Glastonbury: UK

Whilst festivals such as Reading/Leeds and T in the Park have mounted serious claims to being the UK’s ultimate festival, the history which precedes Glastonbury and its huge attendance still lands it as the number one UK festival. Known for bringing in the biggest headliners, (some of them much unexpected) there is always an eclectic mix of music and performances on display. Rumours for the 2013 headliners include veterans Fleetwood Mac and The Rolling Stones. Tickets are known to sell out as quickly as you can blink, so it is worth monitoring the site to find out when tickets go on sale. You should also pack some wellingtons or heavy duty footwear as it is known to be a victim to torrential rain.

Mud at Glastonbury festival, UK by Joanne and Matt

Benicàssim: Spain

One distinct advantage of attending a music festival in Spain in the summer is the opportunity to watch some of your favourite bands in near perfect conditions. Whilst Spain does get very hot in the summer the festivals close proximity to the coast provides strong breezes to alleviate the intensity of the heat. It has continued to gain popularity over the past few years and people from all over Europe travel to attend the festival. It takes place in a town on the outskirts of Valencia and most people tend to fly in, but a road trip through Europe and over the Pyrenees mountains is also an option for those who want to visit other places en route. Most recent notable acts include The Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes, Kings of Leon, Sigor Ros and Bob Dylan.

Benicàssim Festival, Spain by Renzo Giusti

Outlook Festival: Croatia

Croatia has become a popular European destination mainly due to its great summer climate and the fact it has its own domestic currency which makes local products cheaper for European travellers. Outlook festival has become one of the biggest dance festivals in the world and is renowned for having a diverse range of dance music represented across its stages. It is located in Pula, Croatia which rests on the southwest of the country. There are a number of beaches near the area which makes it a popular festival choice.

Before you begin your journey overseas it is worth investing in a prepaid travel card. Unlike cash you get the benefit of extra security and the ability to monitor your finances online and plan your holiday budget.

About the author: Adam Porteous writing on behalf of ICE. Click here for more information on their prepaid travel cards and travel money offers.

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With the new year fast approaching we recommend the following 5 things to do if in the UK for the first time or actually live here.

Glastonbury Festival in the UK by Logan1138

1. Visit Wimbledon 2013

With the ever increasing popularity of tennis in the UK and the fact that we have the Olympic Champion Andy Murray performing amazingly this tournament promises to be amazing. Murray mound is located inside the grounds and you can watch the games without the need for tickets. Just expect to queue up when the big games are on. Definitely one of the events of 2013.

2. Watch a Premier League Football match. 

The English Premier League is probably the most exciting football league in the world and is home to some of the very best players.  Whilst premier league tickets are not very easy to find you can normally get to see a game for the lower teams in the league without problem. The biggest games of the season are between Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and now Manchester City. The stadiums we recommend are Anfield, Old Trafford and the Emirates, all of which hold more than 50,000 fans with Old Trafford having over 77,000 capacity.

3. Go Camping at Glastonbury 2013

With the Olympics taking place in 2012 the organisers of the largest festival in the world, Glastonbury decided to have a year off from the UK music festival scene. With this the demand to go in 2013 has been higher than ever. Artists such as Beyoncé, Stevie Wonder, Coldplay and Jay-Z have all played on the iconic Pyramid stage in the past couple of years and 2013 promises to be just as big. Camping typically starts on the Tuesday and the music starts on the main stages on the Friday. If you are around this part of the UK in June 2013 then get your camping gear ready and get to the Somerset countryside for this amazing festival.

4. Champions League Final Wembley 2013

The famous Wembley Stadium will be the place to be in North West London in May 2013 with around 90,000 fans cheering on the finalists of the Champions League. With teams such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, AC Milan all fighting for a place this promises to be another fantastic and dramatic final. The English Football Association is 150 years old this year and therefore has been chosen for the final destination. With over 100 million

Wembley Stadium, England, UK by Richj1209

5. Watch a 6 Nations Rugby Match

The 6 Nations consist of England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy and France. All of these nations are passionate about rugby and play to win every game. All games are passionate and completely sold out. The highlight games are always the England vs France games and England v Ireland. With the choice of Twickenham, Murrayfield and the Millenium stadium you have the choice of 3 excellent stadiums to choose from.

Written by James, a writer for TicketVago.com, specialists in Premier League tickets and other major sporting events.

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There are several sport games during Olympics where everyone can join (if you reserve places in advance) e.g.:

• Mud Football
• Mud Tug-o-war
• Mud cycling
• Mud volleyball
• Mud Handball
• Mud skiing
• Mud snorkeling and much more

The dates for 2011 are the weekend of July 23rd with the music festival on Saturday 23rd July and the Mud Olympics on Sunday 24th July.

These are the German mud olympics; “Wattolümpiade Brunsbüttel” The most popular event is mud football. There’s also mud skiing and bicycle races. Prizes are provided for sporting performances, prizes are awarded in such bizarre categories as Funniest Team Name, Best Fans, and Funniest Team.

If you want to see the craziest mud festival in Europe, do not miss this opportunity.

View Mud Olympics and Wattstock Music Festival in Brunsbüttel, Germany in a larger map

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San Remo Music Festival is held in February and originally it is composers’ competition, not a singers’ competition. The singers are accompanied with an individual orchestral arrangement.

The festival has launched the careers of many very famous Italian singers, most notably Andrea Bocelli, Giorgia, Mietta, Elisa, Laura Pausini, Eros Ramazzotti, Gigliola Cinquetti, or Massimo Ranieri.

Are you still at home? Wake up and go to San Remo, you can still catch some of the best Italian singers.

View San Remo Music Festival – right now in San Remo, Italy – 15.2.-19.2.2011 in a larger map

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The main local attraction is the Turku Castle built in the 18th century, where you can visit a historical museum since 1881. Other important buildings are Turku Cathedral or Tuomiokirkko from the 13th century, open-air museum Luostarinmäki, located in Mount Vartiovuori – it is a part of the city which has survived from the 18th century.

There is also Orthodox Church, Brinkhall Manor, Kakskerta church, an old mill in Samppalinna, Church of Archangel Michael from 1905, Martin church from 1921, Turku Art Museum, Museum of pharmacy and museum Ett hem or home to a typical Finnish houses from the 18th century. In Turku, there are several festivals – the most famous is music festival Turku and Ruisrock Festival. There are 176,000 inhabitants living in Turku.

View Turku – European Capital of Culture in 2011 Finland in a larger map

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