5 of the Best Opera and Classical Music Festivals in Europe in 2025

Travelling to Europe means soaking up each country’s historical architecture, local food, ancient art and artefacts and basking in the orchestral sounds at opera and classical music festivals. For fans of the latter, Hayllar Music Tours gives you access to private recitals, conversations with musicians over drinks and canapés and premium tickets to performances. With extensive experience working alongside some of the world’s best orchestras and artists, each itinerary is designed for music lovers while also offering a taste of Europe’s unique culture, food and hospitality. "I love it when people get excited about the performances they will be attending on our tours because I know they’ll cherish those memories for years to come,” says founder and director Elizabeth Hayllar.

Here are five opera and classical music festivals to visit in Europe in 2025 as well as the best things to do while you’re in town.

Mahler Festival in Amsterdam

During the Mahler Festival (9–18 May, 2025), all 10 of Austro-Bohemian composer Gustav Mahler’s famous symphonies will be performed over 10 sensory-filled days in Amsterdam's stunning main hall of The Concertgebouw. On top of taking a sonic journey through the Romantic artist’s life, guests who book through Hayllar Music Tours (9–19 May, 2025) will enjoy engaging talks led by former ABC Classic FM presenter, Graham Abbott, and gain special insights into performances by the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Berliner Philharmoniker and others.

In between concerts, stop by the incredible Rijksmuseum, the national museum of the Netherlands. A stone’s throw from The Concertgebouw, it’s home to classical Dutch paintings by masters Rembrandt and Vermeer, providing a feast for the senses.

Summer Opera Festivals in the English Countryside

Three of the world’s most incredible celebrations of opera take place in the English countryside: Glyndebourne, Garsington, and Grange Park. Glyndebourne (16 May–24 August, 2025) takes place in the opera house of the eponymous Sussex manor about two hours south of London by car. Garsington Opera is a 90-minute drive north-west of the English capital at the historic 18th-century Wormsley Estate – home of the Getty family – and Grange Park Opera is set within a charming 400-acre estate in Surrey, an hour south-west of London. Expect champagne receptions, sumptuous dinners and intimate cocktail parties, set to the scores of Mozart and Verdi. As well as performances at these three fantastic opera festivals, guests of Hayllar Music Tours (7–20 June, 2025) will have the opportunity to attend Evensong at King’s College Chapel in Cambridge, see a world-class theatre performance by the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon and walk through beautiful English gardens and university towns.

Not far from Glyndebourne, Charleston is the modernist home and studio of painters Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant – members of the Bloomsbury Group, a collective of artists, philosophers, writers and intellectuals of the early 20th century. Guests can explore the house’s rich history, view the intricately hand-painted walls and explore the verdant grounds on a guided tour (Wednesday to Sunday).

LacMus Festival on the Shores of Lake Como

Founded by pianist Louis Lortie and conductor Paolo Bressan, LacMus is held every summer on the glorious shores of Italy’s Lake Como. In addition to its captivating performances and historic venues, the festival includes exhibitions highlighting the interconnection between art, music, history and the cultural importance of the region. In addition to guided tours of the area and premium seats at three LacMus performances, you’ll enjoy opera and ballet performances at Teatro alla Scala in Milan and the Roman amphitheatre Arena di Verona when on a Hayllar Music Tour (8–19 July, 2025). Visits to galleries and historic sites, walking tours, and food and wine sampling are included in this Italian experience, too.

The Comaschi have been producing silk since the Renaissance, making a visit to the Museo della Seta di Como (The Como Silk Museum) a must. A little over a 40-minute drive from Lake Como, this museum details every step of the silk production process, from feeding silkworms to dyeing and creating fashionable garments.

Festival d'Aix-en-Provence

Aix-en-Provence, a city bathed in Mediterranean light with picture-perfect squares at every turn, is also home to the renowned Festival d’Aix-en-Provence (4–21 July, 2025). Known predominantly for opera, the annual international festival also showcases a variety of orchestral, chamber, vocal, and solo instrumental works. Hayllar Music Tours (11–20 July, 2025) offers guests unmatched access to all of these, where participants will enjoy seven first-class performances, stay in a stylish, centrally located hotel and take leisurely walks to discover the treasures of this charming city.

Âma Terra, located within the luxurious Villa Saint-Ange hotel, seats diners in an elegant space featuring a Second Empire glass roof and crystal chandeliers, as well as a charming terrace surrounded by striking outdoor fountains.  Savour a menu showcasing market-fresh vegetables, Provençal fish, organic lamb dishes and regional cheeses, all crafted with seasonal ingredients by renowned chef Pierre Gagnaire, known for his work at the forefront of the fusion cuisine movement.

Salzburg Festival & Schwarzenberg Schubertiade in Austria

Set against the rolling hills and mountains of Salzburg and Vorarlberg, these events offer a unique opportunity to connect with Austria's rich cultural heritage. Founded more than 100 years ago, the Salzburg Festival features a diverse array of operas and concerts performed in historical venues across the city, from modern works to classical interpretations. A four-and-a-half-hour drive to the west of Salzburg takes you to the distinguished Schubertiade in Vorarlberg, dedicated to the 18th-century classical composer Franz Schubert. Considered the most important Schubert festival in the world, it attracts around 35,000 visitors a year. A booking with Hayllar (22 August–1 September, 2025) will take you to 13 performances across both festivals, along with walking tours of charming towns and visits to historic attractions.

No trip to Salzburg is complete without exploring the dramatic hills that fringe the city and taking a journey through the legacy of the Von Trapp family during an Original Sound of Music Tour. This tour includes visits to iconic filming locations such as Mirabell Gardens, Pegasus Fountain, Nonnberg Abbey and the Gazebo.

SEE ALSO: 25 Destinations to Travel to in 2025