Eurovision Song Contest - What is it? Which countries participate? How to watch?

In this episode, Tyla steps away from traditional travel itineraries to explore one of Europe's most important cultural events - the Eurovision Song Contest. She takes you on a journey from the contest's humble 1956 beginnings in a Swiss concert hall to the grand stages of Vienna in 2026, explaining everything you need to know about this beloved annual tradition that brings an entire continent together through music, performance, and flamboyant excess.

While most Europeans grew up watching Eurovision every May, many people around the world have never quite understood what it is, why it matters, or how the whole thing actually works. This episode demystifies the contest format, explores iconic performances that became cultural moments, explains the chaotic voting system, and provides everything you need to tune in for the 70th anniversary edition taking place in Vienna on May 16th, 2026.

So grab a cup of coffee, get comfy, and welcome to the mania and magic of Eurovision!

In this episode, you'll learn…

• How Swiss broadcaster Marcel Bezençon used new television technology in 1956 to connect Europe through music just over a decade after WWII
• Why Eurovision is taken very seriously and not seriously at the exact same time 
• The story of ABBA's 1974 victory with "Waterloo" that launched them from Swedish hopefuls to global superstars
• How the contest format works across three nights: two semi-finals and the Grand Final featuring 26 countries
• Why the "Big Five" (France, Germany, Italy, UK, and formerly Spain) automatically qualify
• The famous "douze points" scoring system combining professional jury votes and public televotes
• Why neighboring countries often vote for each other and influence results
• Iconic Eurovision moments including Celine Dion's 1988 win and Dana International's groundbreaking 1998 victory
• How Australia competes despite being on the opposite side of the world 
• Where to watch Eurovision 2026 for free on YouTube in the US, BBC iPlayer in the UK, and SBS in Australia
• Why five countries (Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain) are boycotting the 2026 contest 
• The most important rule: embrace the absurdity and lean into the chaos for maximum enjoyment

Links & Places Mentioned

• Eurovision.tv (official website with broadcaster listings)
• Eurovision Song Contest YouTube Channel
• Vienna, Austria (2026 host city)
• Wiener Stadthalle (venue for semi-finals and Grand Final)
• Rathausplatz (Eurovision Village location)
• Casino de Lugano (Lugano, Switzerland - first contest 1956)
• Notable Winners: ABBA (Sweden, 1974), Celine Dion (Switzerland, 1988), Dana International (Israel, 1998), Lordi (Finland, 2006), Alexander Rybak (Norway, 2009), Loreen (Sweden, 2012 & 2023), Conchita Wurst (Austria, 2014), & Måneskin (Italy, 2021)

