Springfestival, Graz, Austria
Gilles Peterson, Skream, Benga ft Youngman, Sgt Pokes, Toddla T Sound, Little Boots, Modeselektor, Andrew Weatherall and more come to the pretty south-east Austrian city of Graz in May for an unusual festival that combines the best in electronic music (lots of techno and drum'n'bass) and electronic art with "Springsessions" discussions on the digital world, technology and design, and post-digital culture. Venues include the Dom im Berg cavern and the vaulted Stadthalle, clubs and warehouses.
• 16-20 May, springfestival.at/springfestival-2012, four-day pass excluding conference €88, including conference €158, one-day festival €30
Extend the holiday After exploring Graz's highlights (it's a city of narrow alleyways, great museums and modern architecture, famous for design and food), head into the countryside. There's lots to see in the surrounding region, including the fantastic Austrian Sculpture Park at Unterpremstätten; the Bärenschützklamm ravine, near Mixnitz, north of Graz, and lots of cycling trails. See regiongraz.at for more ideas.
Optimus Alive, Lisbon, Portugal
For a cheaper, sunnier alternative to major UK festivals, but with a similar line-up, check out Optimus Alive, near Lisbon, from 13-15 July. It features, among others, The Stone Roses, Radiohead, The Cure, Florence + the Machine, Caribou, Noah and the Whale, Mazzy Star, Warpaint, Metronomy, Justice, The Kills and Tricky (performing his hit 1990s album Maxinquaye with Martina Topley-Bird).
• optimusalive.com, one-day ticket £45, three days £89, or £103 with camping, though you can stay in Lisbon: the festival is in Algés, a 10-minute train ride away
Extend the holiday Head to the coast north of Lisbon for beautiful beaches, cheap fish and seafood and some surfing to clear your head. Figueira da Foz is a cheery town about an hour-and-a-half away by train with pretty backstreets and good restaurants. It's quite built up, but the waves are perfect for learning to surf, and there are challenging breaks too, including a famous mile-long wave. Foz Holidays (fozholidays.com) has a couple of cheap holiday lets and offers surf packages. Casa Rosa sleeps up to 11 for €595 for a week in July (from €395 off-season); or the Beach House sleeps four from €300 high season (€250 low season).
Rock Coast Festival, Tenerife
Bringing a shade of the dark side to the sunny city of Santa Cruz on the Canary Island of Tenerife, Rock Coast hosts Marilyn Manson, Sepultura, Smashing Pumpkins and Evanescence, alongside Ben Harper, Orbital, Iggy and the Stooges and Fatboy Slim. The festival takes place in a huge outdoor space right by the sea, with a handful of big tents offering shelter, walkways lined with palm trees, and various zany activities from a wind tunnel to F1 simulators and paintballing.
• 24-26 May, rockcoastfestival.com, €50-€60 a day, or €120 for three days
Extend the holiday Head to the greener north of the island, hike 4,000m Mount Teide in the centre, or take a ferry over to smaller, unspoilt La Gomera.
Costa de Fuego, Spain
Most festival-goers have heard of Benicàssim, the event on the Spanish coast near Valencia, in the town of the same name. It hosts stellar acts every summer (this year it's Bob Dylan, The Stone Roses, New Order, Dizzee Rascal, Crystal Castles; 12-15 July, fiberfib.com, £155 for four days) with all acts performing at night, leaving the days free for swimming and sunbathing. New this year on the same site a week later, and by the same organisers, comes Costa de Fuego, a rock, hardcore and heavy metal festival with Guns N' Roses and Marilyn Manson headlining.
• 20-21 July, costadefuego.com, £70 for two days
Extend the holiday Both festivals include free camping, for up to eight days at Benicàssim, and four at Costa de Fuego, so it makes sense to stay on and enjoy the seaside. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies to Reus, two hours away, or Alicante, three hours away, from several British airports. Both cities would make a good cultural add-on.
Heineken Open'er, Poland
Choosing an eastern European festival makes sense: you get a great line-up, and this part of the world is usually cheap if you stay on for a holiday. Björk, Bon Iver, Friendly Fires, Gogol Bordello, The xx and more play the Open'er, at Gdynia-Kosakowo Airfield near Gdynia. The event also features a film festival, a silent disco and a ferris wheel.
• 4-7 July, opener.pl/en, four days £72, two days £57, one day £32, camping £16
Extend the holiday Take a ferry from Gdynia's port to the pretty resort of Sopot, or the 35km-long Hel peninsula.
