After attending over 24 festivals between us, Benicassim festival is without a doubt our favourite. In this Benicassim festival guide we will not only share why it’s our favourite but share everything you need to know to make it your favourite festival too. A festival abroad can be daunting but we have every detail covered making it as fun, safe and stress free as possible.
Not only will we share everything you need to know about Benicassim camping but how to get the cheapest flights to Benicassim, a full cost breakdown, the best Benicassim festival tips as well as the ultimate Benicassim packing list.
WHY GO TO BENICASSIM FESTIVAL?
If you’re still undecided, these are the main reasons why Benicassim festival beats British festivals hands down. Three years ago we decided paying £200 + for a ticket to stomp in the mud and camp in the cold with overpriced beer was no longer our cup of tea and a little festival in the wee Spanish town of Benicassim, changed our festival plans forever.
The festival is nicknamed after the town where it is held but is officially named Festival Internacional de Benicàssim, shortened to FIB or Beni festival.
Now, we’ve all played the “Would you rather” game, so would you rather:
- Tapas instead of burger vans?
- Bikinis instead of wellie boots?
- Wine that’s €3 a bottle instead of £7 pints?
- Guaranteed sunshine instead of knee-deep mud?
- All while spending your day chilling on the beach and dancing under the Spanish sunset?
If your answer was yes to any of the above, then read on – this Benicassim festival guide is exactly what you need for a weekend to remember (or not, we did mention €3 wine.)
WHERE IS BENICASSIM FESTIVAL HELD?
Benicassim Festival is actually a music festival in Benicassim – a pretty seaside town in the province of Castelló, on the Costa del Azahar in Spain.
This quaint resort town is around 30 minutes drive from Castellon airport, 2.5 hours from Alicante and approximately 3 hours from Barcelona.
Don’t worry we cover everything you need to know about getting to Benicassim Festival including flights, buses and trains later!
HOW MUCH ARE THE TICKETS FOR BENICASSIM 2023?
For General Admission to Benicassim Festival 2023 tickets are €49.99 Not including camping. For Benicassim VIP tickets it is €120. This includes access to the festival plus the VIP area.
- General Admission €49.99 + Booking Fee. Includes access to the festival venue from Thursday 13th July to Sunday 16th July 2023.
- VIP Ticket €120 + Booking Fee. Includes access to the festival plus the VIP area for the duration.
Your festival ticket does not include camping, you will need to purchase this separately or organise your own accommoation in town. We explain the accommodation situation for Benicassim festival 2023 in more detail later but generally, there are two camping options:
- Campfest ticket €25 + booking fee. This campsite is located within the festival grounds.
- Villacamp ticket €25 + Booking free BUT you also need to book a glamping tent. This are is in town so closer to the beach, restaurants etc.
Note: For Benicassim Festival 2023 the campground is open for EIGHT DAYS (Noon on 11th July until noon on 17th July) but there is only music on 4 of those days. If you can sesh in the sunshine for 8 days, be our guest but we found 4 was perfect (Thursday – Sunday).
As a tip, Benicassim tickets are initially released before Christmas at an “early bird” price. Then the price goes up as does the camping cost. I recommend subscribing to their newsletter as this will be the best place to find out when the early bird tickets are released, so you can grab them cheap before they sell out. I also won Benicassim festival tickets one year by responding to a survey from their newsletter so that’s another reason to subscribe!
There is also a slight price increase every year, so these were Benicassim festival 2023 ticket prices. More info here.
WHEN IS BENICASSIM FESTIVAL 2023?
The Benicassim 2023 dates are Thursday 13th – Sunday 16th of July. However if you are camping, you will have access to the campsite from Tuesday 11th July at noon.
You can then enjoy a week of bands, boozy nights and beach days before it’s party over on Monday 17th July at 12noon. This is when the Benicassim camping grounds close (although the last headliner is on the Sunday night) so all festival goers need to be headed home.
WHAT IS THE BENICASSIM FESTIVAL 2023 LINE UP?
The Benicassim festival line up always includes some absolute legends and is without a doubt the main reason many people go. For Benicassim festival 2023 the line up includes The Offspring, Clean Bandit, Viva Suecia, Crystal Fights and more. Bastille, Franz Ferdinand, Kaiser Chiefs and Tom Odell will also play at Benicassim 2023 – all of which we have seen previously at Belladrum festival and LOVED.