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:10

Hello friends and welcome back to Travel with Tyler, your much-needed and very much deserved weekly escape to Europe through thoughtfully crafted itineraries and inspiring personal travel stories. Now, if you're a regular listener, then you'll know that this podcast is primarily about travel in Europe, about exploring new cities and building exciting itineraries. We also like to dive deep into the trip details like where to eat and what to see. But every now and then I like to pull back the lens a little and talk about the things that make Europe what it is: the culture, the traditions, and the events that bring the continent together. Which leads me to reveal today's topic: the Eurovision Song Contest. My personal obsession with Eurovision began in 2015, when Australia made its highly anticipated, albeit bizarre debut at the song contests. Yep, that's right, even though we are literally on the opposite side of the world to Europe, Australia is a part of Eurovision. And I know it might seem a little confusing, but I promise to go into all the details a little later on. Now, for most Europeans, the Eurovision Song Contest means gathering with friends and family on a Saturday evening every May and staying up until the early hours of the morning watching each country perform its unique song. There are usually some fun and entertaining intermission acts to fill any gaps, and at the end is a rather tedious scoring process which only builds the suspense and excitement. Of course, with the time difference, Australians like myself are usually waking up at 5 a.m. to join in the festivities, and for many of us, it's the most exciting morning of the year. So while the ins and outs of Eurovision are second nature to most Europeans and even many Australians, I'm fully aware that a lot of people don't really know what it is or how it works. Maybe you've heard about it through a friend who lived in Europe, or maybe you saw the 2020 Netflix movie starring Will Farrell and Rachel McAdams. But still, you've never quite understood what it is, why it matters, or how the whole thing actually works. Well, today that all changes as we are going to go all the way back to a small concert hall in Switzerland in the year 1956, as it's time to understand how this song contest was born. We'll talk about the performances that became iconic cultural moments, the winners who went on to conquer the world stage, the absolute chaos of the voting system, and most excitingly, we're going to talk about this year's contest in Vienna. The final is scheduled for Saturday, May 16th, so just over a week from when this episode is released, and from what I've seen, it's already shaping up to be one of the most spectacular additions in recent memory. The goal is by the end of this episode, you will have everything you need to tune in, understand what's happening, and become absolutely hooked on all things Eurovision. So when you're ready, I suggest you grab a cup of coffee, get comfy, and welcome to the mania and magic of Eurovision. So, what exactly is Eurovision? Well, to answer that, we need to start right at the beginning. Because before we can talk about the sequin costumes and the chaos of the scoreboard, we need to understand what Eurovision actually is. So, in simple terms, the Eurovision Song Contest is an annual international music competition organized by the European Broadcasting Union, also known as the EBU. The format is that each participating country sends one artist or group and one original song that is a maximum of three minutes long. Those songs are then performed live on stage in front of a live audience before a combination of professional juries and public telephone votes from each participating country determines the winner. Now that's the basic premise, but of course, Eurovision is anything but basic. You see, what Eurovision actually is in practice, in spirit, and in the way it feels when you're watching it is a three-night celebration of music, performance, national identity, European togetherness, and flamboyant excess. It's the one night of the year where a Eurovision fan in Portugal is simultaneously cheering for their own country whilst also screaming at the TV about Norway's staging, texting their friends in Germany about Sweden's choreography, all while shedding tears listening to a gorgeous ballad from a country they didn't even know existed. I also need to tell you the most important thing about Eurovision, which most non-Europeans don't really understand at first, and that's the fact that Eurovision is taken very seriously, but also not seriously at the exact same time. So the artists and their teams will work for months on their performances, the staging will cost millions, the production value is out of this world insane. But also, in 2006, Finland sent a band of monsters performing a hard rock anthem, and they ended up winning the entire competition. You see, that's what makes Eurovision entirely unique. It's unpredictable, extravagant, and while most performances would seem weird or even tacky in the real world, they are right at home on the Eurovision stage. Now, a quick note on geography before we move on, because this confuses a lot of first-time viewers. Despite its name, Eurovision is not limited to European countries in the geographical sense, as it is in fact open to any country whose national broadcaster is a member of the European Broadcasting Union. Which explains why Australia has been able to compete since 2015, and while Israel, which is geographically in the Middle East, has been competing since 1973. So hopefully that helps