Our Festival Guide

Food, glorious food. One of the great wonders of travel is undoubtedly sampling the traditional cuisine at the heart of the countries we know and love. Whether it's sampling seafood in Iceland, tucking into unusual pizza toppings in Naples or sipping on a glass of Malbec in Argentina, food and drink sits top of the menu whilst visiting far flung corners of the globe. We’ve chosen our top festivals for gastro gurus to whet your appetite for a foodie inspired adventure.

Across the globe, arts and literature festivals abound. Throughout the year, comedians, artists, and performers gather to celebrate their art and showcase their craft. In just a day at one of the following festivals, you can spot a household name, meet a local artist, watch a show or join in a workshop making it the ultimate way to satisfy any culture cravings whilst on holiday.

A country’s cultural festivals are an incredible insight into its history and people, and experiencing one in all its colourful, and potentially chaotic, glory is a truly unforgettable experience. Some, a celebration, others a commemoration, yet all are a fascinating snapshot into the cultural heritage of each destination. Whether it’s a colour popping carnival, a traditional ceremony or a patriotic party that takes your fancy, we’ve chosen our favourites from around the world.

Nature enthusiasts and green fingered fans are in luck. Marking anything from a new season, a fruitful harvest or an annual migration, these festivals celebrate the very best of mother nature in each corner of the globe. From sitting down to a picnic under a cherry blossom tree in Japan, to dancing the night away under a flurry of jasmine confetti, we’ve picked our top festivals which showcase the very best of the natural world.

From salsa to samba and jazz to jive, the heritage of a country comes to life during a music festival. Find yourself foot tapping to a live orchestra in Cape Town, dancing under the midnight sun in Reykjavik or sitting in the ancient amphitheatre of Verona’s opera house for a unique way to experience the cultures at the beating heart of each and every destination. We’ve handpicked a few of our favourite festivals to get your hips swaying, hearts pounding and heads bopping.

Religious festivals are a captivating affair. Holding much importance throughout the world, and across many religions and faiths, the occasions are a truly soul stirring experience to witness first hand. Experience the explosion of colour of Holi, the dramatic processions of Semana Santa and the lantern dotted sky of Waisak. Here, we’ve picked the most incredible occasions to immerse your spiritual side in.

The sporting calendar runs the full gamut of competitions across the globe. Visit the home of polo to hear the soul stirring thunder of hooves, plonk yourself roadside for the roar of the world’s fastest supercars, or hear the thud of a caber resound around a glen in the Scottish Highlands for a truly unique sporting experience. We’ve picked the hottest tickets in town to the world’s greatest sporting occasions.

Whether you're planning a summer holiday, a festive break or anything in between, our festival calendar is the perfect guide to squeezing in a celebration (or two) no matter the season. We've handpicked our very favourite festivals, so whether its ringing in a new year with a spectacular firework display, joining in with age old traditions at Easter or getting stuck in with pumpkin carving at Halloween, we think we've got just the ticket to complete your holiday itinerary.