Benicassim

Waking up at festivals isn’t fun. Your head hurts, mud has miraculously seeped into your tent, you’re thirsty but all there is to drink is a half-empty can of Carling, and you smell like you haven’t washed for three days – because you haven’t. There is no remedy for this, other than to jet away from this meteorologically-challenged isle to Benicassim, where a beach situated five minutes away makes returning to consciousness that much easier.

Benicassim is Spain’s premier festival, a veritable feast of sun, sea, sand and sangria. It contains all the usual festival ingredients, but has the added advantage of guaranteed great weather, a stunning setting and the opportunity for a holiday.

It has been at the forefront of the growing trend for Brits to head abroad for festivals since its inception 14 years ago. Situated between Barcelona and Valencia, many opt to visit either of these cities before heading to Benicassim. It is only a small town, without the tourist trappings of other Spanish destinations. This leads to delightful linguistic difficulties when attempting simple tasks like ordering food, but the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. Around half of the festival attendees are British, but there is still an interesting mix of nationalities and outlooks.

On the music front, the usual huge names mix with a delectable selection of up-and-comers, forgotten gems and fascinating unknowns. Last year the big hitters included Muse, Arctic Monkeys, Kings of Leon, Klaxons and Amy Winehouse. Iggy & The Stooges, The B-52s and The Human League were amongst those displaying endurance, while interesting obscurities like Devo and Kiko Venuno also graced the stages.

This year the likes of Sigur Ros, Gnarls Barkley and Babyshambles will be entertaining the 35,000-strong crowds. The line-up is receiving criticism for a lack of firm headliners, but this is typical of Benicassim’s alternative attitude in comparison to its UK equivalents. Bands begin playing at around 5pm, continuing past 6am. The headliners don’t appear last each night, instead arriving around 1am, when the temperature is dropping and enthusiasm peaking. Afterwards, dance acts continue in tents with water refreshingly sprayed from the roofs, until the indefatigable crowds finally leave as the sun is rising.

The musical element of the festival is not its defining factor; it is merely the thread on which a holiday hangs. With no aural pleasures until evening, daytime dalliance is essential. Escaping the blistering heat of your tent is recommended, with most heading for the idyllic salvation of a beautiful beach. Other options include heading to the water park, where racing down slides like you’re seven again really is as much fun as it sounds. There are also dozens of atypical eateries for savouring local cuisine and downing sangria. Stay off the main strip to find restaurants and bars where the service rises above uni canteen standards and the prices below overdraft-inducing level.

When flights and travel are taken into account, Benicassim isn’t cheap. However, the festival ticket is reasonable at £128, you can camp for nine days including the four when the festival is on, plus Easyjet ensure planes aren’t too expensive. The best way to reach the town from the major airports is train, which should be booked in advance to avoid sweltering stampedes mid-hangover on departure day.

On arrival, the first decision is where to stay. Some choose to rent private pitches or studios, but there are three sites your festival ticket qualifies you to camp on for free. Of these, Bonet is the liveliest but furthest from the festival, CampFIB closest but quietest, and Mercat in between the two both geographically and in terms of commotion. If you opt for the bustle of Bonet, a bus service to the festival is provided, but it’s only a twenty minute walk, relatively safe and lots more fun.

Benicassim doesn’t suffer from as much violence and rowdiness as British festivals, probably because of the heat and blissed-out attitude it creates. If drugs are your thing, they’re as available as anywhere else. To avoid queuing for drinks inside, grab tokens from your campsite beforehand.

The festival’s uniqueness lies in the feeling it generates through its environment, musical variety and attraction of like-minded people out for fun and frolics. It’s all the positives of British jaunts, heightened by the glistening sun, with the negatives washed away on sweeping waves and buried under sandy beaches.