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It’s an exciting time of year to go to a festival, particularly after the drought of the last couple of years!
While this guide can be applied to any location for international music festival travel, we’ve chosen to focus this guide around the example country of Spain, which has dozens of internationally recognised and revered festivals to offer – as well as sunshine and beaches to boot!
So, without further ado, here is a checklist of everything you’ll need to go to a festival in Spain, or indeed any other international festival.
Check your passport
You have seen the horror stories where people have been
unable to board because their passport had “run out” even though they
had a few months left on their passport. You may need to renew your passport if
your passport is over 10 years old and less than three months of travel on your
passport. If that’s the case, then it’s best to renew your passport as soon as
you can as there is currently a demand for passports, meaning that there could
be a delay for your passport to arrive. Click on the GOV UK website to renew
your passport now!
Entry Requirements
There are two ways for you to travel to Spain. The first way requires you to have proof that you’re fully vaccinated against COVID-19. You can either download the NHS app via Google Play Store if you have an Android Phone or the Apple Store if you have an iPhone. From there you’ll need to create a login if you haven’t already done so, one you are logged in to the home page, click on NHS COVID Pass and click on Travel. Finally, you can download a PDF copy of your proof that you are vaccinated.
If you’re not fully vaccinated and if you’re expected from being vaccinated for COVID-19 then you can get a medical certificate or recovery record to prove you have recovered from COVID-19 or your COVID-19 status entry to Spain. For more advice on entry requirements to Spain, click on the link below.
Festival Tickets
Now you need to decide on what festival you want to go to. There are lots of festivals to go to at this time of year in Spain. Here are some of the biggest you can go to in 2022.
Primavera Sound
When: 2-4 June, 9-12 June
Where: Barcelona
Line-up: Gorillaz, Tame Impala, The Strokes, Lorde, Dua Lipa, Tyler, the Creator, Pavement, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Cost: €16.50
Mad Cool Festival
When: 6-10 July (Tickets available for 8-10 July)
Where: Madrid
Line-up: Metallica, The Killers, Kings of Leon, Muse, Stormzy, Florence + the Machine, twenty one pilots, Pixies
Cost: €65 for 10 July, €75 for 8-9 July
BBF: Barcelona Beach Festival 2022
When: 2 July 2022
Where: Barcelona
Line-up: Armin van Buuren, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Don Diablo, Marshmello, MORTEN, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, Timmy Trumpet, Vini Vici
See a Travel Agent
Are you on a budget? Do you want to save time planning your accommodation, transport, and plane tickets? Do you want a package deal? Then seeing a travel agent is your best bet. There are many companies you can select, but here are some that will give you value for your money.
Hays Travel
Hays Travel has been operating for over 40 years and is the largest independent travel agent in the UK. Hays Travel has a flexible Peace of Mind Policy which allows you to make amendments before 14 days of your departure.
TUI Holiday
This travel agency has hundreds of travel reps and experts to help you find the perfect package holiday to Spain. When you book with them it is ABTA and ATOL protected, meaning you can get your money back in 14 days if they cancel the package.
Jet2Holidays
Jet2Holidays can offer you a discount if you’re going solo, and they have a 24-hour helpline to help you in your time of need. They offer all board options, whether you want to go all-inclusive or half-board. You can put a deposit as little as £60 per person, and you can pay the rest 10 weeks before you depart.
Which?
Why not check out the Which? website? On their website, you can view the best and worst package holiday providers based upon price, accommodation, customer service, etc.
Plane Tickets
If you’re the type of person who likes to find the cheapest deals yourself, especially with plane tickets, then here are some websites worth checking out.
Skyscanner
You can book flights that are return, single, or multi-city. If you’re also the type of person that doesn’t like to spend their time hunting on different websites for car hire and accommodation, then Skyscanner is the site for you.
