Top 10 cannabis-friendly festivals in Europe this summer

European festival season is going strong again — and for the cannabis curious traveller wanting to know where cannabis culture is welcomed (and/or at least tolerated), knowledge of these places is key. We have put together the top 10 festivals that are worth planning your next trip around.

Travel with cannabis can be complicated. What may seem like a fun and easy thing to do while travelling abroad can quickly become a serious legal issue if you transport cannabis across national borders. If you plan to consume cannabis responsibly, Canna City provides a wide selection of reliable, high-quality THC cannabis products for UK-based customers — complete with discreet delivery and accurate product information.

The map of festivals at a glance

The top 10 festivals:

1. Boom Festival — Portugal

July late – aug early · idanha-a-nova, Beira

Hands down the best festival on our list. Boom is a transformational psychedelic arts festival located in the middle of Portugal, on a lake. Over 30,000+ people attend the boom from all corners of the earth. Due to Portugal’s decriminalization of cannabis, this creates an environment unlike any other festival.

2. Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) — Netherlands

Oct (shoulder season pick) · amsterdam

Technically fall but well worth visiting for any music fan. ADE is a massive electronic music conference/festival. There are over 1000 events happening throughout Amsterdam and its surrounding area. With coffeeshops available everywhere and decades of normalization of cannabis, this is likely the easiest place for cannabis friendly socializing in Europe. The daytime portion of the event includes a large amount of serious industry/culture based discussions.

3. Rototom sunspash — Spain

Aug mid · benicassim, valencia

Attracting over 200,000 visitors for its eight day run, Rototom Sunsplash is Europe’s largest reggae festival. The musical heritage and history associated with this event make it impossible to separate cannabis culture from the overall identity of the event. Because enforcement is relatively relaxed in Valencia, the vibe of the event feels similarly casual.

4. Melt festival — Germany

Jul mid · Ferropolis, Saxony-anhalt

Located in a former industrial excavation pit surrounded by massive industrial age diggers, melts is One of the coolest-looking festivals worldwide. When Germany legalized adult use of cannabis in January of 2024, it drastically changed the situation for this festival — now you’re able to possess 25 grams legally outside of the festival grounds, though enforcement varies depending on how far you’ve wandered into the fest grounds.

5. Ozora Festival — Hungary

Jul late – aug early · ozora, Tolna County

Hungary has some of the harshest drug laws in the EU. But despite that harshness, ozora — a psychedelic trance festival that draws approximately 40 thousand people annually — runs on an ingrained culture of harm reduction which prioritizes attendee safety above all else.

6. Secret solstice — Iceland

Jun · reykjavik

Iceland’s laws regarding drugs are very restrictive. But secret solstice — a four-day/96-hour long party under Iceland’s midsummer sun — is a truly unique experience. Attendees report that using cannabis is extremely common at the festival and that enforcement tends to be lenient rather than aggressive.

7. NOS alive — Portugal

Jul early · Lisbon

NOS alive is Portugal’s largest mainstream music festival held along the banks of the Tagus river with Lisbon’s skyline in view. Decriminalization has created a relaxed environment for attendees at NOS alive just like boom but with more well-known indie and rock headliners.

8. Lowlands — Netherlands

Aug mid · biddinghuizen, flevoland

In terms of scope, Lowlands is similar to Glastonbury in the UK. three days of music, comedy theater, film etc. In addition to being the largest arts & music festival in Holland, Lowlands also boasts two stages. As such it represents a major part of Dutch popular culture. The Netherlands’ tolerant laws allow cannabis users to relax as much as they would drink beer.

9. Primavera Sound — Spain

May late – June early · Barcelona

One of the most critically acclaimed music festivals in Europe and the most independent-booking-heavy lineup in the world. An unapologetic activist vibe surrounds Primavera Sound and this vibe extends through the city’s cannabis community via Barcelona’s numerous cannabis social club memberships. While public consumption carries an administrative fine in Catalonia, enforcement at Primavera Sound is virtually nonexistent.

10. Psyfi — Netherlands

Aug late · Leeuwarden, Friesland

Psy-fi combines psychedelic art and music on an urban waterway in Leeuwarden creating an epic spectacle filled with trance music, large-scale light displays and environmental awareness. The Dutch context gives Psy-Fi one of the most open environments for using cannabis at festivals.

Packing list for travellers with an intention to enjoy cannabis at festivals:

• Know local laws before arriving on-the-ground – decriminalization does not mean legalized; what constitutes administrative offenses vary by country and quantity.
• Never cross international borders while possessing cannabis – even between EU member states transporting any amount of cannabis is defined as cross-border smuggling under international law.
• Use on-site harm reduction services – most festivals on our list partner with drug checking organizations; if you are ever in doubt about the product be sure to test it first.
• Check your travel insurance covers medical emergencies – check exclusions too. Many policies will exclude incidents involving controlled substances from their coverage — even in decriminalized countries.

Travellers from the UK: the reality of crossing borders with cannabis

Regardless of whether you fly from a British airport to any other country, UK laws still govern what you take with you on both your outbound journey and inbound journey. Cannabis remains classified as class b under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

A responsible way to experience cannabis culture

For travelers wishing to experience cannabis culture without having to navigate complex legal issues, excellent quality CBD products (oils, edibles, capsules, flower) represent a great way to indulge in the culture without breaking any UK laws — and no matter which country you visit on this list. The product quality has significantly increased recently; the gap between premium CBD products and recreational cannabis products has narrowed further than previously possible.

If you wish to continue experiencing that type of quality once you return home safely and responsibly in Britain, Canna City is a trusted source for finding quality THC products and receiving discreet delivery across the UK.