clear things up a little. The next question we need to answer is how did Eurovision begin? Because nothing this bizarre and delightful appears overnight. So here goes. The year is 1956, and Europe is just over a decade out of the Second World War. The continent is slowly rebuilding physically, economically, and psychologically. Germany is still divided, new borders have been drawn up, and the idea of European nations working together on anything feels to many people impossibly optimistic. Yet that didn't deter a Swiss broadcaster named Marcel Besançon, the original mind behind Eurovision. His idea came after watching the Sendremo Music Festival in Italy, which is a beloved annual Italian song competition that has been running since 1951. And he thought, what if we did something like that? But for all of Europe? What if we used the new technology of live television, which was still in its infancy, to connect the entire continent through the shared experience of music? Well, the European Broadcasting Union said yes. And on the 24th of May 1956, in the Casino de Lugano in Lugano, Switzerland, the very first Eurovision song contest was held. There were only seven countries participating: Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg, and Italy. Each country was required to submit two songs and the audience voted. Ultimately, Switzerland won with a song called Refrain. And alas, the Eurovision Song Contest was born. Now it's worth pausing on just how significant that first contest actually was. Remember, this was 1956, and live television broadcasts across international borders were very new. The idea of seven countries putting down their rather recent differences and joining together in a televised celebration of music was, in the context of the times, almost radical. And it's all because Marcel understood something that the politicians were still arguing about. And that's how music can cross borders in ways that almost nothing else can. That shared experience creates connection, allowing Europe the choice in this small and joyful way to face outwards rather than inwards. It was, in the truest sense, a beautiful idea that just worked. From then, the contest continued to grow steadily through the late 1950s and 60s, adding more countries each year, experimenting with new formats and ultimately finding its audience. By the 1970s, it was a major televised event, and by the 1980s, it was enormous, thanks in part to what happened in 1974 when something rather big changed everything. Because it truly is one of the great stories in popular music. The contest that year was held in Brighton, England, and it was chaotic from the very start. Luxembourg dropped out citing budget concerns, France pulled out because their president died and the funeral clashed with the broadcast date. Italy refused to air the show, worried that one of the songs might influence an upcoming election. And the host's costume nearly caused a wardrobe disaster. So, in other words, it was a perfectly normal Eurovision. But then a Swedish group called ABBA, whom I'm sure you've heard of, walked out onto the stage. Their real names were Agnatha, Bjorn, Benny and Annie Fried. And together they had been trying to break through internationally for years. They had competed in Sweden's national selection the previous year and lost, but this time they had written a song specifically for Eurovision titled Waterloo. What happened next became the stuff of legends. ABBA took the stage in silver platform boots and glittery outfits at a time when most Eurovision performers wore suits and evening gowns. Also, one of their conductors was dressed as Napoleon, making the whole performance quite the novelty. The song was an uptempo pop banger with a hook so immediate and so infectious that the audience was singing it on repeat. So when the votes came in, it was no surprise that ABBA won by a clear margin. Their song, Waterloo, went on to top the European music charts and even reached number six in the United States. Within a year, ABBA was one of the most famous bands on Earth. Mamma Mia, Fernando, Dancing Queen, the whole extraordinary catalogue that followed, all of it, traces back to that night at Eurovision. The contest gave ABBA their launch pad, and ABBA gave Eurovision something it had never quite had before. Proof that a winner of this contest could become a global phenomenon. In fact, ABBA is such an integral part of Eurovision that in 2005 a poll was held across 31 European countries to vote for the greatest European song of all time. Waterloo was the clear winner. So 50 years later, it's still the song that every European names first. And just in case you needed more proof of Eurovision's talent spotting credentials, in 1988 a 20-year-old French-Canadian singer named Céline Dionne won the contest representing Switzerland, beating the United Kingdom by a single point. Okay, so how does Eurovision actually work? It's time to get into the mechanics of it all because the format of Eurovision is something that confuses newcomers, so let's just go through it step by step. Eurovision is an annual contest that actually takes place over three separate nights in the month of May. The first two nights are the semifinals, which only diehard Eurovision fans usually watch, while the third night is the grand finale, and is when all of Europe tunes in to find out the winner. Now, each country that participates in Eurovision has qualified to be there because their national broadcaster is an EBU member. But that does not mean all of those countries get a free pass to the grand final. First off, the majority of the competing countries have to earn