EXIT Festival 2025 Guide

EXIT Festival has been on my bucket list for years. It was one of those “one day I will go” festivals that always sat in the back of my mind but Serbia just never felt like the first stop on my travel list. That changed when I saw the 2025 edition of EXIT was happening the weekend before Tomorrowland. The timing felt too perfect to ignore. The stars lined up and I knew this was my moment to go.

In true Louey D fashion, I did what I always do. I bought the tickets first and told myself I would figure out the details later. When tickets dropped, I grabbed a four-day GA pass for €138,00, which converted out to $145.50. For four nights at a major European festival, that is insane. Most three-day festivals run anywhere from $200 to $500, so EXIT already felt like a steal before I even set foot in Serbia.

Why we stayed in Belgrade

EXIT takes place at Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad, Serbia. The fortress overlooks the Danube River and is about 35 minutes away by train from Belgrade, the capital. Partying all night in a fortress above a river in a country I had never visited sounded like something I had to experience.

After doing research, Belgrade made the most sense as our home base. It had more accommodation options, and it gave us the chance to explore the city during the day instead of only attending the festival. So we booked Belgrade and decided to treat Novi Sad as our nightly playground.

EXIT runs like a true night festival. Gates open around 7:00 pm, and the closing set in the Dance Arena goes until 8:00 am. Since we had Tomorrowland the weekend after, my friend Nimbe and I decided to be strategic and only go on Saturday and Sunday. Quality over total exhaustion.

Day One: Getting to the fortress

Night one (which was actually Day 3 of the festival), we were buzzing. We got to the train station in Belgrade around 10:00 pm and hopped on the train to Petrovaradin. The train itself was clean, comfortable, and filled with people clearly heading to EXIT. There is something comforting about being surrounded by strangers in festival outfits who are all clearly on the same mission.

We hopped off at Petrovaradin station fully convinced the festival would be a quick walk away. WRONG! The walk was about 35-40 minutes, and considering we were planning to dance until sunrise, a 1.5 to 2 mile trek before the festival did not sound like the smartest way to start the night.

Then we saw a crowd of people heading to a public bus. We had absolutely no idea where it was going, but sometimes you just have to trust the flow. We got on, silently praying it was not taking us in the opposite direction. Thankfully, it dropped us off in Novi Sad about a 15 minute walk from the festival entrance which was way closer.

Walking through Novi Sad at night on our way to the fortress was such a vibe. Cute streets, locals out and about, and this build up of energy knowing the festival was just ahead. After a bit of confusion at the entrance, we finally secured our wristbands and started walking into our bucket list festival.

Exploring EXIT and the stages

Walking into EXIT for the first time was honestly surreal. You are inside an actual fortress. There are stone walls, tunnels, open courtyards, and then suddenly a stage appears with full production and a raging crowd.

Since we arrived relatively early, we decided to take a lap and explore. That night, our must-see list was DJ Gigola b2b Tijana T, Mau P, Solomun, and Lorenzo Raganzini. Even though we were chasing mostly dance music acts, EXIT is a true multigenre festival. On the way to those sets, we passed stages playing heavy metal, hip hop, trance, Latin, and more.

The Latin stage ended up being one of the unexpected highlights. The energy was just pure fun. They were pulling people from the crowd up on stage to dance, everyone was singing and moving, and it had that perfect “this might not have been on my plan, but I am so glad I am here” feeling. Those unexpected side quests are one of my favorite parts of festivals.

The Dance Arena

Eventually it was time to make our way to the legendary Dance Arena. Getting there is an adventure on its own. You hike up the side of a hill, then head down a staircase that does not feel like it passed any sort of safety inspection, but it’s the only way to get there, so down we went.

As soon as we walked into the Dance Arena, it hit. The size, the lights, the fortress walls, the crowd. The whole setup is stunning. DJ Gigola b2b Tijana T were already on, and the energy was exactly what I hoped EXIT would feel like.

After their set, we decided to check out Lorenzo Raganzini at the Heineken stage, which was tucked between two fortress walls. Lorenzo is known for his TechnoMetal sound, a mix of hard or industrial techno with metal. Being wedged between stone walls while he played those tracks was such a cool, immersive experience. It felt like we were in some secret underground ritual, in the best way.

Sunrise with Mau P and a Solomun masterclass

Once Lorenzo finished, we headed back to the Dance Arena for Mau P. Even though he was not playing all of his biggest hits, his set was incredible and fit the sunrise moment perfectly. The sky slowly shifted colors, the arena lights followed, and the whole space had that “I cannot believe I am here” feeling.

Then at 6:00 am, Solomun stepped up to close. The sun was fully out, the arena was glowing, and it felt exactly like the EXIT moments I had watched in livestreams for years. We made our way toward the center, then climbed up this trench style path to a higher viewing area. Looking out over the crowd while Solomun delivered a two hour masterclass was unreal.

We left about 15 minutes before his set ended because we had to catch the 8:45 am train back to Belgrade. That is where the real adventure started.

