Did you know that the Czech Republic is home to one of the biggest multi-genre festivals in Central Europe?
Colours of Ostrava is an award-winning live music event that takes place every year featuring an eclectic and international line-up of artists which has previously included the likes of James Blake, Sam Smith, Tom Morello, Lenny Kravitz, Zara Larrson and many more. They've just announced The Chainsmokers as a headliner for 2025 and they are set to perform against a one-of-a-kind backdrop of a former blast furnaces, mines and ironworks called Dolní Vítkovice, in the heart of Ostrava.
It's a super chill festival with none of the jostling crowds or mosh pits of busy UK festivals, and it's really family friendly with the most children I have ever seen at an event like it. Although the line-up is very international and diverse, I did find that I only met a handful of international festival-goers, but a lot of the crowd are either local or from neighbouring cities. This does mean that the Wednesday and Thursday are fairly relaxed crowds and quieter, but the festival becomes a lot busier on the Friday and Saturday night. My favourite part of the festival was definitely a visit up the Bolt Tower at sunset – trust me you won't regret those golden hour views! It was also so special to get a fresh perspective of the festival, and to marvel at the sheer size of the event which now hosts around 52,000 annually.
Sound interesting? Read on my festival guide to Colours of Ostrava Festival in Czechia and find out everything you need to know before you visit, including how to plan your stay.
I attended Colours of Ostrava with Visit Czech and North Moravia Tourism – but all views remain my own.
Going to Colours of Ostrava 2025? Here's where you can find:
Essentials for Czech |
| Find cheap flights to Ostrava |
| Find hotels or hostels |
| Find activities and tours for Ostrava |
| Get an eSIM for Czech |
Colours of Ostrava – A History Of The Festival
The Colours of Ostrava festival has been running since 2002 and has taken on a life of its own with over 450 acts spanning live music performances, DJs, comedy, discussions, theatre, workshops, creativity and art, plus loads of delicious food stalls and bars. The festival has repeatedly made the top ten in the Best Major Festival category in the European Festival Awards. It has also picked up the Czech Angel (Anděl) award in 2005 and 2006. For three years running in 2004, 2005 and 2006, it also picked up best music event of the year at the Akropolis Live Awards (ALMA) in the concert/festival of the year category.
The festival was born in 2002 with just six stages and 50 acts, but now offers an international line-up of around 450 acts spread across nearly 30 stages. Previous year's performances have included The Killers, Twenty One Pilots, Martin Garrix, Franz Ferdinand, The Cure, Florence and the Machine, Rag'n'Bone Man, Years & Years, N.E.R.D., Kygo, George Ezra and Cigarettes After Sex among many others. All of these are set against the incredible, unique backdrop of a former industrial plant which is now a huge events complex complete with cultural museums, exhibition halls, concert stages and furnace tours. Trust me – this setting alone makes the festival a completely remarkable experience that is worth travelling to the Czech Republic for alone.
Get Tickets For Colours of Ostrava
Tickets are already on sale for Colours of Ostrava 2025 and organisers have revealed that electric duo, The Chainsmokers, are due to headline the event. Taking place on July 16-19th, there are two ticket options available:
- 4 Day Adult Ticket – €145 which is around £120 for a weekend ticket
- 4 Day VIP Ticket – €460 which is around £387 for a weekend ticket
What is included in a 4 Day VIP Ticket?
