No festival plans for summer yet? Don’t worry! You’re still on time to get tickets for the coolest summer music festivals in Portugal. Doing a quick search on the Internet you will see that there are many options to choose from and that can be overwhelming.
That’s why I’ve put together a list of the Top 5 best festivals taking into consideration their line-ups, prices, locations and other features. So, keep reading!
If you are an expat or a tourist planning to spend your summer in Portugal, seeing your favorite artists there can be cheaper than seeing them in other places.
For example, the prices of the Primavera Sound festival differ significantly between Porto (cheaper) and Barcelona (more expensive) even though the line-ups aren’t too different.
Plus, nothing compares to the amazing locations that include beaches, islands and parks full of the natural beauty that characterizes Portugal.
Primavera Sound
6 thru 8 June I in Porto I Tickets from 75 euros
Primavera Sound started in Barcelona in 2001 and after years of success in Spain it expanded to Portugal, more specifically to the city of Porto where it has had 9 editions. This year for their 10th edition some of the headliners will include Lana del Rey, The National, Mitski, SZA, Arca and PJ Harvey. Primavera Sound is known for having a very diverse line-up but featuring mostly indie, rock, pop, electronic and experimental music.
This year, like in previous years, the festival will take place from June 6th to 8th in Parque da Cidade, one of the largest parks in Porto. There are still some tickets available if you don’t have yours yet! The daily ticket prices start at 75 euros and go up to 175 euros for the full festival ticket, which I honestly find quite affordable considering the amazing line-up and location.
Unfortunately, both the VIP tickets for the full festival and the daily tickets on the 7th are already sold out, so if there’s any artist that you love in their line-up, hurry up and get your tickets!
Rock in Rio
15 and 16 June, 22 and 23 June in Lisbon I Tickets from 89 euros
Rock in Rio is probably one of the largest and most famous music festivals around the world. It originally started in Rio de Janeiro in 1985 and it expanded to Portugal in 2004, where it will celebrate its 10th edition this year.
Although its primary focus when it started in Brazil was rock music with headliners such as Queen, Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC and Scorpions; the festival now incorporates a wider range of genres such as pop, electronic and Indie rock.
Some of the headliners that will perform in this edition of Rock in Rio Portugal are Scorpions, Evanescence, Ed Sheeran, Macklemore, Doja Cat and Camila Cabello.
The festival will happen during two weekends in a new location in Lisbon, the Tejo Park, on 15 and 16 June 15, and 22 and 23 June. This will be one of the major music festivals in Portugal and if you don’t have your tickets yet, you’re still on time to get them. The daily tickets start at 89 euros and go up to 385 euros for the VIP ones. There are also packs for 157 euros if you want to attend a full weekend.
Nos Alive
11 thru 13 July I In Oeiras I Tickets: from 89 euros
Previously known as Optimus Alive, Nos Alive is the most prominent Portuguese festival and has been held since 2007, attracting music lovers from all over Europe. It is known for featuring a wide range of artists including international and national musicians across different genres such as rock, pop, indie and electronic. Some of the headliners this year include Dua Lipa, Pearl Jam, Aurora, Arcade Fire, the Smashing Pumpkins, and there are more artists still to be announced.
Hurry up!
There are no 3-day tickets left, but you are still on time to buy some of the daily ones for 89 euros. Since its first edition in 2007, the festival has taken place in one of the most amazing locations, Passeio Marítimo de Algés, exactly in the area where the Tajo river ends and becomes the Atlantic Ocean.
Regarding accommodation, even though this festival does not offer a place for camping on-site, Algés is very well connected to Lisbon by a 30-minute train ride.
Super Bock Super Rock
18 thru 20 July I Setúbal I Tickets from 72 euros
This is a great option if you want to have the full festival experience and stay the night near the beach camping with your friends. Super Bock Super Rock was the first music festival I went to in Europe in 2019 and it was an unforgettable experience. The organization was impeccable, the line-up that year included some of my favorite artists, such as Lana del Rey, Jungle and Cat Power; the weather was amazing and there was a wide offer of affordable food and drinks.
Even though there is “rock” in the name of the festival, same as in Rock in Rio, there is more to it. The most featured genres are hip-hop, indie, electronic and pop. And, although the vibes change every year, this is more of an underground festival, definitely for you if you want to get to know new artists. This year some of the headliners are Måneskin, 21 Savage and Fisher. Prices go from 72 euros for a daily ticket without access to the camping site, up to 279 euros for the three-day ticket including access to the camping site with toilets and bars, and front stage access during the concerts.
Maré de Agosto
22 thru 24 August I In the Açores I Tickets: TBA
If you want to have the full festival experience camping on a paradisiac island in front of the beach, Maré de Agosto is the perfect place for you. This festival’s vibe is a bit different from the previous ones because its genres lean towards reggae, bossa-nova, folk, jazz, electronic and Azorean music.
Furthermore, this festival which has taken place since 1984 and will celebrate its 40th edition this year, is known for being the longest-running festival in Portugal and for highlighting the rich cultural heritage of the Azorean islands.
Some of the artists that will be performing have already been announced and include Jesse Royal, L’entourloop, Sara Cruz and AYOM. But there are more to be announced because the festival will only take place at the end of August.
For that same reason, the ticket prices haven’t been announced either but some of them will include camping on-site. However, if you don’t live in Santa Maria island, what you can do is purchase your flight tickets and follow the festival’s socials closely so you can be the first to know when the ticket sales are released.
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See our list of EDM-plus music festivals in 2024 here.
Mónica da Silva is half-Venezuelan, half Portuguese and has lived in Venezuela, Portugal, Spain and Germany. She has studies linguistics and has a Bachelor’s Degree in European Studies. Besides contributing to Dispatches, she works remotely as an English teacher, which allows her to be on the move as often as she wants.
