Tours that take in Europe’s big name festivals

during the 59th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, Southern France, 18 May 2006.   AFP PHOTO / PASCAL GUYOT

Keen to experience Europe’s biggest festivals? Here are the tours that’ll help you do it best.

Festival de Cannes (May 13-24)

The Festival de Cannes is an international extravaganza that celebrates cinema and famously launches films.

For over 65 years the festival has not only connected professionals but displayed a selection of films from a range of genres.

CANNES-FILM FESTIVAL-DELON-LOREN-SCHNEIDER

MASTERCHEF TRAVEL TOUR: France: Food and Wine Lovers Guide

LENGTH: Five days

PLACES VISITED: Avignon, Tavel, Chateauneuf du Pape, Les Baux-de-Provence, Alpilles, Mormoiron, Gigondas

HIGHLIGHTS: Guests have the opportunity to sample wines, take part in cooking classes and visit a Roman-era theatre

PRICE: From AUD$2808

 

Running of the Bulls, San Fermin (July 6-14)

The eight-day festival of San Fermin involves running in front of a small group of bulls down the streets of Pamplona.

Originally, the event developed from the activity of transporting bulls and today the event is the highest profile event of the San Fermin Festival.

Running of the Bulls

TRAFALGAR TOUR: Best of Spain

LENGTH: 14 days

PLACES VISITED: Madrid, Burgos, Santander, Bilbao, San Sebastian, Pamplona, Zaragoza, Barcelona, Pensicola, Valencia, Guadix, Granada, Costa De Sol, Seville, Cordoba and Toledo

HIGHLIGHTS: The Guadarrama Mountains, Ebro River, Guggenheim museum, streets of Pamplona and the Cathedral La Seo

PRICE: From AUD$3048

 

Oktoberfest, Munich (September 19-October 4)

Oktoberfest, held in Munich each year, is an integral part of Bavarian culture.

As the world’s largest beer festival, tourists and locals alike flock together to consume amber fluid, sausages and pretzels in heroic quantities across the two-week event.

Oktoberfest

GLOBAS TOUR: German Highlights

LENGTH: 11 days

PLACES VISITED: Frankfurt, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Berlin, Leipzig, Nuremberg, Rothenburg, Munich, Oberammergau, Lindau, Birnau, Blackforest and Heidelberg

HIGHLIGHTS: Tastes of Nurnberger Bratwurste, exploration of the Old Town of Nuremburg, romantic Rhine cruise, Cologne cathedral and King Ludwig’s Neuschwanstein Castle

PRICE: From AUD$2789

Images: Festival Cannes; Zimbio

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