If you're hoping to follow your ears to your next vacation destination, but haven't yet found a festival that calls your name, we've got a list of some of our favorites to help you plan your escape.

Guẻa Trumpe t Festival

The trumpet is a part of daily life in Serbia—present at births, celebrations, and burials. And the annual event has been going strong for more than 50 years to celebrate the instrument and its cultural significance in this country.

Positiv us Festival

Positivus is the largest music festival in Latvia, attracting big-name stars across all major genres and giving new artists a chance to shine. It's also one of the most accessible music festivals in the world, even for families with small children. Other pluses? Ticket prices are reasonable and the beautiful coastal location means you can swim in the water or hang in the cool shade of the forest on the same day, all while listening to live music.

Alfa Future People

Held in the Russian countryside, six hours east of Moscow by car, Alfa Future People is more than a massive electronic dance music(EDM) festival, with exhibitions on the latest related technology and athletic opportunities like a volleyball tournament and gymnastics classes.

Mysteryland

If you're into EDM, you won't want to miss Mysteryland. Not only is this Dutch festival a bellwether(风向标) of EDM, its grand stage setups will blow your mind. What's more, this is also one of the most sustainability-focused festivals in the world. In addition to readily available recycling stations and organic eats, attendees can plant trees to reduce their carbon footprint.

Qian Jiaqi, 39, who took up cycling in Beijing as a hobby, has seen a well-known route he often takes after work become increasingly crowded with fellow cyclists during evenings and weekends.

"This summer on Chang ^， an Avenue, it's like the Tour do France every night as cyclists on a wide range of bikes constantly try to catch each other," Qian said. "On the avenue, traffic jams are now forming in bike lanes, as well as in those designed for motor vehicles. It's quite funny in a way. "

According to business insiders and experienced cyclists such as Qian, cycling in urban areas has become increasingly popular over the past two years in China, which was known as the "Kingdom of Bicycles"in the 1980s and early 1990s.

The emergence of COVID-19, the introduction of cycle lanes, and the seeking of healthier lifestyles have helped relight the nation's passion for cycling.

Chang ^， an Avenue is the most popular route for cyclists in Beijing, with its two cycle lanes positioned alongside those for motor vehicles. Motorcycles were banned from the cycle lanes on May 9 last year, providing a safer and smoother experience for those turning the pedals（踏板）. Chinese scholar trees planted alongside the bike lanes shade cyclists from the summer heat.

The avenue is also the perfect place to observe different types of cyclists. Those such as Qian always attempt to improve their time, so it's easy to sense their frustration when they have to stop at red lights. Others prefer to ride at a slower pace,, never missing the opportunity to take photos of Tian ^， anmen Square at sunset on their phones.

Qian said, "Many people have discovered the therapeutic（治疗的）benefits of cycling during the COVID-19 epidemic. The measures taken to control outbreaks of the disease have resulted in the public longing for activities that give them the feeling of freedom and which are good for their health. Cycling ticks all the boxes. "

In February 2022, I began learning Chinese. Almost a year later, I found myself in Beijing, the capital of China. Before coming here, I had attended Chinese classes, and I could sense my progress in the language, albeit modest. As you might expect, studying for just one year wasn't sufficient to claim fluency, and to be honest, I'm not there yet. But full proficiency in the language is not necessary to immerse yourself in and enjoy many attractions of life in China. 

The one thing that truly makes me feel comfortable and alleviates loneliness is making friends and engaging in conversation. At Tsinghua University, where I pursued my studies in China, I made friends with many Chinese young people and relished spending time with them, be it for meals or leisure activities. I've been delighted to sing Chinese songs, for example, those by the famous Chinese singer Jay Chou, with my friends. I would also sing well-known Japanese songs, such as Lemon, which, as it turns out, is very popular in China. I felt that connecting with my Chinese peers through a shared passion, such as singing, was incredibly enjoyable and beautiful. It transcended language barriers and fostered a sense of unity and joy that was truly special. 

During breaks from study, I frequently embarked on solo journeys across China. Although I have experienced traveling on overnight trains for over 12 hours several times and explored unfamiliar cities, I never felt fearful or unwelcome as a foreigner. Chinese people are consistently warm and welcome to foreigners, and eager to engage in conversation. 

I once participated in community activities in Northwest China's Gansu province to gain a deeper understanding of China's rural areas and contribute to the development of local communities and education. As a volunteer teacher at a local school, I shared contemporary and traditional Japanese culture such as anime, architecture, pop music and languages with the students. Since Japanese kanji originated in China, there are many similarities between the Japanese and Chinese languages.