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Cologne to Glastonbury

One of the world’s most legendary festivals

Hitting The Road Between
Germany and Somerset

Cologne meets Glastonbury - combine the cathedral city with one of the world’s most iconic festivals on this unique road trip. Explore traditional snugness, medieval architecture & insular beaches on the way. Head to the idyllic & mythical English countryside before enjoying the best in Rock and Pop music.

Featured Experience

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On the road

Road Trip: Cologne to Glastonbury

Glastonbury Festival in Southern Britain is not only regarded as one of the must-sees for any festival fan, but also iconic as one of the world's most famous music happenings. To make it an unforgettable experience, start your road trip in one of Germany's cultural highlights: Cologne. Boasting with live music venues and bars.
On this subTOUR, discover the historical importance of places like Rouen, Mont-Saint-Michel and Wells. Walk on cobbled pavements and explore the greatness of impressive medieval cathedrals. Rain or shine - enjoy long-stretched beaches on the marvellous Channel Island of Jersey. Learn about the myths around Glastonbury. Further highlights along the way include super-funky record stores for shopping vinyl, comfy pubs for a proper pre-gig dinner, and lively live venues.
Our recommended subTOUR includes 4 nights along the route in between Cologne and Glastonbury, with an option for some extra days in Cologne before.

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Featured Experience

Glastonbury Festival

Glastonbury Festival

Venues on the road trip

Glastonbury Festival is a five-day festival of contemporary arts in Southern England. In addition to music, it hosts dance and comedy sessions, lectures, and movie screenings along other performances. Deeply inspired by the ethos of the hippie and free festival movements.

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Featured Experience

Cologne

Cologne

Cities on the road trip

Cologne is not only worth a visit due to its famous Cologne Cathedral. Moreover, it is a major cultural centre for the region, with numerous museums and galleries as well as art exhibitions and live music venues.

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Featured Experience

Saint Helier

Jersey Island

Cities on the road trip

Jersey Island is largest of the Channel Islands with vast British cultural influence. Laid-back capital St Helier offers nice shops and restaurants, while the tranquil countryside boasts with idyllic towns. Everything topped with great coastal ways and long stretched beaches.

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Featured Experience

Le Mont-Saint-Michel

Le Mont-Saint-Michel

Sights on the road trip

Breathtaking Mont-Saint-Michel is an island commune located at the Normandy coast. Since the 8th century it has been the seat of the monastery from which it draws its name. Its erection started in the 11th century, with an architecture in Romanesque style. Situated about 600 metres from land it has been easily accessible at low tide to pilgrims, but better defensible when high tide came in.

Mont-Saint-Michel surely is one of France's most renowned landmarks, and on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

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Sightseeing inspired by music

Sightseeing inspired by music

subTOURING isn’t about mainstream sightseeing. It is travelling inspired by music. A hand-picked guide from passionate music lovers for enthusiasts of Rock, Indie, Metal, and Punk tunes. Offering a unique music travel experience from Cologne to Glastonbury.

Get your authentic music experience on this road trip.

EXPLORE THE MUSIC MAPS

Guide around the gig

Major waypoints

Check out the venue and city guides on the way from Cologne to Glastonbury. They focus on what to do before and after the concert. Get our best tips for day activities including record stores as well as bars and restaurants.

Get the most music out of your trip. Hit the road. Follow your band.

GET YOUR GUIDE

MUSIC MAPS & SIGHTSEEING

Sightseeing inspired by music

On this road trip from Cologne to Glastonbury Festival, follow the traces of Rock, Pop, and Indie legends. Enjoy some days off in between on sunny beaches, historical places, and truly mythical spots.

Explore hidden music gems when on tour. Discover music stories beyond the common sightseeing spots. Where history of Rock is revealed and brought to life again.