their place in the final by performing in one of the two semi-finals. Then only the top 10 countries in each semifinal, as voted by the public, will advance to the grand final. However, and this is important to note, there are six countries that automatically qualify for the grand final every single year, regardless of how they perform. These are called the Big Five, and they are France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Plus, whoever is the host country, which is usually the country that won the previous year. The Big Five qualify automatically because they are the five largest financial contributors to the European Broadcasting Union. It's certainly a topic of contention as they have essentially paid to be there, and while some years their songs are excellent, even going on to reach the top five or even win, it's not so great when their performances are mediocre at best, yet they still always make it to the final. Meanwhile, a much better and more deserving entry from a smaller nation is forced out during the semis. It's all part of the chaotic nature of the contest. It doesn't always make sense, but somehow it works. I should also mention that as of 2026, the Big Five has officially become the Big Four, since Spain will boycott the competition due to the continued participation of Israel. This has been an ongoing topic of contention since 2023, with Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Iceland all opting to boycott the competition. The contest has historically always positioned itself as being non-political. However, that's not entirely true. Politics has always influenced the contest in one way or another, right down to the national voting system, which I'll get into more details shortly. Now getting back to the contest format, the grand final features 26 countries, and each of those countries must perform their song live in a running order determined partly by producers and partly by a draw. Performances are capped at 3 minutes and live instruments are strictly not allowed. This has been the case since 1999 when the live orchestra was removed in order to streamline logistics, ensure technical consistency, and reduce overall costs. For that reason, backing tracks are allowed, but the lead vocals must be performed live. Then, after all 26 countries have performed, the voting begins. And this is where Eurovision gets even more theatrical, because the voting system is almost as much of a show as the performances. Each country's final score is calculated by adding up the points from two sources, the National Jury Score and the Public Televote. The first is the National Jury Score, which sees every single country participating in the competition, even the countries that did not make it past the semifinals, awarding points decided by a jury of five music industry professionals from that country. The jury votes are always revealed first and take a rather long time, as a spokesperson from each country will appear on screen, say hello, and usually something flattering about the host city, before finally announcing their jury's top scores. It's actually a bit of a running joke as some of them can really drag it on, so they usually end up being hurried along by the hosts of the contest. Once the jury scores are finalized, then the televote totals are revealed for each country in order from the country which received the lowest jury score to the country with the highest, building on the tension and drama till the very last second. The scoring system used for both the jury score and the televote is the famous deux points structure. Essentially, each country's jury and each country's public vote gives out points from one all the way up to eight, then ten and finally twelve. Twelve points or douze points in French, which Eurovision uses as its official language alongside English, is the highest score. And while the other numbers come up automatically on the screen, the 2 points are always revealed by the country's spokesperson, making for a truly euphoric moment when they are finally announced. Now, here is the somewhat odd thing about the voting that non-Europeans are often surprised by, and that's the fact that even though Eurovision is officially non-political, the voting is very much openly and unapologetically political. Neighboring countries will often vote for each other, and old alliances tend to play out in real time on the scoreboard. Greece and Cyprus are the worst offenders and are known to give each other 12 points almost every year without fail, no matter how good or how bad the performance was. The Nordic countries also typically cluster together, the Balkans as well, and it's all part of the fun, part of the frustration, and completely joyful chaos that is Eurovision. So we've covered the origins and structure of the contest, but which countries actually participate in Eurovision? The answer changes slightly each year as new countries join, favorites return after long absences, and some even withdraw for financial or political reasons. The current roster sits at between 35 to 40 countries each year. The core participants are the nations you'd expect, like France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Portugal, Greece, and so on through most of Europe. These are the countries that have competed consistently for decades and have won at least once. Some countries like Ireland and Sweden are even considered Eurovision experts, having each won the competition seven times. Outside this core group of participating countries, there are the countries of Eastern and Central Europe that only joined after the fall of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. This