ro

July 27 to July 30: Camp Bestival

Where: Dorset, England

Headliners: Grace Jones, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Roni Size and Stereo MCs

Why go? The sister event to the defunct Bestival Festival, this is one of the rare family-friendly music events on the UK summer circuit.

Set on the grounds of the Lulworth Castle in Dorset, there are plenty of child-friendly activities, including bush craft activities and a giant bouncy castle.

Adults can also enjoy the nostalgic line up, including Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Mel C, Craig David and East 17.

dorset.campbestival.net

August 4 and 5: Big Slap Festival

Where: Malmo, Sweden

Headliners: Swedish House Mafia, Burna Boy, Bebe Rexha, French Montana, Armin van Buuren and Rita Ora

Why go? Think of it as the Swedish version of the popular UAE festival RedFest, with its line-up of big pop, dance and hip-hop names.

Held in Sweden's third largest city, there is seemingly something for everyone at Big Slap.

bigslap.se

August 10 to 15: Sziget Festival

Where: Budapest, Hungary

Headliners: Billie Eilish, David Guetta, Florence and The Machine, Imagine Dragons and Lorde

Why go? Hungary’s resounding answer to the UK's Glastonbury Festival.

Featuring nearly 60 stages on Obuda Island on the Danube River, this is a mammoth festival featuring over 100 acts big and small, in addition to art installations and plays.

szigetfestival.com

August 23 and 25 to 27: Rock en Seine

Where: Near Paris, France

Headliners: Billie Eilish, The Strokes, Placebo and The Chemical Brothers

Why go? For those looking to add a first-grade festival experience to their Parisian holiday, Rock en Seine is the ticket.

With a strong line up of pop, rock and electronic acts, and set in the vast gardens of Saint Cloud National Park, this is one of France's biggest music events.

rockenseine.com

August 25 and 26: Uprising

Where: Bratislava, Slovakia

Headliners: Dizzee Rascal, Steel Pulse, Barrington Levy and Jeru the Damaja

Why go? Slovakia may not be the first country that comes to mind when you think of reggae, but it has built a reputation over 15 years as one of the premiere reggae festivals in Europe.

Held in the picturesque lakeside summer resort of Zlate Piesky, Uprising brings together the biggest international reggae acts, in addition to art, yoga classes and a reggae-inspired street art market.

uprising.sk