As the Adriatic summer heats up, so does anticipation for one of Europe’s most revered boutique music festivals. In July 2025, music lovers from across the globe will descend once more upon the Croatian coastline for the 10th edition of Love International Festival, a celebration of dance, community, and coastal serenity unlike any other in Europe’s summer. Nestled in the intimate setting of The Garden Resort in Tisno, Love International has established itself as a destination festival that feels less like an event and more like a collective ritual for the underground music faithful, redefining what a modern European festival can be.
A Decade of Love
From its early years as an offshoot of the iconic Garden Festival, Love International has grown organically while retaining its boutique charm. Now in its 10th year, the 2025 edition (held from July 9 to 15) promises a sun-drenched week of unforgettable music, magical sunrise sessions, boat parties on the Adriatic, and a diverse, international crowd bound by the rhythms of deep house, disco, funk, and techno.
The festival’s spiritual heart remains the Olive Grove, a shaded dance floor where intimate DJ sets unfold under pine trees and glowing lanterns. Nearby, the private beach stage soundtracks lazy afternoons and wild sundowns, while the fabled Barbarella’s Discotheque, an open-air club tucked in the Croatian countryside, hosts after-hours sets that push into the morning mist.
Each year, the week culminates in the festival’s infamous Secret Island Party, a tradition where two vintage boats, The Argonaughty and The Martina, sail across the Adriatic, docking at a “secret-ish” island. Here, surrounded by rocky cliffs and turquoise waters, ravers dance to ethereal house and techno as the sun melts across the sea. In 2019, it was Axel Boman’s ‘ABBA 002’ ringing out over the waves that made the moment almost cinematic.
The Stages: From Olive Groves to Outer Space
The site is built for discovery. There are three primary stages—the Olive Grove, Garden Stage, and Beach Stage—each with its unique feel and sound profile. The Olive Grove is a pine-shaded micro-universe of deep, intricate sets, like 2019’s unforgettable Idle Hands b2b2b (Hodge, Peverelist, Chris Farrell), where everything from Laurel Halo’s ‘Tru’ to The Streets and N-Joi echoed through a parasol-spinning crowd.
At the Garden Stage, disco balls glitter above the heads of dancers as acts like Paranoid London unleash thunderous acid-electro sets laced with punk energy. In 2019, their live renditions of “Paris Dub 1” and “Eating Glue” left the crowd in euphoric chaos.
But perhaps the most spiritual experience of all takes place at Barbarella’s Discotheque, known simply as Barbs. This open-air club, 20 minutes from the main site, is the festival’s crown jewel. Dancing beneath stars, surrounded by trees glowing red and blue, with morning light slowly revealing the sea beyond, this is clubbing at its most transcendent. DJ Harvey’s marathon set, Eris Drew’s birdsong-infused sunrise session, and Horse Meat Disco’s disco-ball escapades have all become folklore here.
2025 Line-up: Pure Fire
This year’s edition reads like a curated dreamscape of the global underground. Names like Ben UFO, Bonobo, Floating Points, Call Super, Shanti Celeste, SHERELLE, Midland, D. Tiffany, and John Talabot fill a line-up that values deep curation over crowd-chasing.
One anticipated highlight is the Olive Grove Takeover on Monday, 14 July, featuring Vladimir Ivkovic, Tia Cousins, Sean Johnston, and others, a night of dark, experimental grooves and cosmic cuts.
Many of the artists stick around all week, often joining the crowd or playing unannounced sets. It’s not unusual to see DJs barefoot at the beach by day, and back behind the decks by night. That’s the magic: the boundary between performer and participant collapses.
Beyond the Music: Escapism and Community
Love International is not just about the music; it’s a state of mind. Days stretch out with lazy swims, yoga by the bay, and boat parties that become folklore. While ticketed extras (boat parties, Barbarella’s, drinks) can stack up in price, comparable to London nightlife, many agree it’s a fair price for what feels like a week-long lucid dream.
The production is minimal but purposeful, featuring clean sound, thoughtful lighting, and golden lanterns that cast magical glows at sunrise. At the Beach Stage, when the booth opens to face the sea, artists like Powder and Heidi Lawden deliver mellow sunrise sets to blissed-out dancers lounging on coastal rocks.
There have been the occasional hiccups, like the overcrowded boats of 2019 or the infamous queue for the Secret Island BBQ, but they’ve done little to dampen the spirit. The festival’s holiday mood means people let go, live lightly, and lean into the chaos.
Staying There, Living It
On-site, The Garden Resort offers glamping tents, mobile homes, and festival apartments. Nearby towns like Murter, Tisno, and Pirovac provide additional options, whether a seafront villa or a cosy guesthouse. Local restaurants serve Dalmatian dishes, and the Adriatic’s turquoise waters offer perfect afternoon cool-downs after sunrise sets.
Love International also remains eco-conscious, with 1 euro from every ticket supporting onboard: earth, a climate initiative focused on sustainable travel and Croatian coastal conservation.
Why Go Love International?
If you’re after a festival that combines world-class electronic music with coastal beauty, a spirit of freedom, and a tightly knit global community, Love International is it. There are no VIP barricades. No main stages towering over you. Just music, connection, and the Adriatic breeze.
As Love International enters its 10th year, it remains more than just a music festival. It’s a celebration of the timeless, borderless, and beautiful spirit of dance, under the sun, moon, and stars of Tisno.
Follow Love International Festival
To stay updated on line-up drops, boat party tickets, travel tips, and behind-the-scenes magic, follow Love International on social media:
- Instagram: @loveintfestival
- Facebook: Love International Festival