Okay, so last year I finally did it – hit up three major dance festivals across Europe. Crazy trip, learned a ton about how to actually make it happen without drowning in chaos or going broke. Here’s exactly how I pulled it off, step by step.
Step 1: Figuring Out Where & When
First thing, I grabbed my laptop and just started drowning in Google searches. Typed stuff like “best Europe dance festivals” and “electronic music events Europe”. Total mess at first – dates all over, websites in languages I couldn’t read. Took me like three days just to filter out the big ones.
Made a simple list:
- ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event) – This one popped up everywhere. Dates: October every year. Amsterdam, obviously.
- Tomorrowland Winter – Skiing plus music? Wild. Happens March time in French Alps, Alpe d’Huez.
- Ultra Europe – Beach party vibes. Summer, July. Split, Croatia.
Found out some like Glastonbury or Exit required insane early planning, so skipped those. Stuck with these three cause dates didn’t clash.
Step 2: The Ticket Madness
Man, ticket sales are brutal. Signed up for newsletters and followed all their socials months before. Set phone alarms for sale times.
Tomorrowland Winter tickets dropped at like 3 AM my time. Chugged coffee, logged into three devices. Website crashed twice, almost threw my laptop. Finally got through using my phone – basic pass plus accommodation package. Hurt my bank account bad, but paid upfront.
ADE was easier, just bought a pass for the main conference. Ultra? Total gamble – waited ’til last minute, scored tickets off a resale forum when someone bailed. Stressful, but cheaper.
Step 3: The Not-So-Fun Logistics
Flights: Used Skyscanner, booked everything way early. Flew into Paris for Tomorrowland, then Amsterdam for ADE, finally Zagreb for Ultra and took a bus to Split. Budget airlines only – no fancy legroom.
Sleeping situations:
- Tomorrowland: Went official – tiny apartment with other attendees. Expensive but clean.
- ADE: Shared a dodgy Airbnb with five strangers near the city center. Survived.
- Ultra: Slept in a hostel dorm two streets from the beach. Woke up with sand in my bed.
Packed stupid light: One rave backpack with quick-dry clothes, docs, power bank, earplugs. Forgot sunscreen once… never again.
Step 4: Surviving the Festivals
Tomorrowland Winter: Mountains plus beats. Felt like two vacations in one. Weird altitude headaches, but dancing on snow? Unreal. Pro tip: Rent gear early – skis sold out fast.
ADE: Learned so much at talks but networking felt like speed-dating. Parties till 8 AM everywhere. Favorite spot: Shelter basement for techno. Craziest part? Bumping into Carl Cox at a café. Didn’t bother him… too starstruck.
Ultra: Pure coastal chaos. Stages right by the sea, fireworks overhead. Croatian crowds wild! Stayed hydrated with overpriced water bottles. Partied till sunrise, woke up salty and happy.
The Aftermath & Tips
Came back exhausted, buzzing, three kilos lighter. Here’s what works:
- Dates & places: Mark ADE Oct in Amsterdam. Tomorrowland Winter March in Alpe d’Huez. Ultra July in Split.
- Money: Saved hardcore beforehand. Budget extra for transport screwups.
- Flexibility: Mixed bookings (official packs, random resales, hostels).
- Social: Talk to people in lines – got free invites to ADE afterparties this way.
Key takeaway? Just start with one festival. Jumping into three felt like dance bootcamp. Worth every aching muscle though.
