Small but mighty, here’s our pick of the best music and arts festivals around Europe this summer
Tell us about your favourite small European festivals
Meadows in the Mountains, Bulgaria
Bulgaria’s Rhodope mountains, close to the Greek border, make an atmospheric setting for this multi-genre music festival. It’s a scenic escape with four stages showcasing underground electronic music and acoustic bands, plus zip-lining, a giant hammock in the forest, yoga and other wellness activities – along with hillside gatherings for sunrise. The resident choir from the local village of Polkovnik Serafimovo (around 100km south of Plovdiv) also performs in traditional dress with Kukeri dancers.
• 6-9 June, €150.50 (plus camping for €6.50pp), meadowsinthemountains.com
Awake, Romania
Awake is a rural party in Transylvania, in the grounds of Teleki Estate, an 18th-century baroque castle with more than six hectares (16 acres) of gardens beside the River Mureș. Music spans drum’n’bass, hip-hop, indie, soul and punk, including Pussy Riot, JP Cooper and Netsky. There’s also a cinema, a forest library, talks from the “feed your mind” programme, wellness activities, interactive theatre and outdoor artwork across the site.
• 15-18 August, £38, awakefestival.ro
Sacred Ground, Germany
• 12-14 July, €139, sacredground.de