The best summer festivals in Italy in 2024
With warm weather around the corner, summer 2024 is looking fun. If you’re traveling through Italy and are looking to spruce up your holiday with some good music, look no further: we got you covered with a great selection of Italy’s best summer festivals!
Mi Ami Festival
INDIE / POPCircolo Magnolia, Milan
23 – 26 May
Back for its 18th edition, Mi Ami, Important Music in Milan, is a renown festival that has been rocking out since 1997. Dedicated to discovering new talents and giving up and coming artists the chance to get up on stage, Mi Ami has become a favorite among italian festivals. Only showcasing italian artists, the festival is a go-to event if you’re looking to have fun and explore the italian indie scene! This edition’s artists include CCCP, Rosa Chemical, Ditonellapiaga, and more.
Idays Coca Cola
INDIE / ROCKIppodromo Snai San Siro e La Maura, Milan
29 May – 12 July
Rock your summer away at the IDays festival in Milan! A compilation of bands that make this event a must. Don’t miss out on Metallica on May 29th, Lana Del Rey on June 4th, Green Day on June 16th, Queen of the Stone Age on July 6th, and Sum41 with Avril Lavigne on July 15th.
Lucca Summer Festival
ROCK / POPPiazza Napoleone & Mura Storiche, Lucca
2 June – 26 July
A festival that always leaves audiences astonished at its line-up, the Lucca Summer Festival is a great add-on to your Tuscan getaway. This year the surprises include: Eric Clapton on June 2nd, Ed Sheeran on June 8-9th, The Smashing Pumpkins on July 6th, Calcutta on July 11th, Lenny Kravitz on July 12th, and Mika on July 19th. With plenty of other big names on Lucca’s roster, you’re definitely going to want to stop over for a night or two.
Festival di Caracalla
CLASSICAL / POP / JAZZCaracalla’s Baths, Rome
3 June – 10 August
One of the most magical places, the Caracalla Summer Festival is quite spectacular. Hosted by the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, the festival celebrates music, dance, and mostly classical genre-based entertainment. Whether you choose to watch the opera Tosca or Turandot, the Notti Romane di Dior ballet with Eleonora Abbagnato or the worldwide famous ballet dancer Roberto Bolle & Friends, or some big names of Italian Music such as Fiorella Mannoia, Francesco De Gregori and Checco Zalone, Ornella Vanoni, Samuele Bersani, Il Volo, John Legend, Pooh, Biagio Antonacci, Antonello Venditti, just sit back and enjoy the show.
Roma Summer Festival
ROCK / POPCavea of Auditorium Parco Della Musica, Rome
3 June – 5 September
Starting June 3th and following through till September 5th, the Roma Summer Fest is held at the Auditorium Parco della Musica’s Cavea. A venue Romans are familiar with, if you’re visiting the Eternal City this summer, definitely consider stopping by for some good music. Some suggestions? The National on June 3th, The Smile on June 23-24th, Take That on July 8th, and James Blake on July 9th.
Arena Opera Festival
CLASSICALArena di Verona, Verona
7 June – 7 September
Held in one of the most prestigious Italian concert halls, the Arena di Verona is quite the spectacle in and of itself. Imagine how much better it gets with a show! This year’s summer lineup for the arena is full of great events you don’t want to miss. With a list of famous operas coming to Verona, here are some of the most anticipated ones: Turandot (8, 15, 22 June), Aida (14, 20, 23 June), The barber of Seville (21, 27 June and 6 July), Carmen (5, 13, 20 July), and La Bohème (19, 27 July). With many more performing, check the complete lineup to find the opera that suits you best!
Rock in Roma
ROCK / POP / RAPIppodromo delle Capannelle, Rome
13 June – 27 July
One of the most anticipated lineups when it comes to summer festivals in Italy, Rock in Roma is hard to beat. Spacing out from international stars to national sensations, the lineup is always full of surprises. This year, the festival is treating its concert goers to as a swell time, thanks to names like: Gabri Ponte on June 15th, Placebo on July 8th, 21 Savage on July 16th, and Tedua on July 27th.
Firenze Rocks
ROCKIppodromo del Visarno, Florence
13 – 15 June
Florence holds incomparable treasures, one of which is its beloved rock festival: Firenze Rocks. Finally back on track, this year’s line-up is loud. With Avenged Sevenfold playing on June 13th and the Tool and Deus on June 15th, how can you choose only one? Rock on!