Cheap Flights
This site finds you the best plan deal tickets from other 900+ travel sites, and there are no change fees, meaning that you can easily find flights. There is a trustworthy site that finds you the best deals available from over 900+ travel sites.
lastminute.com
If you’re last minute with booking your plane tickets, then this is the site for you. There is a full-flex option where you can cancel your flight for any reason, and cancellations are free. You can even insure your trip, even for COVID-19.
Travel Insurance
Some travel packages already include travel insurance, but if you haven’t got travel insurance, there are some useful websites on which you can get it.
Admiral
Like all travel insurance, you can get a quote. Admiral travel insurance covers the airline losing your luggage and if your personal belongings have been stolen, if you must cut your trip short, COVID-19 and medical help.
Holiday Extras
This travel insurance website covers many things such as your personal belongings, cancellation, and emergency medical expenses. It also covers the loss of holiday, passport and other important documentation, your travel money, baggage delay that is an outward journey, missed departure and connection, personal liability, legal costs, and scheduled airline failure.
INSUREFOR
You can get a quote at a competitive price even if you’re a new or returning customer. They cover medical emergencies and cancellations, and more. They also have emergency assistant teams that can help you any day and any time of the day.
Accommodation
Now that you’ve booked your flights and festival tickets, the next step is finding accommodation for you stay in Spain.
Travel Supermarket
Whether it’s a hotel, an apartment or even a hostel, Travel Supermarket is the site for you. You can get the best price guarantee with no mark-up or booking fee and it compares from millions of hotels to get you the best deal for you.
KAYAK
Why not try KAYAK? You could view the latest deals for hotels in Spain from three-star hotels to five-star hotels, it also gives you the top tips in finding the perfect hotel in Spain such as, you’ll get the best deal for the hotel you want in Spain if you stayed on a Tuesday as opposed to staying on a Sunday.
Agoda
Agoda is another great site to book your accommodation! You can book your accommodation based on the region in Spain that you want to travel, and you can view the cheapest hotels to the luxury five-star hotels. The choice is up to you.
Weather Apps
If you want to keep track the weather in Spain, then you should check out these apps.
World weather forecast & local app
If you have an Android phone, you should download the World weather forecast & local weather app, it gives you local weather updates three times a day, and it offers you a hourly/daily prediction of the weather up to seven days in advance.
Weather app
If you’re one of those people who have an iPhone, you should have the Weather app by Apple. If not, then why don’t you download it, you can view the temperature, air quality and chance of precipitation near you. This app predicts the weather 10 days in advance.
Weather For Spain app
If you want a specific app for weather for Spain, then this is the weather app for you. The Weather For Spain app gives you weather costs for Spain by MeteoNews and is updates in real-time. Three times a day you can get a video forecast, and all you need to do is download the app on the Google Play Store.
Currency
Currency can be a tricky one. It’s all about the timing. The conversion rates, for example, from the British Pound to the Euro changes daily. Some days the conversion price is higher, and sometimes it’s lower. It also depends on where you get your currency changed. Some places offer you better deals than others. Here are some places where you can get your currency changed.
Ramsdens
At Ramsdens you can order your currency from the comfort of your own home and if you place an order before 12 PM Tuesday to Thursday then you may be able to collect it 2 PM the next day. When ordering online, the currency conversions are based upon the exchange rates, but these rates may vary when you are in their branches.
Tesco
You can get your currency changed in-store, online, or even over the phone. If you spend £500 or more online, you can get home delivery for your travel money. If you go in-store, Tesco can price match locally. When you come back from holiday, you can turn your left-over Euros back into Pounds!
Post Office
You can order your travel money online and have the option to collect it from your local branch or you have the option to get next day delivery. If your holiday gets cancelled, then you can a full refund at the same exchange rate. All you need are evidence of the cancellation and your receipts within 28 days.
Clothing
Not sure what clothing to bring, why not check out this list below?
- Swimwear– If you’re in Spain you’re going to need some swimwear such as bikinis and swimming shorts.
