Choose from over 130 events held in venues of all shapes and sizes (including barns and castles) and check out what's going on culturally in the Czeck Republic, the nation under spotlight this year.

But it's not all black tie and Beethoven. This year's event has an urban vibe with the return of Sonarsound. The legendary Kampnagel theatre is the setting for a night of musical experimentation from the brains behind Barcelona's Sonar Festival. Electronic masters such as Matthew Herbert and Jamie Lidell line up alongside acts like the spellbinding Max de Wardner and Icelandic oddity Mugison.

Crawl inside Hamburg's musical heart and get to grips with Baltic culture. With such an abundance of musical goodness on offer, my only advice would be to time your trip carefully or you may find yourself sitting in a field listening to folk music!

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