On the road

Glastonbury Festival in Southern Britain is not only regarded as one of the must-sees for any festival fan, but also iconic as one of the world's most famous music happenings. To make it an unforgettable experience, start your road trip in one of Germany's cultural highlights: Cologne. Boasting with live music venues and bars.
On this subTOUR, discover the historical importance of places like Rouen, Mont-Saint-Michel and Wells. Walk on cobbled pavements and explore the greatness of impressive medieval cathedrals. Rain or shine - enjoy long-stretched beaches on the marvellous Channel Island of Jersey. Learn about the myths around Glastonbury. Further highlights along the way include super-funky record stores for shopping vinyl, comfy pubs for a proper pre-gig dinner, and lively live venues.
Our recommended subTOUR includes 4 nights along the route in between Cologne and Glastonbury, with an option for some extra days in Cologne before.

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MAJOR WAYPOINTS

Cities, festivals and venues on the subtour

COLOGNE TO GLASTONBURY BANDS, ARTISTS & MUSIC

MUSIC HISTORY

A short history of Rock festivals

Today’s Rock and Metal festivals have their origin in the Jazz festivals held in North America in the 1950s. In the early 60s, it was the Newport Festival, Rhode Island, that added a folk component to its line-up. When the 1965 Newport Folk Festival decided to let the Paul Butterfield Blues Band play and to back up Bob Dylan, it meant that, from this very day, more and more electric artists appeared in the festival context.

The roots of all Rock festival probably lie in the early days of the San Francisco scene in the mid-60s. One of the first major festivals was the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, but it was definitely not until the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, held in Bethel, New York, in 1969, that became the renowned cradle of all later festivals. Like Woodstock, many of the following festivals were financial disasters. The Rolling Stones’ unfortunate show in Livermore, California, in the same year, where several people were beaten up and one person even died, did not improve the festival reputation at all. Of the post-Woodstock festivals, the Atlanta Pop Festival held in 1969 and 1970 was perhaps the most important in Rock history.

In the years to follow, Rock festivals weren’t numerous around the world except for the ones promoter Bill Graham came up with: a successful recurring event concept named Day on the Green. Its bills were downright epic, featuring such Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame acts as Metallica, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, The Grateful Dead, and The Who. Between 1973 and 1992, there more than 60 concerts were held in Oakland, California. 1991 marked the year when festivals underwent a revival, as Farrell’s touring Lollapalooza event endeavoured to bring underground music up the stage by combining large- and small-stage performances. Perry Farrell was leader of Alternative band Jane’s Addiction. Chicago based Lollapalooza line-up represented artists from Punk, Ska, and similar, although the headlining spot was generally reserved for an Alternative or Hard Rock band that had already achieved some mainstream success. Today, Lollapalooza is also touring abroad with sister festivals in greater cities such as Berlin, Germany.

Woodstock has also been brought to life again by inspiring a pair of anniversary concerts in 1994 and 1999, but neither was comparable to the generation-defining event of 1969 even if the 1999 version was attended by more than 200,000 people. But one thing became evident: that fans all over the world are willing to travel great distances to experience Rock music in a festival setting.

It was in October 1999, when another huge festival took stage: Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival debuted in Indio, California. Gathering dozens of artists, boasting multiple main stages, and proving that destination festivals can indeed be a financial success. Today, a broad variety of Rock festivals around the world are proof of the fans’ willingness to travel to see their favourite bands - from Rock am Ring and Download Festival to Wacken Open Air or Roskilde Festival, Rock Werchter, Fuji Rock Festival, Hellfest Open Air, and Sziget Festival.

Glastonbury Festival is a huge five-day festival of contemporary performing arts, annually attended by around 175,000 people. The first festival took place back in 1970. In addition to modern music, the festival hosts dance and comedy sessions, lectures, movie screenings, along theatre, circus & cabaret performances. Glastonbury Festival is deeply inspired by the ethos of the hippie and counterculture movement, attended by all kinds of people, of all ages, nationalities, lifestyles, faiths, and musical taste.