Top Festivals of Europe
Depending on what time of year you are traveling to Europe, you will want to find out what festivals are held in the country or countries you are traveling to.
If you are traveling to Europe in early spring, consider the incredible city of Venice in Italy. The Carnival of Venice is linked to Easter, so the date changes every year. The festival lasts for about 2 weeks. The carnival is known for it’s amazing costumes and beautiful masks. Exciting events include, gondola parades, gala balls and concerts. Venice is truly a feast for the eyes, with its intricate web of canals, gondolas gliding slowly across the water and centuries old palaces. There are numerous restaurants to choose from, with seating outside along the canals.
Carnival of Venice, Italy by heatherbroster
In March if you are traveling to Europe you might want to include the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland. St Patrick is the patron Saint of Ireland. This is a religious and cultural festival. If you want to see the parade it is held on March 17th, but there are many other events, such as a boat race, music and dancing and of course green beer flowing in the pubs! The festival is now a 4 day event and is held every year.
If you like excitement, Pamplona, Spain is the place to be during July 6-14 for the festival of San Fermin, otherwise known as the Running of the bulls. This may be something you would prefer to watch, rather than participate in. Injuries and deaths do occur! Two excellent viewing areas to choose from would be Plaza Consistorial or Estafeta Street.
San Fermin, Pamplona, Spain by Abir Anwar
An exciting and historic city to visit is Edinburgh, Scotland, with its magnificent castle perched on a hill overlooking the city. August is an excellent time to visit Edinburgh because most of the year Edinburgh can be cold, wet and windy. In August, you have the added excitement of the 3 week long Edinburgh festival, which is a festival of the performing arts, including, music, dance, theater and opera from around the world.
Okoberfest is held for 16 days in Munich, Germany. It usually opens in late September and is known as the world’s largest keg party! The festival has costume parades and rides for all the family. The festival is held in the center of Munich, and there are traditional foods, such as, wurstl (sausages) and brezn (pretzels). Just to get an idea of the size of the festival there are roughly 6.5 million visitors. Events are held in large tents, the most popular being the Hippodron, where many of the classic Oktoberfest bands play their traditional music.
Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany by Gutsul
December in Europe is home to amazing Christmas markets. These Christmas markets started in Germany, France and Austria. The oldest Christmas market started in Dresden, Germany in 1434. The Dresden Christmas market has over 250 stalls and attracts 2 million visitors a year. There are similar markets in Munich, Cologne and Nuremberg. Visitors can enjoy, Christmas carols, Christmas tree lighting, delicious treats such as mulled wine, spicy gingerbread and roasted chestnuts. This is an opportunity to buy delightful hand made gifts for friends and family.
Monica Sing has been living in India for the last 23 years. She is currently planning on a backpacking holiday across Europe. Apart from traveling, she also teaches yoga to guests at The Paul, a leading hotel in Bangalore. You can contact her on natasha.dogre(at)gmail.com to know more.
Category: Festivals
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