Glastonbury (Somerset, England)

Playing at the end of June, this festival has been holding it down since its first appearance in 1970, the day after Jimi Hendrix died. In its first year, it hosted 1,500 concert-goers but has ballooned to over 135,000 in recent years. In 2013, headliners included the Arctic Monkeys, Rolling Stones, and Mumford & Sons. Beware though, as it’s held in an open countryside in England (a.k.a. the rainiest country in the world), Glastonbury is notorious for turning into a mud-fest by the second hour. You should practice your mud-wrestling skills!

Roskilde (Roskilde, Denmark)

Roskilde is not only a massive four-day festival that draws crowds of 110,000-plus per day, but it is also preceded by a five-day “warm up,” just in case you needed one. The festival takes over a small harbor town in Northern Denmark through the end of June and early July, and has been called “Scandinavia’s answer to Woodstock.” Not a bad comparison, given that past performers included Bob Marley, U2, Metallica, and Radiohead. But for 2013, headliners from all over the world included Rihanna, Animal Collective, Queens of the Stone Age, and Denmark-born and bred Kraftwerk.

Bonnaroo (Tennessee, U.S.A.)

Very similar to Glastonbury, Bonnaroo offers a massive variety of musical genres for those looking to experience the beauty of rural Tennessee (and not shower for four days, given it’s a camping festival). Held in mid-June, it hosts approximately 80,000 people each year and is notorious for offering an experience beyond the music – including yoga and meditation, a beer fest showcase, and a push for global consciousness. Previous years have seen opportunities to register to vote or to learn about human rights issues. This year featured Paul McCartney, Bjork, Wilco, and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, among others.

Rock Werchter (Werchter, Belgium)

Originated in 1975 as a part of the youth movement in the small town of Werchter, Rock Werchter has become one of Europe’s most highly touted festivals and is attended by more than 140,000 rockers each year. It is famous for its multi-genre lineup that appeals to many generations – for example, the headliners for 2013 ranged from rock bands such as Green Day or Kings of Leon, to electro-house DJs Major Lazer and the Bloody Beetroots, to rap artists such as Kendrick Lamar. And true to its Belgian roots, this four-day festival offers a massive beer selection that would leave even the pickiest partier satisfied.

Exit Festival (Novi Sad, Serbia) 

Who said politics can’t be fun? For the last decade, the Exit Festival has taken place in the Petrovaradin Fortress to mark the student uprising against the former Serbian dictator, Slobodan Milosevic, who was deposed in 2000. To commemorate the uprising, more than 350,000 people flock to Novi Sad every year for this three-day festival featuring nearly 27 different stages. But while political in nature, it still rocks. This year featured big names such as Bloc Party, Ceelo Green, Snoop Lion (formerly known as Snoop Dogg in case you were confused), and Diplo. A pretty decent way to stick it to a former dictator, no?

Primavera Sound (Barcelona, Spain)

If you’re planning a summer festival trip, it’s hard to do better than one in scenic Barcelona on the banks of the Balearic Sea with views of the city skyline and gorgeous Catalonia Mountains. But beyond the location, the music doesn’t suck either. Held a bit earlier than the others at the end of May, the line-up for 2013 was amazing. Headliners included My Bloody Valentine, Blur, Wu-Tang Clan (!), and James Blake.

Fuji Rock Festival (Mount Takenoko, Japan)

Although Europe does host the majority of the world’s mega-festivals, Fuji Rock in Japan is consistently ranked one of the most popular festivals each year. Although it was canceled in 2011 after the devastating earthquake and tsunami, it came back with a vengeance the following year and seems to be better than ever. Over 200 musicians, a mix of international and Japanese artists, grace the festival each year. Fans expected to hear the likes of Bjork, Skrillex, Vampire Weekend, and The Cure in 2013. Another bonus: held on the Naeba Ski Resort, you can take the Dragondola (the longest ski lift in the world) to the top of the mountain for incredible views of the whole festival, head to the Stone Circle for some free-form percussion circles, or check out the gigantic art installations at the Palace of Wonder – and really, with a name like that, how could you say no?

Sziget (Budapest, Hungary)

Sziget puts some three- and four-day festivals to shame, marketing itself as “Seven days of non-stop partying” They even offer a party train to transport festival goers from Amsterdam to Budapest, complete with DJs and champagne. Held on the incredible Óbuda Island, Sziget offers just a massive amount of music, but also boasts a wide array of other amenities: belly dance lessons, bungee jumping, Hungarian classes (so you can ask for another beer in the local lingo), among others. The eclectic line up in 2013 included Regina Spektor, Boys Noize, Azealia Banks and David Guetta.

Mawazine (Rabat, Morocco) 

The African continent offers an incredible array of music festivals, but one of the best is easily the Mawazine Festival in Morocco, held for nine days at the end of May. It routinely hosts over 1 million people (!) and has had some of the world’s biggest musical heavyweights headline, along with incredible traditional dance performances. Don’t believe it? This year featured some little-known artists by the names of Rihanna, Enrique Iglesias, Jessie J, David Guetta, and Deep Purple.

Oxegen (Leinster, Ireland)

Ireland’s biggest festival is held in the tiny town of Leinster, presumably to make room for the 60,000 participants who camp out on the grounds each day. Voted Best European Festival for two consecutive years, Oxegen offers an eclectic line-up with something for everyone. Headliners in 2013 included David Guetta (he did seem to be making the rounds this year!), Calvin Harris, Chase & Status and Pitbull. Bonus point: Oxegen is a 100 percent carbon-neutral event. Go green.