ECHO

Back home from a two week stint in the beautiful sun drenched realms of Croatia and Italy. And what a wonderful fortnight it has been! First stop, Zadar - This magical seaside town closely resembled a Universal Studios movie set; huge Roman walls surrounded a maze of tiny cobbled streets, leading onto the main square and Croatian waterfront. A five minute walk each morning took us to a small pebbled beach, where we would spend the rest of the day swimming in gloriously warm waters, with occasional breaks for a beer or a snooze. We used the evenings to explore the old town, which would come alive with the allure of busy restaurants and bars, and the faint sound of the 'waterorgan' which played as waves sloshed against the pier. With no aid of a map, we also stumbled across a secluded outside bar on the last night of our stay, hidden in a jungle of trees and colour-changing water fountains. It was magical here, and a light year away from the bitter London bustle and gloomy drizzle that we were in just three days before.

On Friday morning we hopped on a coach and headed South, where the partying awaited. A beautiful coastal road trip took us straight to Makarska - home of Echo festival, where we spent the next 5 days submersed in a realm of summery holiday bliss. With less than 1000 tickets sold across the weekend, the extreme intimacy, with which comes warmth and friendliness, was apparent straight away - something that is often less notable in larger festival setups. Staying in an apartment as opposed to the usual on site camping experience was definitely an added luxury - nothing quite tops a comfy bed and cold shower after an eight hour dancing session. Two main stages were setup on the beach, and a smaller stage hid in a secluded den of trees, away from the crowd.

Although the whole spectrum of musical talent was impressive, there were a few particular sets that really stuck out for me. Best picks included S.P.Y and SpectraSoul for generating the most excited and energetic of crowds, and Ashley Marlowe, Lorca and Deadboy for filling the air of Buba Beach with the perfect mix of housey summer beats. Two beach bars served thirsty dancers until the early hours, and rows of sunloungers lined the shore, ready for daytime sunbathing/late night pass outs. The colossal mountain range in the distance formed a perfect backdrop to all of this, which in my eyes, was a quintessential beach panorama. Echo festival, you did well. I am confident to say, a truly superb weekend was had by all. Adding this festival to my 2013 summer schedule no doubt! For more photos of Echo, check out the Festival's Facebook page here. Italia photos up next!