In previous Benicassim festival line ups, we have seen Paul Weller, Kasabian, Paolo Nutini, Catfish & The Bottlemen, Jess Glynne and The Courteeners, amongst discovering many new bands too.
Indie is usually the main focus, although there is always something for everyone. There are not many festivals that would have Travis Scot and Pet Shop Boys on the same bill but the Benicassim festival line up 2018 did just that.
As the 25th anniversary, the the Benicassim festival line up 2019 included some huge names such as Kings of Leon, who are one of the best bands we’ve ever seen not to mention a ticket for them alone is £70+ so another reason Benicassim tickets are insane value for money!
Although it may sound contradictory, regardless of the Benicassim festival line up we would attend for the atmosphere alone. Do not be put off if your favourite band isn’t on the line up or if it wasn’t what you expected. We can guarantee an epic weekend at FIB, where you’ll likely discover so many new bands, new people and have fun in the sunshine regardless.
HOW TO GET TO BENICASSIM FESTIVAL
Flights to Benicassim
If like us, you’re (unfortunately) not Spanish, you’re gonna need to hop on a plane and get flights to Benicassim.
The nearest airport to Benicassim Festival is Castellón. However, there are numerous flights to Benicassim from the airports below, simply click on each one and it will bring you the best flight prices for the Benicassim dates.
Compare flights for your next trip at Skyscanner!
Bus to Benicassim Festival
After you have booked your flights to Benicassim you will then need a transfer from the airport to the festival. We recommend eufest who we have used repeatedly, as they were the most time and cost effective bus to Benicassim.
Prices for bus to Benicassim festival 2023 are as follows:
- Barcelona to Benicassim £36 (3.5 hours)
- Alicante to Benicassim £34 (3.5 hours)
- Valencia to Benicassim £24 (1 hour)
From our previous experience, it is a short walk from the Benicassim festival arena to the bus station in town (which looks like a large square/carpark). There is a very organised system in place where you will receive a coloured band depending which airport you are going to, though if you ever get lost or confused the Eufest staff were so helpful in ensuring we were waiting in the correct place.
If you are planning on travelling from Barcelona or getting the bus to Benicassim from elsewhere in Europe we recommend using Flixbus. They also have a great app which we used for years and found them incredibly cheap and reliable.
Compare cheap bus travel around Europe at Flixbus!
Train to Benicassim Festival
If you’re wondering how to get to Benicassim, getting the train is also a very easy option. The Benicassim train station is within walking distance of the festival (approx. 20 minutes) so it couldn’t be easier. Buses are also available from the train station to the festival so you don’t even have to walk.
As mentioned earlier many people travel from Barcelona to Benicassim as you can take the train to Benicassim from pretty much anywhere in Spain and the town is situated on the main trainline between Valencia and Barcelona. If you are unable to book buses or flights to Benicassim (or they’re too expensive) there are also daily AVE high-speed services between Madrid and Castellón.
It is an ideal festival as part of a euro-railing adventure (as it’s so cheap & cheerful) or if you’re backpacking Europe in general as it’s so easy to meet other travellers when you’re there to continue exploring Europe with.
ACCOMMODATION AT BENICASSIM FESTIVA 2023
Camping at Benicassim Festival
This is your cheapest option for Benicassim accomodation. Camping at Benicassim is no longer included in the ticket price. However, this makes so much more sense to us, as now the Benicassim festival tickets are much cheaper and you have the choice whether to ad on camping or not.
We LOVED camping at Benicassim and really feel it makes the entire experience, but we understand it isn’t for everyone. There is even a bar in the campsite as well as a few food vans and showers (more on those in a minute.) They also have tarpaulin over all the tents which help keep it (slightly) cooler.
Pack your festival camping essentials an open mind and some serious suncream, then you’ll be ready for an adventure you’ll never forget!
There are two Benicassim camping grounds:
- Campfest – it is closest to the festival arena and you can take your own camping equipment there.
- Villacamp – is in the town centre and you pay extra due it’s extra amenities. It is considered the VIP Benicassim camping site and is ideal for those who like a few more home comforts as you’ll need to book one of their glamping tents in addition to your camping fee.
Top Tips for Camping at Benicassim Festival 2023
- Cost – Although Benicassim camping grounds are the cheapest option, keep in mind luggage allowance. You will have to pay for hold luggage in order to take your own tent, sleeping bag etc so it may be more expensive than hiring a glamping tent at the festival.
