As spring turns into summer, Europe offers an even wider range of events and activities for you to attend. Whether you want to attend a music festival or participate in local traditions, you’ll be able to experience them while enjoying the milder weather.
Read on to discover 10 of the best European places and events that you can experience in May
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1. Brussels Jazz Weekend, Brussels, Belgium
Occurring annually in Brussels, Belgium, the Brussels Jazz Festival is a unique music festival due to the fact that it is completely free to attend. It takes place over the course of three days and has a variety of different indoor and outdoor venues. For example, one of the larger stages is set up outdoors in St Catharines Square. In comparison, you can attend smaller shows at bars and clubs as well. The lineup varies from year to year but they always aim to represent a good variety of jazz music from throughout the world.
Brussels Travel Guide & Resources:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Brussels. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Brussels to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Brussels itinerary in addition to the festival? Find top attractions and things to do in Brussels in addition to the festival here.
2. Queima das Fitas, Coimbra, Portugal
This festival has a unique origin story: it was first organized during the first half of the 19th century by students at the University of Coimbra. This University is the oldest one in Portugal, and at one point it was the only university in the country. This festival was designed to celebrate the end of the academic year. It takes place over the course of eight days, with each day representing each school within the University.
One of the major ceremonies that is part of this festival is the burning of ribbons to represent each of these eight schools as well. The celebrations include festivals, food, drinks, dancing, and more. As time has gone on, the festival has grown to include other visitors and is no longer exclusively a student tradition.
Coimbra Travel Guide & Resources:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Coimbra. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Coimbra to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Coimbra itinerary in addition to the festival? Find top attractions and things to do in Coimbra in addition to the festival here.
3. Karneval der Kulturen, Berlin, Germany
The Karneval der Kulturen is a multicultural festival that has been held in Berlin every year since 1996. It is a celebration of various cultures, and celebrations include dancing, theater, music, and other types of performances. The festival was originally created out of a desire to promote multiculturalism and tolerance. The cultures represented here are not just German cultures – these days groups come from various different countries including South America and Africa to participate in the festival.
Berlin Travel Guide & Resources:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Berlin. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Berlin to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Berlin itinerary in addition to the festival? Find top attractions and things to do in Berlin in addition to the festival here.
4. RHS Chelsea Flower Show, London, England
This elaborate flower festival has been held in London in the neighborhood of Chelsea for over 100 years. It is run by The Royal Horticultural Society, and it attracts many visitors from all over the world. Many of these guests return year after year – one example of regular guests at the show are the British royal family. As capacity is limited in the area where the festival is held, tickets must be purchased in advance. The show isn’t simply a display of flowers however – it is also a chance for gardeners and horticulturalists to announce new plants that were created over the past year and explore different trends in the world of plants.
London Travel Guide & Resources:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to London. Also, find the list of the best hotels in London to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your London itinerary in addition to the festival? Find top attractions and things to do in London in addition to the festival here.
5. Prague Spring International Music Festival, Prague, Czech Republic
Set in the Czech Republic’s Capital City, the Prague Spring International Music Festival is a renowned showcase for performing artists, orchestras, and chamber music ensembles. The artists and performers featured come from all over the world, and the festival puts an emphasis on supporting younger performers and encouraging and cultivating a love of the different art forms showcased here.
Prague Travel Guide & Resources:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Prague. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Prague to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Prague itinerary in addition to the festival? Find top attractions and things to do in Prague in addition to the festival here.
6. Oslo Medieval Festival, Oslo, Norway
The city of Oslo traces its history back to the Middle Ages, and the people who live there keep in touch with the city’s roots with the Medieval Festival that takes place every year. Taking place at the historic Akershus Fortress, this Festival was designed to help people learn about the city’s history. While some of the elements of the festival may seem familiar if you have been to a Renaissance Festival elsewhere, the Oslo Medieval Festival is unique as it embraces the cultures and traditions of the region specifically.
Oslo Travel Guide & Resources:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Oslo. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Oslo to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Oslo itinerary in addition to the festival? Find top attractions and things to do in Oslo in addition to the festival here.
7. The Great Escape, Brighton, England
Set in the southern coastal town of Brighton, The Great Escape is a festival for up and coming artists. This festival places a strong emphasis on new music and is an incredible event if you enjoy discovering new artists right before they hit it big. If you are an artist or performer yourself, you can actually apply to play at the festival. The lineup here is not about getting the biggest artist in the world, rather it is about the passion for music and it draws artists from all over the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Belarus, and more!
Brighton Travel Guide & Resources:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Brighton. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Brighton to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Brighton itinerary in addition to the festival? Find top attractions and things to do in Brighton in addition to the festival here.
