Top 12 Music Festivals in Portugal To See This Summer [2020]

By Vito Valentinetti / February 6, 2020

The little sibling to Barcelona's mega-festival Primavera Sound, this Portuguese edition takes place the following weekend in the charming city of Porto. The recipe remains the same, with a staggering roster of indie rock talent. The grassy hillsides of Parque Central means that every seat is a prime location to watching the show.

It's called the biggest beach party in Europe so you're going to have to confirm for yourself at this Portuguese festival that sits just outside of Porto. The music starts at 4 in the afternoon and lasts until 4 in the morning, so make sure to recuperate on the wonderful beaches of Matosinhos before dancing the night away to some of the biggest names in electronic music.

There's been some name changes and some venue swaps, but fans of the VOA Heavy Rock Festival have stayed loyal to this Lisbon fest for a decade. This is a weekend dedicated to the metalheads of Portugal with Portuguese bands taking the stage along with international headliners.

NOS Alive (formerly known as Optimus Alive), is one of Portugal's leading mega-festivals, known nationally for bringing huge international stars to the country. Be prepared for sunny weather, an eclectic lineup, and to party all night in Lisbon. The motto 'beach by day, music by night', is in full effect with acts typically starting in the early evening and lasting to the early morning.

If it's rock and it's Portugal, then it must be Super Bock Super Rock. Entertaining fans since 1994, this is one of the main music events of the summer for Portugal, with a lineup that is well worth the trip for music lovers of any genre.

Loosely translated into 'seas alive', the annual Mares Vivas Festival is held in Vila Nova de Gaia each July. Elton John, Bush, The Smashing Pumpkins, Bill Idol, The Cult, and The Hives have all performed at Mares Vivas.

MEO Sudoeste settles into a coastal Portuguese town for a marathon five days of music. The festival brings in a varied array of artists with a strong emphasis on electronic and pop. For festival-goers the fabled Alentejo coast is nearby for swimming and exploration.

Dip your toes into the Atlantic Ocean during three days of partying at the electronic Neopop Festival. Mixing live performances and DJ sets, the Portuguese fest has become a mecca for techno fans across Europe. The tiny coastal town of Viana do Castelo where Neopop lives is filled with the character and history of the region.

At over 25 editions, Paredes de Coura Festival is one of the oldest and most popular music festivals in Portugal. Arcade Fire, Pixies, Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, Coldplay and Morrisey are alumni of this fest that draws in more than 100,000 people each year.

BPM is one of Europe's largest electronic parties of the fall. This year’s BPM edition will feature a new format for the festival – with parties taking place on the beach each day and night.

The Nova Batida Festival is 3 days of music, art, and culture, in the heart of Lisbon. The carefully curated lineup showcases the entire spectrum of electronic music along with talks, debates, and educational experiences. Lisbon is an incredible city to visit in September, with plenty of amazing rentals, or you can choose to camp at the festival itself.

Far away from the tourists in the cities and beaches of Portugal, psychedelic festies gather at Montargil Lake for the ZNA Gathering. Organized by members of the global trance scene, the mission statement of ZNA is to provide an idyllic place in nature where energy and communication flow in a retro-futuristic way. It's a beautiful venue on a refreshing lake with stages tucked away under shady pine and cork trees.