Festival Fun by Ferry

Rocking out at the Way Out West featival in Gothenburg, Sweden. Photo: Annika Berglund

You might have rocked out at Reading and grooved at Glastonbury – but have you ever crossed the sea to strut your stuff in Stradbally?

Combine your festival with a holiday exploring a different way to travel, seeing the hottest summer parties across Europe. So if you love music – and love travelling at your own pace – ferries are the way forward for the ultimate festival experience.

Using our foot passenger Ferry Journey Planner, discover how you can take ferries from the UK to a huge range of destinations across the rest of Europe, many of which offer easy access to some of the continent's best festivals. 

Brittany Ferries provides ferry services from Poole, Portsmouth, Plymouth to France and Northern Spain, plus see the services below for other ferry operators.

National Ferry fortnight runs from 14-28 May when they'll be special offers for ferry services. We'll be posting these up on greentraveller closer to this period.

Electric Picnic
Stradbally, Ireland: 2 – 4 September
Held on an idyllic country estate south of Dublin, this medium-sized event punches well above its weight: even though there’s only room for 35,000 revellers, it’s known as Ireland’s version of Glastonbury. Electric Picnic is as renowned for its eco-friendly outlook as it is for its artists and along with its several stages it features a 24-hour cinema tent, a Body and Soul wellness arena and an International Comedy Tent. This year’s bill includes The Chemical Brothers, Beirut, Interpol, Jimmy Cliff, Toots & the Maytals and White Lies.
While you’re there: take a detour to Dublin to sample a Guinness direct from the sources, marvel at the Book of Kells, take stroll in Temple Bar and enjoy the city’s famous hospitality.
Getting there: Ferry from Liverpool to Dublin or Holyhead to Dublin, then take the train to Stradbury. See also our comprehensive guide to How to travel to Ireland without flying.

Main Square Festival
Arras, France: 1 – 3 July
Only an hour from the port of Calais, the market town of Arras’ renowned annual music festival sees the town square transformed into a vast concert venue for three days on the trot. Previous acts have included Black Eyed Peas, Pink, Pearl Jam and Gossip: this year’s billing includes Arcade Fire, Coldplay, Linkin Park, Eels, and Kaiser Chiefs. Camp outside town for as little as €8 and, if you can’t make the whole 3 days, one-day tickets are available.  
While you’re there: be sure to check out the belfry of the town hall and the old citadel - both UNESCO world heritage sites – and the First World War tunnels at the Carrière Wellington museum.  
Getting there:  Ferry from Dover to Calais. From Calais there is a direct train to Arras
 
Roskilde Festival
Roskilde, Denmark: 30 June –3 July 
One of Europe’s largest and longest-running festivals, this event takes place outside the ancient town of Roskilde on Denmark’s Isle of Zealand.  It’s hosted everyone from Bob Marley to the Sex Pistols and David Bowie. This year there’s an especially strong line up with the likes of Iron Maiden, Kings of Leon, M.I.A, and PJ Harvey as well as the best of Scandinavian bands. There’s plenty of other entertainment as well: expect art installations, film screenings, a skating rink and rock-climbing walls.  
While you’re there: check out the 11th-century longboats at Roskilde’s Viking Ships Museum and chill out on Zealand’s world-class sandy beaches.  
Getting there: Ferry from Harwich to Esberjg then take the train to Roskile. Book with RailEurope.

Travelling by ferry is fun, easy and a great way to get into a festival moodNorth Sea Jazz Festival
Rotterdam, Netherlands: 8 – 10 July 
If you love jazz, there’s no better place in the world to be this July than Rotterdam. The three-day North Sea Jazz Festival is considered the world’s biggest: a huge celebration of global jazz music that’s counted Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Benny Goodman.  Last year saw 70,000 people visit the festival’s fifteen stages to hear everything from New Orleans jazz to blues and bebop, take part in the top class  music workshops and check out the jazz-themed art, photography and cinema exhibitions.
 While you’re there: when you’re done checking out Rotterdam’s architecture and modern art museums, it’s a short drive to the splendour of Amsterdam and Utrecht. 
Getting there: Ferry from Hull to Rotterdam or Ferry from Harwich to Hook of Holland. See our video of what it's like taking the Rail Sail to Holland.

BESTIVAL
Isle of Wight, UK: 8-11 September
Round off your festival season back in the UK with one of Europe’s most talked-about and flamboyant festivals: Bestival. Held at the scenic Robin Hill country park on the Isle of Wight, Bestival is not to be missed. As well as a range of outlandish, family-friendly attractions including The Castle in the Sky Bonfire Extravaganza, sculpture garden and a solar-powered bandstand, you can expect to enjoy the world’s best acts including The Cure, Fatboy Slim, Noah and The Whale, Paloma Faith... and Brian Wilson of Beach Boys fame.
While you’re there: enjoy a stroll through Queen Victoria’s garden at Osborne House and spend a day on the cliffs at The Needles – the Isle of Wight’s famous chalk sea-stacks.  
Getting there: Ferry from Portsmouth to Fishbourne or Ferry from Lymington to Yarmouth. Wightlink and Red Funnel offer combined Bestival and ferry tickets, with special rates for children aged 15 and under.

It's just 30 minutes by ferry from Lymington to the Isle of Wight on the Wightlink service