8. Coopers Hill Cheese Rolling, Gloucester, England
This unique event is held near Gloucester in England where, as the name suggests, participants will race down a hill rolling a wheel of cheese. Over the years it has grown to be a massive event, drawing visitors from all over the world. The cheese used in the event weighs around nine pounds and molded into a circular shape before being decorated with ribbons. Historically there have been some injuries during the event, and members of the local Rugby Club are amongst those that volunteer to act as “catchers” to help prevent injuries to racers who may lose their balance as they sprint down the hill. The event has grown in popularity, and is a unique and entertaining event in Southwest England .
Gloucester Travel Guide & Resources:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Gloucester. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Gloucester to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Gloucester itinerary in addition to the festival? Find top attractions and things to do in Gloucester in addition to the festival here.
9. The Flower Parade, Madeira, Portugal
The Flower Parade takes place every year in Portugal, on the island of Madeira. Madeira is known as the Floating Garden, as it has a perfect climate for flowers to bloom to their full potential. The festival that takes place is a tribute to the springtime, and the island is covered in not only the flowers that are naturally growing, but walls and blankets of flowers that are crafted as well. One of the major events of the festival is the Wall of Hope ceremony, which is a parade that children can participate in that culminates in them adding a flower to the wall. This ceremony is a call for world peace, and has been a part of the festival for over 30 years.
Madeira Travel Guide & Resources:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Madeira. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Madeira to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Madeira itinerary in addition to the festival? Find top attractions and things to do in Madeira in addition to the festival here.
10. Springfest Fruhlingsfest, Munich, Germany
This great beer festival has less attendees than events such as Oktoberfest, but it’s a very similar experience. In fact, it takes place at the same location that Oktoberfest takes place at in the fall and has similar activities. It has less beer tents, but although there may be less variety when it comes to the beer, there’s still plenty of it to go around. Additionally, there are several rides, delicious food, and great music!
Munich Travel Guide & Resources:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Munich. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Munich to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your Munich itinerary in addition to the festival? Find top attractions and things to do in Munich in addition to what already mentioned above here.
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Travel Resources for Planning a Trip to Europe in May
To make planning your trip to Europe in May easier, we included some of our recommended travel resources below. You can search and find the best flights, transportation options, hotels to stay in, tours/activities, and things you can do in each destination during your trip.
Flights:
Agoda: Search thousands of destinations around the world & quickly compare prices to find amazing deals on the best flights.
CheapOAir: You can find airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, and vacation packages all on one site!
Kiwi.com: What we like about Kiwi is the fact that they are able to create combinations of flight, train, and bus tickets and offer them in a single itinerary. Also, Kiwi has what they called “Nomad” which helps you find the best way of visiting multiple destinations, saving you time and money.
JetRadar: You can search and compare airfares from 726 airlines and dozens of travel agencies and systems.
Hotels:
Agoda: Agoda is one of the world’s largest online travel accommodation platforms with a network of over 2,000,000 vacation rentals and hotels worldwide.
Hotellook: They have more than 250,000 hotels in 205 countries, working with data from more than 10 online booking systems, such as Booking.com, Agoda.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, and others.
Transportations:
Airport Transfers: KiwiTaxi, Viator
Train: EuroRail, Trainline or RailEurope
Bus: Flixbus: Very affordable (as low as $6) and convenient way to transfer between cities in Europe.
Car Rentals: AutoEurope, EconomyBookings, or GetTransfer (transfers & car rentals with a personal driver)
Bike Rental: BikesBooking (Bikes & scooter rentals)
Transportation Comparison: Omio (search, compare, and book tickets for buses, trains, and flights all in one site)
Tours & Activities:
TakeWalks (WalkofItaly): This is our favorite site for walking tours & day trips.
Tiqets: Great site for entrance tickets. It offers directly bookable, instantly available, and completely mobile tickets for museums, shows, and attractions all over the world.
Musement: They have good activities and tours in Italy and Spain, also many great day trips you can choose from.
GetYourGuide: A large number of tours, excursions, and other travel activities
Viator: The largest one. It has everything from tours, attractions, shore excursions, and private guides in over 2,700 destinations worldwide. It also has many transportations and transfers options and some unique experiences we didn’t find anywhere else.
Need help planning a trip to Europe in May?
Want to plan a trip to Europe in May but don’t know where to begin? If you find this type of trip planning to be too complicated to plan on your own, we’re here to help!
At MultiCityTrips, multi-destination travel and complicated itineraries such as a trip to experience special events in Europe are our specialties. Contact us today to learn more about how one of our experienced travel experts/destination specialists can personalize your multi-city vacations at the best price.
Don’t want to start from scratch and need some trip inspiration? Check out our marketplace for customizable pre-designed packages available right now for many amazing destinations.
To learn more about how our process of trip planning works in detail, please see our “How It Works” page or check out our video on “How to Plan a Multi-City Trip to Europe in 5 Easy Steps” here.
Have questions for us? Schedule a FREE Call with us here or contact one of the travel experts/destination specialists at [email protected], call/text us at (888)223-2316 today.
