In recent years, the town of Novalja on the Island of Pag has been dubbed the Croatian Ibiza – and for good reason. It’s a premier party spot filled with rowdy clubs, loud music and cheap drinks. However, the summer is when this boozy, bumping paradise truly comes to life, as that’s when most of the music festivals it’s known for occur.
Many of these festivals feature electronic beats and are held on Zrće Beach. Thousands of young people looking for 24-hour parties and incredible tunes flock here each summer – and, if you’re looking for reverberating beats you can feel in your chest, wild experiences unlike anything you’ve ever seen before and memories that will last a lifetime, you should too.
Here are three of Novalja’s most iconic summer music festivals and what you can expect from them in 2019.
Hideout
If five straight days of partying to some of the biggest names in electronic music sounds like your version of heaven, Hideout should definitely be on your summer festival bucket list. It debuted in 2010 and has seen nothing but success ever since, selling out each and every year.
Hideout’s five open-air venues host over 20,000 people each season, with sets beginning in the daytime and continuing well into the early hours of the next morning. Additional events include pool parties, boat parties out on the Adriatic and the Hideout Beach Party (which always features some of the biggest artists in the EDM game).
Some of the names for its 2019 line up have already been announced, such as Horse Meat Disco, CamelPhat, Rudimental, Bicep and MK, with more to be revealed in the future.
Top Tip: Tickets for the boat parties and the Hideout Beach Party go on sale in 2019 – make sure you keep your eyes peeled so you don’t miss out.
Overview
- Monday, 1 July, 2019 at 3:00pm to Saturday, 06 July, 2019 at 6:00am
- Electronic, house and techno music
- Standard tickets starting at £149
- VIP tickets available
- Minimum age 18+
Hard Island
Hard Island brings hardstyle and hardcore lovers from around the world together and allows them to let loose, get away from everyday life and connect with each other over what they’re all there for – the music.
It will be celebrating its fifth anniversary next year with louder beats and bigger parties than ever before. The best place to experience this is during a boat party – cruise the Adriatic and make waves during this wet and wild ride.
Although there will be over 100 international hard dance artists, the exact line up for 2019 hasn’t been announced yet. Last year’s festival included names such as Dr. Peacock, Mad Dog, Villain, Warface and Joey Riot.
Top Tip: More information on artists and boat parties is still to come – make sure you don’t miss out!
Overview
- Sunday, 7 July, 2019 to Thursday, 11 July, 2019
- Hardstyle, hardcore and electronic music
- Regular tickets starting at around £69
- VIP tickets available
- Minimum age 18+
Black Sheep
If you’ve ever felt like the odd one out – perhaps even like an outcast – you’ll love Black Sheep. This positive, high-energy festival focuses on the music. Come as you are and stand out from the crowd if you wish. Here you will experience incredible production, colourful scenography and an event with an atmosphere that dares to go against the grain.
The DJs here play mainly EDM and house music. Black Sheep is held inside of some of the best clubs in Novalja – get ready to party in Papaya, kill it in Kalypso and go nuclear in Noa.
In previous years, dance music’s greats have been featured, including Carnage, Deorro and DVBBS.
Top Tip: Keep an eye out for the 2019 line up; it hasn’t gone live yet.
Overview
- Monday, 29 July, 2019 at 22:00pm to Thursday, 01 August, 2019 at 6:00am
- EDM, electronic and house music
- Regular tickets starting at around £49
- VIP tickets available
Where to Stay
Hostel Zrće – Festivalgoers looking to save money and meet new people should look no further than Hostel Zrće. The atmosphere is friendly and young, meaning the party doesn’t ever have to stop, and it’s within walking distance of Zrće Beach and the music festivals. Choose from shared or private rooms, and take advantage of the onsite pool, bar and resident DJ.
Guesthouse Crazy Night – Guesthouse Crazy Night is a fantastic accommodation option close to Zrće Beach and all its nightlife. Whether you’re looking to make friends by sharing a dormitory room with people you don’t know, have the place to yourself in a studio or make use of an apartment with the mates you came with, this clean and comfortable upscale hostile has you covered. Additional amenities include a seasonal outdoor pool, sun terrace, bar and a 24-hour front desk.
How to Get There
The flight from the UK to Split Airport (SPU) is around two and a half hours and, once you land, the drive from the airport to Novalja takes about the same amount of time. I recommend booking a transfer with Shuttle Direct – it gets rid of all the stress of sorting out car rentals, taxis or public transportation. Just hop into either a shared or private vehicle and Bob’s your uncle!
Overview
- UK to SPU Flight Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
- SPU to Novalja Distance: 189 kilometres
- Shuttle Direct Transfer Time: 2 hours 24 minutes
Top Tip: Many of the drivers tend to be locals who are happy to give some insider insight to their passengers so, if you happen to be on a transfer with someone who speaks English, don’t be afraid to ask them for suggestions for your trip.
About Shuttle Direct
Here at Shuttle Direct, we’re proud of our fast, reliable and efficient airport transfers. We offer professional private or shared shuttles all over Europe and North Africa. No matter where you’re going, we want to help you get there without any stress.
