Hard-won advice from veterans of the festival. Whether it is your first time or your tenth, there is always something new to learn.
FIB Benicassim in July means serious heat. Temperatures regularly reach 35–40°C during the day. These tips could genuinely save your festival (or worse).
This cannot be overstated. Free drinking water points are located throughout the site. Bring the largest refillable bottle you can find and use them. Alcohol dehydrates you rapidly in the heat – match every alcoholic drink with a glass of water. Heat exhaustion is a real risk and can ruin your festival in minutes.
FIB is a very late festival. Main stage headliners do not go on until 11pm or midnight, and the site does not really come alive until after dark. Follow the Spanish lead: stay in your tent or a shady bar during the hottest part of the day (noon to 5pm), then emerge refreshed for the evening. Trying to do everything all day will leave you exhausted.
Factor 50 on every exposed area of skin, every morning before you leave the tent. The sun in Castellón in July is intense. A bad sunburn on day one will make the rest of the festival genuinely miserable. Reapply after swimming. Buy a large tube from a Spanish supermarket, which will be cheaper than at the festival.
Night finishes at 5 or 6am are normal at FIB. The campsite is noisy until late. Do not fight it – sleep when it gets too hot in the tent (after 10am), then nap again in the afternoon. Earplugs and a sleep mask will transform your experience. The festival actually suits night owls and those who can adapt their sleep patterns.
Benicassim has a beautiful Blue Flag beach right next to the festival site. An afternoon swim is the perfect way to cool down, wash off the previous night and wake yourself up ahead of the evening's music. The sea is warm and calm in July. Pack a swimsuit and a small towel.
The site has some shaded areas but the main arena can be extremely exposed. A wide-brimmed hat is not optional – it is essential kit. A small pop-up gazebo or beach shelter for your camping area also makes afternoons in the campsite far more enjoyable.
The food at Benicassim is one of the festival's underrated pleasures. Here is how to make the most of it.
Do not be put off by the idea of festival food. The quality of food inside the FIB arena is genuinely impressive. You will find proper paella, fresh bocadillos, grilled meats and a wide variety of international food alongside the usual festival fare. It is far better than your average British festival.
Benicassim has a lovely old town with plenty of restaurants and bars. If you have a hotel base or can face leaving the festival site, grab a proper Spanish meal in town. Seafood paella is the local speciality and costs a fraction of what you would pay at home.
FIB is a fully cashless festival. All purchases in the arena and on the campsite are made through your wristband. Load it up online before you arrive to avoid queues at the top-up points, which get very long during busy periods. Any unspent credit can be refunded after the festival.
A short walk or taxi ride from the site there are large supermarkets selling wine, beer and spirits at genuinely cheap prices. Stock up the night before the festival begins and keep drinks cool in a camping cooler bag for a fraction of the arena price. You can bring drinks to the campsite.
Valencia's famous cocktail made with cava, orange juice, vodka and gin is available in many bars in town. It is far more potent than it tastes. A wonderful local treat after the festival. Do not have four of them before a headline set. Trust us on this one.
Drinks prices inside the arena can be steep, as with any major festival. Beer and sangria are the cheapest options inside. Set yourself a daily budget and try to stick to it. Having a few drinks on the campsite before heading to the arena will save you a meaningful amount over the weekend.
Travel light, but do not forget any of these. The Spanish sun is unforgiving and some of these items will be difficult or expensive to buy on arrival.
Monzo, Starling and Wise all offer fee-free spending in euros. Avoid exchanging cash at airports (terrible rates) and use a fee-free card at Spanish ATMs if you need euros for anything outside the festival.
The FIBERBUS transfers from airports to the festival site are cheaper when booked in advance and can sell out. Sort this alongside your tickets rather than leaving it until the last minute.
Get a comprehensive travel insurance policy that covers festival attendance, medical treatment in Spain and cancellation. Ensure it covers the full replacement cost of your ticket if you cannot travel. A medical emergency in Spain without insurance can be very expensive.
Now you know the tips, it is time to sort the essentials. Tickets are selling fast for 2026.