Prepare yourself for some of the biggest music festivals in Europe. Headliners at Portugal’s annual music fests range from A$AP Rocky to Incubus. Here are nine of the most interesting music festivals happening in Portugal in 2020.
The best music festivals in Portugal
Music festivals in Portugal are plentiful and plenty of epic. With a temperate climate all year round, a coastline that goes on for days, and a love of music rooted deep in the country’s culture, Portugal hosts music festivals that are among the best you can visit anywhere in the world. There are so many music festivals in Portugal, it can be hard to know where to start.
Here are our picks for the top nine music festivals in Portugal. Read on for everything you need to know to get your Portuguese groove on in 2020.
1. NOS Alive
Take a short train ride from Cais do Sodré in Lisbon, and you’ll find yourself at one of the best music festivals in Portugal. NOS Alive is a three-day art and music extravaganza that has something for everyone.
At the 2020 festival, you can catch the likes of Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Caribou, and more, serenading you by the riverside. When: July 8 to 11, 2020
- Where: Passeio Marítimo de Algés, Lisbon
- Tickets: €69 for a daily or €159 for three-day tickets; there are other packages available, too.
- Where to sleep: Situated in Monsanto, 5 minutes from the Passeio Marítimo de Algés, Lisbon Camping & Bungalows offers a great sleeping alternative for thousands of festival-goers planning to attend NOS Alive.
Read more about camping in Portugal. Looking for cheap accommodations in Lisbon? Check out 10 Best Hostels in Lisbon.
2. Super Bock Super Rock
Created in 1994, Super Bock Super Rock has become one of the biggest music festivals in Portugal, luring rock and metal fans from all over the world. With A$AP Rocky, Foals, Local Natives, and The Neighborhood in the 2020 lineup, this is a very popular event.
Since its premiere in 1994, the annual Super Bock Super Rock music festival has become one of the biggest festivals in Portugal and a must-see for rock and metal fans.
- When: July 16 to 18, 2020 Where: Meco Beach, SesimbraTickets:
- Prices : Start at €55 for a day ticket
- Where to sleep: Sesimbra is full of cute and funky places to stay, so decide what your budget is and find yourself the perfect beach oasis from which to enjoy this amazing festival. There are also Park & Tent passes if you want to go that route.
3. MEO Sudoeste
MEO Sudoeste is a large, five-day music festival that takes place every August in Odemira, in southern Portugal. The festival has three stages that play different music simultaneously.
You will undoubtedly be able to find something to make your ears happy here. They host a variety of rock, pop, hip-hop, and electronic dance music.
- When: August 4 to 8, 2020
- Where: Zambujeira do MarTickets: Prices start at €48 for a day pass or €100 for a full pass, along with VIP and glamping passes available.
- Where to sleep: Camping is included in the general pass! There are also plenty of Lisbon hotels throughout Zambujeira do Mar if you’re looking for something a little more luxurious.
4. EDP Vilar de Mouros
The EDP Vilar de Mouros (website in Portuguese) festival is the oldest rock festival in Portugal. It debuted in 1965 and is still organized annually in Vilar de Mouros in northwestern Portugal.
With its focus mostly on indie and alternative performances, Vilar de Mouros has hosted bands like Primal Scream and Incubus. For 2020, look for Iggy Pop and Limp Bizkit to headline.
- When: August 27 to 29, 2020
- Where: Estrada da Ponte, Vilar de Mouros Tickets: Prices start at €40
- Where to sleep: Free campsite is included with a three-day pass! Hotel and ticket packages are available starting at a little over €200.
5. Boom Festival
Ok, this is a big one. Boom Festival is a biennial, transformational music festival in Portugal. The festival features musical performances and a broad variety of visual art exhibits, and has a reputation for being an unforgettable experience.
- When: July 28 to August 4, 2020
- Where: Idanha-a-Nova
- Tickets: Tickets for the 2020 Boom Festival went on sale on Oct. 7, 2019, and sold out in 90 minutes! Because of the demand, festival organizers are considering setting up a platform to allow Boomers to sell their passes to those who missed out. Read more about it here.
