From a fairytale venue to parties ‘till dawn, this is why EXIT festival won so many awards. Held from 7 – 10 July, it’s nothing short of spectacular:

1. A magical venue: Petrovaradin Fortress
The fortress has that magical fairytale atmosphere that gets people hooked and relaxed. It’s arguably the best festival venue according to dozens of quotes from its top performers and global media covering Exit since its founding 16 years ago. Not only are the stages well sonically isolated, but everything is close by so you don’t have to walk that much or wait in long cues.

This Southeastern European gem is an oldie but goldie. The first cornerstone was built in 324 years ago and the fortress was upgraded over time. In its heyday, it was the central place where the Austrian-Turkish war ended, and the battle resembled a scene from the movie 300: about Austrian 76,000 troops at the fortress versus the 150,000 Turkish troops. Spoiler alert: the Austrians won.

Today, the fortress is a much calmer affair. Until those special 4 days in July arrive. About 200.000 music lovers storm its gates for the best festival experience in Europe.

There was even an episode on Ghost Hunters International that went down into the fortress’ catacombs. Spoiler alert: it’s not haunted.

2.The Iconic, Historic, Unapologetic: Dance Arena and The Sunrise
The world famous Dance Arena is hallowed ground.

Waiting for the sunrise at the colossal trench is described by many as the most endorphin-inducing rush they’ve experienced ever. And that’s quite an achievement.

This is EXIT’s second biggest stage, but the passion of its diehard fans is rivaled by none. The trick with Dance Arena is that it closes last. At 8am! Yes, that’s 8am! Literally, this is the last-standing stage at EXIT, where the party starts at the evening, and ends in the morning light well after the last day ended. People who love it, REALLY LOVE IT.

Dance Arena had some of the most explosive acts by world famous performers, including: Carl Cox, David Guetta, Richie Hawtin, Martin Garrix, Laurent Garnier, Underworld, Hardwell, Disclosure, Dixon, Loco Dice, Carl Craig, Green Velvet, John Digweed, Fatboy Slim, Dubfire, David Morales, Deep Dish, Chromeo…

The main acts for EXIT 2016 revealed for now are: Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Nina Kraviz Marco Carola, Nicky Romero, Mind Against, Robin Schulz, Solomun, Dave Clarke, Disciples…

3.Soak your feet at the campsite beach – in a good way!
The camp is located on the Danube river. That means sand beach, water mixed with generous amounts of sun in summer. Imagine waking up late in the day, getting out of your tent, and after a few steps you’re already cooling your worn-out-from-dancing feet in the smooth Danube?

Yeah. It’s as good as it sounds.

4.Chilled walks at the Danube quay
Again with the Danube. But you’ll be hard pressed to find any better place to take a relaxing walk and enjoy the view of the fortress. The quay becomes electrifyingly good during EXIT, with a lot more folks walking down Novi Sad’s lush scenery. This is the best place to get a feel for Novi Sad’s locals – sit back on a bench, open up a beverage, and enjoy people-watching.

5.Cafes turn into mini-oasis during the day
When you wake up after a good night at EXIT, there are a million cafes in Novi Sad, ready to welcome you home. Coffee culture is sacrosanct in Novi Sad, and you can find a good brew anywhere. Sip on a cup in the city centre garden cafes and enjoy the cool breeze and shade.

6.Belgrade – visit the New York of the Balkans
It’s closer than you think. Belgrade is Serbia’s capital city and many reffered to it as Balkan’s New York, due to its vibrant lifestyle, and with it come all the clubs, culture, and monuments. This is your best bet to visit Belgrade, since it’s only about an hour away. Plus, train returning tickets are around 4€ so that’s great too.

7 Rakija – Connecting people
Forget plain Vodka (which is made of potatoes) because you’ll fall in love with the Serbian spirits made from local fruits, called rakija. There are multiple varieties, but all promise the same: they all have a delicious scent but are as strong as a frenzied, rabid mother bear protecting her baby cubs. Drink responsibly and don’t forget to intake plenty of water along.

8.EXIT on the sea (and best European beach) – Sea Dance Festival
Sea Dance festival is EXIT’s sister festival at, you guessed it, sea! Held at the breathtaking Jaz beach in Montenegro, proclaimed as the Best European Beach by the Lonely Planet, it is a long turquouise cove with plenty of sand and tiny pebbles with a Blue Flag for its fine, clean sea and all the necessary facilities. Sea Dance is a true summer festival with lots of sunshine, warm seas and the finest acts you can get. The best part? It’s included in the EXIT Magic Adventure package! You go to EXIT, have fun, then two days later hop down to Sea Dance for vacation. It’s an ideal way to spend your summer, at this one-of-a-kind festival holiday.

The EXIT Magic Adventure 2016 lineup so far includes: Ellie Goulding, Wiz Khalifa, Bastille, The Vaccines, Tinariwen, Sigma, Stormzy, Modestep DJ set, Cock Sparrer, Anti-Flag, At the Gates, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Disciples, Wilkinson DJ Set feat. MC AD-APT, Solomun, Nina Kraviz, James Zabiela, Nicky Romero, Marco Carola, Hurts, Skrillex, Zomboy, My Nu Leng, Lost Frequencies, with more acts coming up soon.

Tickets & Travel Packages:
Join the EXIT Adventure – festival packages including tickets, flights, shuttle and camping have never been more affordable.

The Line-up for Exit Adventure is hotting up, so make sure to get your tickets and book your flights now! Exit Adventure Packages including tickets for Exit and Sea Dance festivals, round trip flights, shuttle and camps go from £399; Exit Package goes from £349 and Sea Dance Package including Sea Dance festival ticket, flights, shuttle and camp goes from £319.

Promo tickets for Exit Festival are available at the special price of £79+b/f
Exit Adventure promo tickets go for £99+b/f.
EXIT Adventure VIP Gold Ticket for £250.00 +b/f
EXIT Festival VIP Gold Ticket for £250.00 +b/f.

Promo Tickets to Exit Festival are available at www.exitfest.org/en/tickets. You can save up to 60% from the final ticket price in July. Accommodation and travel arrangements can be found at Exit’s official tourist agency, ExitTrip’s official website here: www.exittrip.org/en
by Dragana Kostica
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