Europe's best classical music festivals Aix-en-Provence July 5-27 With leanings to the grand and chic, Aix might not qualify for this list except that it's a fascinating place to stay, has good ticket deals for under-thirties, and is staging one of the most significant premieres on the 2012 circuit: George Benjamin's new opera Written on Skin, which promises to be quite an event. festival-aix.com Kuhmo July 15-28 A hyperactive fixture for which chamber-music junkies crowd into a small Finnish town, OD on as many concerts as the day allows, and then pile into post-show sauna parties, Kuhmo could only be a Nordic enterprise. It's chummy, no-frills, dress-down (not least in the sauna), but alive with the collective joy of devotees. For those who like to fraternise with musical celebrities in nothing but a bath towel, it's addictive. kuhmofestival.fi Verbier July 20-Aug 5 Yes, the exchange rate does make Switzerland expensive, and Verbier's glitzy reputation is endorsed by Rolex-wearing superstars. But it's also a magnet for young musicians who fill this smart mountain resort with laughter and energy. Choose your concerts carefully, take sandwiches, and stay in a flat without a view to keep within budget. verbierfestival.com Musique Cordiale Aug 8-18 Part-festival, part-friends reunion, Musique Cordiale is a participation event for which a small army of singers and musicians (pro/am, mostly British) gather in idyllic hilltop towns across the Var in southern France and put on concerts - of surprising quality, thanks to über-tenor Andrew Staples and the stunning young professionals he ropes in. This year Poulenc, Britten, Mozart. Seriously sociable. musique-cordiale.com Grafenegg Aug 23-Sept 9 A vast, open-air auditorium in the grounds of the Metternich family schloss, an hour from Vienna, is the focus for this smart but family-friendly festival set amid vineyards. Grand orchestral concerts sit alongside more intimate events in the Metternich's converted riding school. Stylish fun, but take warm clothes and an umbrella. grafenegg.com Bonn Beethovenfest Sept 7-Oct 7 Big but civilised, this annual celebration of Beethoven and more fits comfortably into the modest grandeur of the composer's home town. Visitors this year will be able to enjoy a complete symphony cycle from London's Philharmonia Orchestra. And when you're not at concerts you can idle along some of Europe's most attractive river walks, watching the cruise boats splutter up and down the Rhine like bath toys. beethovenfest.de