- Where to sleep: Boom is a camping event and organizers encourage all Boomers to stay on the venue site for the duration of the festival. Now, let’s look at festivals in Portugal that are off the radar. If you have your sights set on experiencing a more alternative music festival in Portugal, there’s plenty here for you, too!
6. NOS Primavera Sound Porto
The NOS-sponsored summer festival, Primavera Sound Porto was inspired by the similar large-scale event in Barcelona.
It will take place in the wooded Parque da Cidade with top musicians from the alternative music scene. This event is about promoting musical diversity and giving attendees the opportunity to experience something truly unique.
They present darlings of indie and alternative music, hip-hop stars, and a selection of underground heroes of electronic music. The Catalan event has a reputation all its own, but part of what makes the Porto edition stand out, above all, is its scenery: A beautiful and verdant park in the heart of one of Europe’s most gorgeous cities.
- When: June 11 to 13, 2020
- Where: Parque da Cidade, Porto Tickets: €105 for a three-day pass
Find out everything you need to know about visiting Porto here. Looking for a hostel in Porto? Check out our list of 10 Best Hostels in Porto.
7. Vodafone Paredes de Coura
It is worth noting that the history of music festivals in Portugal would not be the same without the Paredes de Coura festival. Throughout its 25 years of existence, the oldest — and arguably the most charming — music festival in Portugal has made history in discovering new musical talent and presenting the most renowned names in music worldwide.
With a careful and coherent schedule, always faithful to the alternative spirit that characterizes it, the festival was already considered one of the five best music festivals in Europe by Rolling Stone magazine. The Arcade Fire, Pixies, Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, Coldplay, and Morrisey are just a few of the names that have stepped on to the stage at this festival.
- When: August 19 to 22, 2020
- Where: Taboão fluvial beach, Paredes de Coura
- Tickets: from €95
8. Sumol Summer Fest
Taking place in summer in Ericeira, the popular seaside resort and world-class surfing spot, Sumol Summer Fest combines a music festival with a coastal getaway.
If you love good music and want to catch some waves, this is the music festival in Portugal for you. Musically, the lineup is heavily influenced by hip-hop and includes several world-renowned artists who cross the Atlantic each year to play alongside national talents.
Among the other tones on offer are reggae, dancehall, house, and pop, all of them looking to create the best summer soundtrack.
- When: July 3 and 4, 2020
- Where: Ericeira Camping
- Tickets: start at €32
9. BPM Festival
The BPM Festival is an electronic music festival in Portugal taking place in the cities of Portimão and Lagoa.
The extensive program over four days and nights is attended by some of the biggest underground house and techno DJs on the seafront stages, in discos, and in music venues of Portugal throughout the host cities.
Gear up for the kind of party that will define your summer. When: TBD. Most recent festival dates were Sept. 12 to 15, 2019 Where: Portimão and Lagoa
Tickets: Click here to sign up for access to early-bird tickets and a chance to win VIP passes for two, flights within Europe, and hotel accommodations.
Want to know what the weather is like in Portugal? Check out our article: Weather in Portugal.
FAQ’s
The biggest music festivals in Portugal are Rock in Rio in Lisbon, NOS Alive Festival in Oeiras, and Super Bock Super Rock, also in Lisbon. All take place during June or July in Portugal each year, and attract huge crowds and all-star lineups of performers.
Tons of great music festivals happen in Lisbon. It all depends on your taste in music. Lisbon hosts music festivals from the massive Rock in Rio Lisboa festival each June, to the Festival Santa Casa Alfama for fado lovers. There’s also a great festival for jazz lovers called Jazz em Agosto.
Super Bock Super Rock takes place from Thursday, July 16, to Saturday, July 18, 2020. The festival will be in Parque das Naçōes, Lisbon, and is one of the biggest music festivals in Portugal. The first Super Bock Super Rock launched in 1994 and has hosted many big names in music since then.