- Be a responsible traveller – All attendees are encouraged to leave zero litter to avoid any creepy crawlies into the tents which we appreciated as it was one of the cleaner festivals we’ve been to, although glass was allowed in the campsite which we found unusual.
- Sleep is for the weak – Finally, if camping at Benicassim be warned, the music runs through the night so very little sleep is likely. Rather than get annoyed about it our motto is usually if you can’t beat them, join them – snooze on the beach during the day and party all night. Who needs sleep anyway!?
- Rest area – confusingly, when trying to book camping at Benicassim, the website calls it “rest area” tickets not camping.
Benicassim Festival Showers
Yes, the rumours are true – benicassim festival showers are a REAL thing. As festival veterans, this blew our minds and we so wish more music festivals in the UK had showers like Beni does.
There is a small fee of €10 but this gives you access to the showers for the duration of the festival. They make such a difference to your camping experience AND are a great way to wash away the hangover. Well worth booking! More info here.
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Glamping at Benicassim Festival
We believe, glamping at Benicassim is the best option – we’ve tried & tested it (twice) and although it’s not that different from camping at Benicassim it does have a few major advantages. You simply hire a “glamping” tent here. There are a few options to choose from.
- Easy Tent – €50 a tent big enough for 2 people for the duration of the festival. Includes torch & lock but you will need to bring your own sleeping bag.
- Easy Deluxe – €120 includes a tent for 2 people plus a buffet breakfast, mattresses, bedding, lock and light.
Although its an extra expense ontop of your festival ticket, we highly recommended this option for Benicassim accommodation because:
- No need to pitch a tent – You won’t need to find a tent space and pitch your tent. This will save you sweating to death in the middle of the day, or trying to find a pitch in the dark after you arrive from your flight. It also means no arguments putting up the tent after your 7th cider – the tent is there waiting for you.
- You’re still in the heart of the action – The glamping campsite is still in Campfest so within walking distance of the festival arena. The advantage is all glamping tents are in a designated area with overhead tarpaulin, so your tent won’t be quite as oven-like in comparison to the peasant campers who couldn’t squeeze into the shade.
- Security – One of the best advantages of Glamping instead of camping at Benicassim is that the site is only accessible to those wearing the correct wrist bands. This means your tent will be more secure as it has its own check in/out cabin & security. Although security & police do patrol all Benicassim camping sites regularly.
- Camping Essentials – Torches, mats & locks are included in the price of the deluxe tent hire. Prices also vary on size/style of tent and larger fancier options are available, such as bell tents for 4 people. This means you have less things to carry/remember to pack than you would ordinary camping at Benicassim.
Hotels Near Benicassim Festival
Airbnb, villas or hotels are a third (more expensive) Benicassim accommodation option. We searched in February for the festival in July and it was almost impossible to find any availability.
As the town is quite rural, naturally inspired by the influx of money throwing millennial’s, prices are hiked waaaay up for accommodation during the festival. Even a hostel in Benicassim is expensive. Booking a hostel in Benicassim will also mean a lengthy walk to & from the arena at silly hours of the morning (and after a beer or ten.)
However, it will mean warm showers, air con and an actual bed. Have a peek at the cheapest Benicassim Hotel prices here.
HOW MUCH DOES BENICASSIM FESTIVAL COST?
Before our first time going to Beni, we imagined as it was abroad it would be SO much more expensive than a British festival. However, although you need to book flights to Benicassim, the food and alcohol are so much cheaper than in the UK so we genuinely feel it’s better value for money.
As a guide, this is an approximate cost breakdown as an idea of how much spending money you’ll need for Benicassim festival 2023. Note these prices rise a little after March, so this is based on early bird bookings.
- Benicassim Festival Tickets: €49.99/£44
- Campfest Booking: €25/£22
- Flights to Benicassim: €159 / £140 – we flew London to Castellon and booked the month before.
- Bus Transfer: €27 / £24– for a single ticket, airport to festival transfer with eufest.
- Glamping: €120 / £106 – split between two people. This includes Torch, mats, sleeping bags, lock and breakfast for 8 days (we only used 4.)
