7 of the coolest cultural festivals in Europe to visit
The IndependentSign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. La Tomatina, Spain open image in gallery La Tomatina will take place on 28 August 2024 One of Spain’s oddest festivals takes place in Bunol, near Valencia, every August. Calcio Storico, Italy open image in gallery Three calcio games take place in June every year Florence’s hybrid of football, rugby and martial arts is a truly unique sport that is said to have its roots in the Roman sport of harpastum, in which players used any means necessary to keep a small ball on their side of the field. Fetes de Bayonne, France open image in gallery References to bull runs and bullfights in Bayonne date back to the 13th century A French alternative to Pamplona’s Running of the Bulls, the Fetes de Bayonne take place a few days later in Bayonne, a bullfighting city in the French part of the Basque Country. Keukenhof Tulip Festival, Netherlands open image in gallery Keukenhof is one of the world’s largest flower gardens For a more wholesome alternative to the tomato-throwing, bull-escaping, demon-parading festivities around the rest of Europe, visit the Netherland’s Keukenhof gardens between 20 March and 11 May for the annual Tulip Festival.