- Casual wear– That would be your tops, shorts, skirts, summer dresses
- Festival wear– You want to be wearing your colourful clothes, you can wear playsuits, tank tops, jean shorts
- Night wear– Clothes you’ll wear when you’re going to sleep, this can be some cool shorts, tops, nightie, etc.
- Formal wear– If you’re going out to a nice restaurant, you can wear a dress, smart top, blouses. You can dress smart casual and pair you nice top with some jeans.
- Underwear
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Accessories
Every outfit needs accessories and here are some you’ll be needing when you’re at a festival in Spain:
- Hat – Bring a hat, however big or small, as long it looks fashionable and protects you from the sun.
- Bumbag/fannypack – A bumbag or fannypack is the safest choice and less bulky option to bring at a festival.
- Sunglasses – Bring two pairs jest in case you break one.
- Beachbag – to put you beach towels in.
- Necklances/Chains
- Earrings
- Rings
Documentation
Once you have booked the travel, flights, accommodation, and travel insurance, you’ll need to bring these with you. It’s helpful if you print these important documents and put them in a folder so that it’s all in one place. Don’t forget to bring the printed-out version of your proof of vaccinations also and an emergency contact list.
Toiletries
Here’s the list of the travel sized toiletries you’ll need to bring:
- Skincare
- SPF (Sun cream)
- Make-up (if you wear it)
- Deodorant/wipes (Spain is very hot especially during the summer, you’ll need these for keeping fresh when you’re out and about in Spain or to a festival in Spain
- SPF scalp spray (you don’t want a burnt scalp!)
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Bodywash
- Perfume/aftershave
- Hairbrush
- Razor
- Shaving Cream
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Towels
- Glitter (Every festival staple)
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Sim card
Are you worried about international roaming? There are some options for you, where you can get your sim card when travelling abroad. Read below to find out more.
Travel Sim
This sim card is great, especially if you’re a festival goer that likes to travel to different countries around the world to attend the most exciting festivals. The sim card is pre-paid so you’re in charge of costs and has data so you can check your emails or go on the internet.
Money Saving Expert
There are UK mobile providers that provide you with no extra charges on your sim when you’re abroad in Spain. These include:
- Asda Mobile
- BT Mobile
- Giff Gaff
- Virgin
- Tesco
- Smarty
- Sainsbury’s
- O2
- Lebara
- iD Mobile
Electrical Items
- Portable phone charger
- European plug socket
- Mobile Phone
- Phone charger
- Socket series (So that you can charge multiple devices at once)
- Headphones
Things to do
There are plenty of things to do in Spain, you can explore the sites and eat out. If you’re stuck on what to do, then why not check these sites out for some inspiration?
Trip Advisor
On Tripadvisor you can find out the popular things to do such as tours, day trips and special offers. You can view the top attractions based upon other people’s experiences and five-star rating on each attraction. It also tells you the admission prices for the attractions in Spain.
Lonely Planet
The blog offers you 20 things you can do in Spain such as enjoying the art, going out into the nightclubs. Furthermore, you can go hiking and riding on a secluded beach or explore ancient cathedrals. You can spot rare wildlife and enjoy the local Cuisine.
Get Your Guide
This site is great and offers you a range of activities for you to do in Spain such as a watching a Flamenco show, Barcelona FC and Museum tour, and Ferrai Land. Each activity includes a price and there are activities that are tailored to a particular part of Spain too.
Transport
Whether you want to travel by public transport in Spain or hire a car in Spain, there are sites you should check out. Our festival transport listings are also an invaluable resource.
Expatica
This site gives you options of companies to use depending on the mode of transport. If you’re getting a train, the companies you can use are Euskotren Trena, Ferrocarril de Sóller, and Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya. You can either get a bus or a taxi the choice is yours.
Rentalcars
If you’re the type of person that likes to drive, then you can hire a car using Rentalcars. The site connects you to biggest brand, and there are no hidden fees. They offer cars that are clean and socially distant rentals, and you can cancel/alter your bookings for free at least two days before pick-up.