- Lockers: €80 / £70 – for two large lockers, this was because we were travelling to Paris afterwards, so needed to store our luggage. Definitely not a necessity. If you are camping at Benicassim you can also rent smaller, cheaper lockers for passports, cameras etc if you don’t feel comfortable leaving items in your tent.
- Food: €100/ £88 – cost approximately for 4 days. This includes dining out at restaurants in town. Though the first year I survived off Pringles, so this budget could definitely be smaller!
- Alcohol: €8 / £7 for a litre of lovely strawberry gin from the supermarket. €4 / £3.52 for a crate of 12 beers. For the arena the drinks work on cashless wristbands that you top up. If you top up online ahead of time with €50 they give you €10 extra for free.
WHAT TO BRING TO BENICASSIM FESTIVAL
Nailing your Benicassim packing list is essential in having a stress free weekend. Our biggest tip is not to pack too much as flights to Benicassim will be cheaper if you only have hand luggage and you may have to walk to the campsite/bus stops etc.
You will need ALOT less than you think so we’ve kept our Benicassim packing list short & sweet but we do have an in depth festival packing list that covers everything from toiletries to festival fashion.
Sun Cream
My first Benicassim festival experience was nearly ruined when I fell asleep in the sunshine (after one too many 60 cents cartons of wine) and subsequently had lobster legs. So burnt, I couldn’t dance to the Courteeners or even pull on and off my shorts without whimpers of pain. Make sure you purchase a hand luggage sized one or use click & collect if your nearest airport has a Boots so you can bring a larger one.
Sustainble eco and reef friendly sunscreen butter!
Portable Battery Pack
It is unbelievable how big the queue is to charge your phone not to mention how expensive it is. Save the time (and money!) by purchasing a power pack, we have this Anker one which lasted the entire 4 days (charging both phones once per day.)
Anker PowerCore 20100mAh portable charger.
Travel Towel
Super compact these have numerous uses (other than drying yourself, obviously) and are essential on any Benicassim packing list. We used our towels as picnic blankets, for the beach or even instead of blankets if you have no space to pack a sleeping bag – and it’s too hot for one anyway!
Camping towel & gym towel - ultra soft compact quick dry microfiber.
Water Bottle
This is one of our most important Benicassim tips – drink more water! Not only are there many water refill points you’ll save money on buying bottled water and do your bit for our wee planet.
Stainless steel water bottle, eco friendly and perfect for camping.
Biodegradable Wet Wipes
Wet Wipes are one of the most important festival essentials, however the usual wipes take 100+ years to degrade and they are bulky in your backpack. Luckily we have the perfect solution! There are wipes which come in tablet form, add a skoosh of water and they expand. Not only can they be reused but they are biodegradable – saving you money, space in your backpack and help save the planet!
GLOYY soft compressed biodegradable wipes.
Clothing
In terms of clothing you need very, very little – the weather is warm after all. A pair of shorts, swimwear, a T shirt or two, a hat and flip flops. Sorted.
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TOP TIPS FOR BENICASSIM FESTIVAL 2023
These are our best Benicassim tips to ensure you have a safe, stress free, fun weekend. Every year we attend we learn more so feel free to let us know your favourite Benicassim tips in the comments.
1. Choose your Beni buddies wisely
As the Benicassim weather in July is so hot the music runs through the night from 7pm to 7am. So one of the most important Benicassim tips would be take friends who can hack the pace, not ones who like sleep. The headliner usually plays around midnight so you need to make sure you stay awake until at least then!
2. Don’t be a typical Brit abroad
A favourite Benicassim tip on behalf of the locals – don’t contribute to the “British” reputation. Like all festivals there are some who can’t enjoy a cider or two without spoiling it for everyone.
Particularly as Benicassim is a quaint Spanish town, imagine an influx of drunken, semi naked Brits demanding English breakfasts and litres of after sun. As a local you’d hate us too.
If this lager lout behaviour continues, understandably Benicassim won’t want us anymore, enjoy it but don’t abuse it like filling their fountains with bubble bath which happend once when we were there. It’s not big and it’s not clever.
3. Sleep at the beach
As mentioned earlier, camping at Benicassim is not for the faint hearted as it can be impossible to sleep during the day due to the heat and noise. One of our favourite Benicassim tips would be to hire a comfortable sun lounger at the beach, which is around a 20 minute walk from the festival.