The accidental 35-minute sprint to the train

We walked out of the fortress ready for bed, found a taxi, and quickly realized they only took Serbian dinar. No cards, no exceptions, and we had zero cash. So, we walked. FAST. The station is about 1.5 to 2 miles away which is roughly 35-40 minutes. Under normal circumstances that would be fine. After dancing all night and going on minimal sleep, it felt like a mini marathon.

We were speed walking through this small town in our festival outfits while shop owners were opening their businesses for the morning. It honestly felt like we had just walked out of a battle and re-entered real life. At the time, I was tired and mildly dying inside. In hindsight, it is hilarious.

We reached the station with a few minutes to spare, found our four person table seats on the train, and collapsed into them. The guy sitting across from us looked at us and said, “Fun night, huh?” Turns out he and his friend had also been at the festival. They were from Cyprus and just as obsessed with music as we are, so we spent the ride chatting about sets, artists, and future trips. We exchanged Instagrams before saying goodbye in Belgrade and I was reminded yet again how festivals have a way of bringing new people into your story when you least expect it.

Then it was finally time for a shower and sleep.

Day Two: Confidence, cash, and a full circle moment

By day 2 we felt like EXIT pros. We slept most of the afternoon, took it slow, and explored a little more of Belgrade before getting ready for the final night of the festival. This time, we went in with a plan. We knew how the trains and buses worked. We knew the terrain inside the fortress. Most importantly, we had cash. The return journey was not going to be another accidental 35 minute death march.

Before heading into the fortress, we stopped in Novi Sad for a drink at a local spot which was a nice way to ease into the night. The lineup for the final day was a dream for us. Boris Brejcha, Sara Landry, Indira Paganotto, and then the world premiere of Indira Paganotto b2b Sara Landry closing the Dance Arena.

For context, my friend Nimbe and I had watched Indira Paganotto’s EXIT 2023 Dance Arena set together many times. It became one of those sets we would rewatch when we wanted to feel something. So being there in person felt like a full circle moment.

Sex Pistols and back to the Arena

Since we had already explored a lot of the festival the night before, we took a more relaxed approach on the final night. We linked up with a friend I had met in New York, which felt wild in the best way. Seeing familiar faces in a completely different country always makes the world feel smaller.

We caught some of Sex Pistols on the Main Stage. We wanted to see a bit of DJ Snake too, but he came on later than the scheduled set time, and we did not want to risk missing Boris Brejcha at the Dance Arena, so we made our way there instead.

Boris, Sara, Indira, and the perfect closing

Boris Brejcha was everything I hoped for. His set was clean, driving, and so much fun. No notes at all.

Sara Landry came on next for a sunrise set and it could not have been a more perfect choice. I have seen Sara multiple times and she always delivers, but there was something special about seeing her bring in the sunrise at EXIT. The energy, the track selection, the crowd response, all of it felt right.

Then came Indira Paganotto. Once again, she did not miss. The overcast sky during her set looked just like the 2023 livestream footage that had made us fall in love with her EXIT appearance in the first place. Standing there in person, after watching that same moment on a screen so many times, felt surreal.

Finally, it was time for the world premiere of Sara Landry b2b Indira Paganotto. It was the perfect way to close the Dance Arena and the festival. Their styles blended in a way that felt powerful and effortless, and you could feel that everyone there knew they were watching something special.

This time, leaving the festival was much easier. We had cash, got a taxi back to the station, caught the train, and made our way back to Belgrade without a 35 minute zombie march.

EXIT’s last year in the fortress and what comes next

EXIT 2025 was not just another edition of the festival. It was the last one at Petrovaradin Fortress after about 25 years of calling it home.

In recent years, EXIT has had some tension with the government and local authorities, especially around its support for student protests and anti corruption movements. There were funding cuts, sponsorship shifts, and a general sense that the festival and the government were not fully aligned anymore. Eventually, the EXIT team decided it was time to move on and take the brand global.

Now they are planning a new chapter with events in different countries and a new flagship edition at the Pyramids of Giza. The idea of seeing EXIT level production near one of the Wonders of the World sounds unreal. As much as I am sad that the fortress era is over, it makes me excited to see how EXIT reinvents itself in these new locations. I would love to experience one of those future events, especially the Giza edition.

Final thoughts on EXIT 2025

EXIT 2025 was one of those trips that had everything. Sunrise sets, random adventures, new international friends, full circle moments, and a few “we are laughing now but were not laughing then” stories.

It felt different from other festivals I have been to. The fortress, the night focused schedule, the mix of genres, and the price point all made it feel more accessible and unique.

If EXIT has ever crossed your mind as a “maybe one day” festival, consider this your sign to keep it on the list. Whether you actually end up going or you just enjoy following the story from afar, EXIT is a great example of how music, history, and travel can collide in a way that makes you feel like you are living life by the beat, in your own way.

If you want to see how we structured the Belgrade side of this trip, I put together a Serbia travel itinerary that covers where we stayed, what we ate, and how we balanced city time with late nights at the fortress. You can read it here: Serbia Travel Itinerary: 3 Days In Belgrade During EXIT Festival