Europe has its share of great festivals--with Germany boasting some of the more unusual. If you're of a liberal mind, check out the Love Parade, a huge rave-up featuring a host of DJs specializing in techno music along with a street party atmosphere. Having begun in Berlin but now changing its location most years, check the Parade's website for this year's host city. Beer lovers can enjoy the Bierfest at Kulmbach, nicknamed Germany's secret beer capital. Atmospheric and traditional, this beer festival boasts the devastatingly strong Kulminator 28 beer.
For a Gaelic experience, hit the Galway Arts Festival, Ireland: an extravaganza of theater, dance and music. Previous programs have featured rewritings of Shakespeare's plays, big names in Irish comedy, visual art displays and street parades; the lineup is announced each spring on the Festival's website.
For a natural phenomenon, head to the North Cape in Norway, generally referred to as Europe's northernmost point. Here, you can catch the Midnight Sun, where the sun stays in the sky through the night. While at the North Cape, brave the waters on a night-time rafting trip or enjoy cliff-top views.
For more views, visit Lake Bled, in Slovenia. Here you'll encounter a medieval castle, plenty of opportunities for outdoor pursuits like hiking and caving, and a chance to navigate the glacial lake itself. Since it's warm in July, you can swim in a thermal-spring pool at one of the hotels on the lake.
Come July, Provence's famous lavender fields are in full bloom, making this French region an ideal place to take a minivan tour; many intimate tours are available to help you beat the crowds. Visit villages such as Roussillon with its lavender-themed shops, medieval Gordes with its 12th-century castle, along with Coustellet, where you'll find a museum devoted entirely to the purple lavender flower.
Or try Switzerland, where you can take a boat trip across Lake Lucerne or explore Lucerne's historic Old Town in the sun. In the Swiss Alps, experience the alpine botanical garden known as the Schatzalp, around the Ski Hotel Schatzalp in the Davos region, best viewed during the summer months.
