Why Mad Cool Festival should be your European festival getaway this summer

Take one look at Mad Cool’s sprawling, genre-bending line-up for 2024 and you’ll immediately see why the Madrid festival – now in its seventh year – is fast developing a reputation as the Coachella of Europe.

For one, it’s an event where international icons (Dua Lipa, The Killers, Pearl Jam) sit among subversive greats in waiting (oh hey Kneecap, Bring Me The Horizon, Jet Vesper and Sofi Tukker to name but four).

It also happens to be one of Europe’s most desirable festival spots too. The festival’s green lawns are ideal for a spot of between-set relaxation, while the big wheel that looms large over the site provides one of the most unique vantage points for watching a headline slot.

Put simply, we’re saying this: if you’re looking for a spot of European festival action under the blazing sun this summer, then Mad Cool could be the festival for you. Read on to find out a bit more…

The line-up

The festival will return to its new location of Villaverde in the Spanish capital from July 10-13 next year, welcoming headliners  Dua Lipa, Bring Me The Horizon, Pearl Jam and more. Others to play at Mad Cool 2024 will include Jessie Ware, Kenya Grace, Arlo Parks.

It’s the second year at the new site and we certainly approved of its debut outing in 2023.

“It’s a near-perfect pilgrimage for music fans across Europe. 2023 may have marked a new festival site for Mad Cool, but the charm, slickness and incredible line-up remained firmly intact. See you next year?,” we said.

Expect more of the same this time around.

The price!

With an eye-watering line-up like this, you’d reasonably expect to pay the Earth, right? Not the case. For a rather affordable €249 (£212), you’ll get four days of access to Mad Cool’s vast plethora of stages. Single day tickets also start from €100 if you don’t fancy the entire event or wish to see one specific headliner.

Return flights from London, meanwhile, start at just under £200. MAYBE INSERT PARTNER AIRLINE OR SIMILAR HERE.

You’re in Madrid!

With most of the festival action happening by night, the daytime means a chance to experience one of Europe’s top cultural capitals. The Museo Reina Sofia is home to Picasso’s Guernica, while the vast array of public spaces – such as the world famous Plaza Mayor – are a must visit for discerning foodies. A culinary odyssey by day and a musical one at night? We’ll drink that too.

If the midday heat is getting a tad too much, the city’s vast array of rooftop pools also provide the perfect spot for a cool-off.

2024 is better than ever!

2023 was a great year, but rest assured the organisers at Mad Cool do *not* rest in their tireless pursuit to make the festival site as enjoyable as it possibly can be for music lovers. Their list of improvements for 2024 is almost as big as the site itself, but there’s a few that are worth mentioning.

Firstly, the number of stages will be reduced to six in 2024. This adjustment will play a key role in the distribution and flow of crowds, meaning you’re unlikely to get caught in a jam when darting across the site to catch the start of your favourite artist. The stage reduction will also help reduce sound bleed across the stages, enhancing the live experience for all artists and fans.

There’s an extra day too! To reduce scheduling conflicts and mitigate sound bleed between stages, Mad Cool has decided to extend the festival to 4 days. This decision creates a more comfortable and enjoyable experience for fans, and means an extra day at the festival – win win right?

And then there’s the bars. The next festival edition will feature an extension of bar space and an increase in staff at all bars. The number of overall bars will also be increased, providing all areas adjacent to stages with independent bars. We’ll drink to that!