They are usually a few euros (we can’t give you an exact price as each day we went they made up a different price!) These are more comfortable than a tent and the breeze from the sea means its less like sleeping in an oven. This will prepare you well for a night of drinking and dancing until dawn, not to mention a refreshing swim in the sea to wash away the hangover.
4. Shop locally
One of our best Benicassim tips if you’re on a budget is to shop at the local supermarket. Unlike British festivals glass is allowed (in the campsite not the arena) and you are allowed to enter & exit the festival as many times as you like.
This means heading to the supermarket for a crate of 12 beers for €3.20 to enjoy in the campsite instead of paying pints in the arena. However, in comparison to British festivals, the arena prices are very reasonable. We stocked up on hummus, nibbles & hangover food from the supermarket but cannot recommend the homemade pizza from the arena enough!
We also dined out twice at local restaurants during the day, which was the first time we’d ever tried authentic Spanish tapas!
5. Be sun safe
Us Scots are renowned for ripping our clothes off at the slightest glimpse of sunshine #tapsaff but we’re also renowned for our unrivalled ability to burn. Without sounding like a mum, one of the most important Benicassim tips is to DRINK WATER and WEAR SUNSCREEN. Yes, we’re shouting it.
I had to bail early the first year I went to Beni and miss the last headliner as a wise diet of pringles & pinot grigio for 3 days resulted in my legs to genuinely balloon twice the size and I was in bed by 11pm.
I also fainted on a road, however watching a 20-something Scottish person keel over, many assumed I was just wasted so no one helped. I very much learnt my lesson, so when returning the following year I drank water all day before drinking at night – meaning I could actually enjoy every minute and last until the morning!
We hope this Benicassim festival guide has covered everything you need to know and you feel prepared to party under the Spanish sun. We cannot emphasise enough how much fun it is and how we really feel Benicassim tickets are the best value for money from all the festivals we’ve been to.
We hope our Benicassim packing list has ensured you don’t leave any essentials behind and if you have any questions about camping at Benicassim or have any Benicassim tips of your own feel free to let us know in the comments!
I’m obviously not much of a festival goer because I didn’t think you’d have to queue to charge your phone! Great planning post though 🙂
Once you’ve tried one festival, it gets addictive….21 festivals later haha!! No need to queue for a charger, we recommended the best battery pack 😉
I’ve never been to a festival abroad and yet it always been on my bucket list! I love Spain, and indie music and speak a bit of Spanish so this one sounds perfect! And the Chili Peppers are one of my faves 😀
I’m going to this festival this year! Can’t wait! I’ve never liked the idea of camping in a muddy field so this seemed like the perfect festival to me! Plus the line-up is so good I wasn’t expecting it when my friend said let’s go to a festival in Spain
Diddo! I’ve gone to a few festivals here in Ireland and the fear of getting crappy weather was enough to decide to go to Beni this year! Gonna be great! Hope you have a great time!
Have you been before Kieran? ITS THE BEST FESTIVAL EVER!!!!
No never! I’ve only done the rainy, muddy, cold Electric Picnic a few times here in Ireland. A sun festival will be welcomed! Can’t wait! Are you going again?
Well this festival is now on my bucket list! ? Always love reading other festival blogs, and this one looks like SO much fun (and so cheap!)
We are so so hoping to return this year, fingers crossed we can! And fingers crossed you make it one day too!!
Great post. Very thorough and well written. Loved the helpful tips.
Thank you – hopefully see you there this year 😉
Whoa! Festival pro! 🙂 Great tips on Benicassim!
So rather dance in a field than sit by a pool haha!! Let us know if you make it to Benicassim too!
are the VIP tickets worth it?
To be honest, we haven’t bought them – we bought general entry and loved it so much. The only thing we think with VIP is you usually miss out on the banter/meeting more people as you are in your own private secluded area so you miss out on the fun of the crowds a little. If you prefer quiet and sophisticated then VIP might be worth it 😉
My friends and I want to go to this festival in 2019 but we’re confused as it only gives us an option to camp from the 15th even though the music doesn’t start until the 18th! Do you have to be there to check in by the 15th or can we arrive on the 17/18th?
My friends and I want to go to this in 2019! We’re confused because check in for camping is on the 15th but the music doesn’t start till the 18th. Do we have to check in on the 15th or can it be later on like the 17th?
No both times we booked camping and didn’t arrive until the first day of music. It’s just the camp site opens for a few days before 🙂