If you pay €460 (which is around £387 for a weekend ticket) – only a bit more expensive than a UK festival ticket. You will get exclusive access to the following:
- VIP entry to the Colours of Ostrava 2025 festival and to the Meltingpot discussion forum programme
- Separate entrance with separate accreditation from Ruská street
- Entrance to the VIP covered zone
- Special menu with cocktail and wine bars
- Cloakroom, comfortable toilets, charging stations and other additional services
- Opportunity to meet business partners, festival guests or bands
- Gallery overlooking the main stage
- Does not apply to tickets for individual performances in Gong
I can tell you that for the nicer toilets and less crowded bars – it is worth getting VIP. You also get an amazing view of the main stage! >> BUY FESTIVAL TICKETS NOW
How To Get To Ostrava For The Festival
There is a lot of choice for those travelling to Ostrava for the music festival, and due to the festival's location, it could be a good opportunity to combine the event with a longer trip or even a city break. Here are three great options for those flying to the Colours of Ostrava Festival:
Fly from the UK to Ostrava
- Flight time – 2hrs 10 mins
- Prices start from £27 >> Find cheap flights from London to Ostrava
2. Fly from the UK to Prague
- Flight time – 1hr 51 mins
- Prices start from £31 >> Find cheap flights from London to Prague
- Combine with a city break in Prague >> Book Prague hotels
- 3.5 hour train to Ostrava from £11>> Book train tickets to Ostrava
3. Fly from the UK to Katowice in Poland
- Flight time – 2hrs 15 mins
- Prices start from £28 >> Find cheap flights from London to Katowice
- Combine with a city break in Katowice >> Book Katowice hotels
- 1 hr 38 mins train to Ostrava from £22 >> Book train tickets to Ostrava
Where To Stay For Colours of Ostrava?
There's a range of accommodation options available for those attending the festival, from budget-friendly camping within the festival grounds and hostels, to hotels for all price ranges.
Camping at Colours of Ostrava:
- Slezskoostravský hrad Camping – campers have to pay €29 for a tent space and a further €25 for a camping ticket – there are also a range of options for camper vans, caravans and parking.
- Enjoy boutique camping in the Chill Village with bookings starting from €617
- Or choose the Tent Inn Village with pre-erected tents available for a range of prices starting from €127 – there's also airbeds available to rent.
Accommodation in Ostrava:
- >> Book hostels in Ostrava >> Hostel Morovia is the only hostel in Ostrava – just 400m from the train station and prices start from €30 a night
- >> Book cheap hotels in Ostrava >> Hotel City.City is a great little design hotel in the heart of the city
- >> Book luxury hotels in Ostrava >> upgrade your experience with luxury apartments and hotels
Festival Fashion & Essentials for Colours of Ostrava
The festival has a super relaxed vibe and is a lot less the "festival vibes" us Brits are used to. Particularly on the Wednesday and Thursday nights – everyone is very dressed down and chilled. I was glad to see a lot flashier outfits and sparkly glitter on the Friday and Saturday nights – you guys know I love getting dressed up! But it certainly didn't stop me making the effort every single night and after many requests from you guys – I have created a storefront featuring lots of my favourite festival outfits and accessories including the exact links so you can purchase them too! Key items I really recommend are a solid pair of black boots for the dusty festival site, lots of glitter and of course, a festival fan to beat the heat! My fave item I packed was by far my Avene thermal water spray – it was a lifesaver in the heat!
The Best Travel Insurance For Czech
If you're planning to travel for a music festival, it's a good idea to make sure you have good travel insurance. During this trip I was held up on the way home due to Ryanair and ATC delays – had my flights been cancelled, I would have been covered. Always check your health insurance cover – dancing all day and night for 4 days in 30ºC temperatures is no joke, so if you start to feel unwell, you want to be sure you have adequate cover. I always recommend World Nomads Travel Insurance – they're super simple, easy to use and flexible to buy and claim from anywhere in the world.
SIM Cards in Czech
If you're attending a festival – it's always important to have a SIM card that works! Whether you're travelling with friends and need to arrange to meet up somewhere in the festival grounds, or lose each other in the crowd. Or you're travelling solo and simply want to use the festival's app to figure out where you are and find the next stage or act you want to see. I never travel without using an Airalo eSIM card and although the Czech Airalo eSIM card was a little pricier than normal, it was super helpful to have it during my trip to help with navigation, socials and much more.
Day Trips and Activities In Ostrava
If you're visiting Ostrava and want to explore beyond just the festival – there's lots of fun things to do. Here's my top 5 list of activities for making the most of a visit to North Moravia:
- Take the Lanovka Pustevny chair lift in Pustevny – a mountain range in the Beskydy mountains
- Visit Stezka Valaška – wooden observation structure on the top of the trees
- Go up the Bolt Tower at the festival site – it has incredible views at sunset!
- Go rafting and kayaking along Ostrava's river
- Take a day trip to scenic village Štramberk and climb the tower for amazing views
>> Book activities and day trips from Ostrava <<