Nameless Music Festival
EDM – Electronic Dance MusicLake Como
14 – 16 June
If you haven’t had the chance to experience an EDM event, let alone three whole days of it, Nameless Festival is definitely a good place to start. Full of energy and beat, EDM is a genre that will have you dancing the whole time. Nameless is a long awaited festival by both locals, and the international crowd. Easily reachable from Milan, the festival is also a great excuse to visit Lecco and its surrounding cities. With names like Benny Boys Noize, Angelica Mango, Eiffel 65, and Annalisa, you won’t want to miss out.
Ravello Festival
CLASSICALAnnunziata Historic Building, Amalfi Coast
From July to September
Get ready for one of the most magical festivals there is. Held in the gorgeous Ravello, one of the gems on the Amalfi coast (not to mention the highest up) the festival is like you’ve never seen one before. With concerts happening in summer months, visiting both the town and the concert hall is quite spectacular. Gaze out at the amalfi coast from any of the amazing terraces in Ravello, and then head on to your show.
Pistoia Blues
BLUES / ROCKPiazza Duomo, Pistoia
4 – 12 July
The beloved Pistoia Blues festival is known for its unique energy and lively shows. Held in one of the most central squares of Pistoia, dancing and singing here is a one of a kind experience. With artists like Elio e le Storie Tese on July 8th, Mario Biondi and Dee Dee Bridgewater on July 11th, and Antonello Venditti on July 13th, both you and the city will be buzzing from happiness.
Kappa FuturFestival
ELECTRONIC / TECHNOParco Dora, Turin
5-7 July
If you are looking to party for 12 hours straight, the Kappa Futur Festival is where you want to be. Back again for its 11th edition, the festival keeps on getting better each year. Specializing in electronic and techno music, the festival is a great excuse to dance the day AND night away.
On the 5th July, expect to dance to Tiesto, Black Coffee, Solomun, and Nina Kraviz – just to name a few. On the 6th, put on your dancing shoes again and head on over for shows by Tale of Us, Maceo Plex, and Bonobo B2B Dj Tennis – again just to name a few. On the last day wait for Carl Cox, Fisher, and Carl Claig B2B Moodyman.
Umbria Jazz Festival
JAZZHistoric centre and Santa Giuliana Arena, Perugia
12 – 21 July
Started in 1973, the Umbria Jazz Festival celebrates this year the 51st edition and has become a worldwide favorite among jazz musicians and fans. Hosting concerts with italian and foreign musicians, the festival is a lively event that each summer sees many choose Perugia as their holiday destination. Although the word “jazz” in its title may have you think that is the main music genre, the festival also welcomes other types of music. This year’s headliners include: Lenny Kravitz on July 13th, Toto on July 17th, Fatoumata Diawara on July 18th, and Roberto Fonseca and Chucho Valdes on July 19th.
Polifonic Festival
DISCO / ELECTRONIC / HOUSE / TECHNOParco Esposizioni Novegro, Milan
31 May – 1, 2 June
Valle d’Itria, Puglia
25 – 28 July
If you haven’t visited southern Italy, or better yet Puglia, this is your time to go. With crystal clear beaches, exquisite local cuisine, and fantastic architecture, Puglia is a true gem. What’s more, the Polifonic Festival takes full advantage of the natural beauty, and hosts its festival on a terrace overlooking the sea. With a special focus on underground electronic music, the festival is the perfect getaway for anybody that enjoys good music and breathtaking sights. For the past few years, the festival has also stopped in Milan with a three-day festival in June hosted at the Parco Esposizioni Novegro.
Ortigia Sound System
ELECTRONICOrtigia island, Siracusa
1 – 4 August
An ever-growing crowd gathers in the small island in Sicily by the name of Ortigia. An electric and contemporary music scene, the fact that “sound system” is part of the title is no surprise. Don’t miss out on a weekend filled with different stages and events.
Ypsigrock
ROCKCastle of Castelbuono, Sicily
8 – 11 August
Counting 27 editions this year, Ypsigrock is back for another round. With a picturesque setting, this festival is a well-rounded show. With stages set up around the town, and camping grounds nearby, Ypsigrock is a great chance to visit both the beautiful Sicily and enjoy a rock show. This year’s lineup presents: Colapesce Dimartino, Lauren Auder, Jadu Heart, and Egyptian Blue.
Decibel Open Air
ELECTRONIC / HOUSEBosco Albergati, Modena
7 – 8 September
Decibel Open Air is leaving Florence and returning with its 2024 edition to a new location in Emilia-Romagna. One of the most important electronic music festivals internationally, it will be an immersion in nature. The two-day spectacle will take place in the picturesque setting of Bosco Albergati in Castelfranco Emilia, a town located halfway between Modena and Bologna. This year, too, the festival will mark the end of summer with two unique days filled with electronic music.