A band busking at a weekend street market in London. The city is said to be the ‘most musical’ in Europe, according to a list. — AFP
Some of the biggest names in music got their start in Europe. But not all cities on the continent are equal when it comes to musical offerings. Certain destinations offer more opportunities for music lovers than others, as a German ranking reveals.
Online travel agency Weloveholidays has taken a close look at the music scene in 60 European cities, ranking them according to a number of factors. Particular attention was paid to the number of music events taking place in each destination during 2024, as well as the number of concert venues (bars, halls) located there.
Once the data had been collected, the factors were standardised so that each was assigned a value between 0 and 1, giving each city on the Old Continent a score attesting to its “musical” side.
London tops the list, with a respectable score of 2.78 out of 4. The English capital stands out thanks to the many concerts it hosts throughout the year, including three by American superstar Taylor Swift in mid-June.
Music lovers visiting the land that gave rise to the genre of Britpop can also enjoy live music in one of London’s 133 concert bars. That’s more than any other city in the ranking!
Second place goes to Hamburg, Germany, which boasts just over a hundred music venues, and third place to Paris. The City of Light is a prime destination for music lovers from all over the world, thanks to its rich musical scene.
Top international artistes regularly perform there in various concert halls and at renowned Parisian festivals such as We Love Green, Rock En Seine and Solidays.
Several European capitals feature in this ranking, including Dublin, Vienna and Athens. Generally speaking, the most music-loving country in Europe is Germany, which has four cities featured in the top 15 of Europe’s most music-friendly destinations.
If this ranking is anything to go by, Europe is a prime destination for what professionals call “music tourism”. Every year, millions of music lovers travel to the Old Continent to see their favourite artistes live on stage, boosting local tourism. This new travel trend has the potential to become a huge market, prompting players in the music industry to design special offers combining musical and tourist experiences. – AFP Relaxnews
Europe’s most musical cities:
1. London, Britain
2. Hamburg, Germany
3. Paris, France
4. Berlin, Germany
5. Manchester, Britain
6. Dublin, Ireland
7. Cologne, Germany
8. Vienna, Austria
9. Madrid, Spanish
10. Zurich, Switzerland
11. Amsterdam, the Netherlands
12. Brussels, Belgium
13. Munich, Berlin
14. Athens, Greece
15. Glasgow, Scotland