inclusion dramatically expanded the contest and fundamentally changed its character. Ukraine, Poland, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and more. All of these countries joined in the 1990s and early 2000s. Plus, many of them have gone on to win the contest or placed highly. Russia was also part of the contest for many years and performed quite well until they were excluded in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine. Again, Eurovision is officially a non-political event, but politics always ends up influencing the contests in some way or another. Rounding out the participating countries, you have the outliers. The most obvious being Australia, which has been competing since 2015 on the basis of a special invited guest arrangement that has essentially, over time, become permanent. Understandably, Australia is able to compete for the trophy, but in the event that they do win, the contest must be co hosted with another European country the following year. This is for obvious geographical reasons because you just can't hold Eurovision outside of Europe. Now, Australia hasn't won the contest yet, but we did get very close in 2016 when Dami Inn placed. Second, with her hauntingly beautiful song Sound of Silence. But who knows? With this year's Delta Gudrum's equally beautiful song Eclipse, 2026 may be the year that Australia finally wins. Israel is another geographical outlier that has competed since 1973 and has won an impressive total of four times, the most recent being in 2018. Finally, there are several countries that have competed in the past but remain absent for various reasons. Turkey actually won the contest in 2003, only to withdraw in 2013 over disagreements about the voting system, and they haven't returned since. Hungary also withdrew in 2020 and hasn't returned. And while Morocco competed once in 1980, the country remains absent from the competition. Monaco was also a regular participant in the 1960s and 70s, and actually has a lovely Eurovision history. But they've been absent for decades now with no intentions of returning. So while the list of participating countries is ever changing and evolving, the country that ultimately wins Eurovision earns the right to host the contest the following year. And this is a big deal as hosting Eurovision means weeks of international attention, hundreds of thousands of visitors, and a televised showcase of your country to 160 million viewers. It's an enormous tourism and cultural moment, which is why most countries campaign so hard to be selected, and why the choice of host city can become a whole selection event in itself. Okay, so we've covered the basics, which means now we get to the part of the episode that I have been most looking forward to: talking about Eurovision's most memorable moments. Now there are decades of fandom lore that I could get into, but it will likely overwhelm you. So from the hundreds of Eurovision performances, I want to walk you through just a few of the most important ones so you can get a sense of what this contest is and why people get so enthusiastic and invested. Since we've already talked about ABBA's victory in 1974 and Celine Dion's in 1988, let's pick up from there with the iconic Dana International, who represented Israel in 1998. Dana International was the first openly transgender woman to compete and win Eurovision with a song titled Diva. Her victory was clear and the reaction across Europe was enormous. In some countries, her win was celebrated as a breakthrough moment for LGBTQ visibility on a continental scale. And for others, it was very controversial. Eurovision stood firmly on the side of Dana International, and no matter how much time passes, her win remains one of the most significant moments in the contest history. Not just because of the song, which was insanely catchy, but because of what it said about what Eurovision stands for: being an open and accepting place to celebrate equality and togetherness. Next up, I cannot tell you about Eurovision without mentioning Finland's most famous performers, and that's Lordie. Now Finland had competed in Eurovision since 1961, but had never won. Until 2006, when they decided to send a heavy metal band dressed in full monster costumes. Imagine full-on prosthetics, with massive horns, wings, leather, face paint, and all done whilst performing a song called Hard Rock Hallelujah. Well, for the Eurovision juries, they were not entirely sure on how to score this one. But thankfully, the audience on the night knew exactly what to do by voting it straight into first place. To this day, Lordie is Finland's first and only Eurovision win. And Hard Rock Hallelujah has a proper claim to being one of the greatest Eurovision songs of all time. Moving forward, in 2009, a young Norwegian Belarusian musician named Alexander Ryback performed a folk pop song called Fairy Tale whilst playing a violin and doing a little skip across the stage. His performance managed to capture the hearts of viewers and in fact was so popular he went on to win Eurovision that year with the highest score ever recorded at the time. And that record stood for several years until Portugal's Salvador Sobral took the title in 2017. The song Fairy Tale is the kind that gets stuck in your head and plays on repeat. Ryback did so well off the back of his Eurovision win that he became one of the most recognizable winners of all time, returning year after year with special guest performances and references throughout the contest. Now, whilst looking back on some of the greatest performances in Eurovision history, you cannot deny that Lorene from Sweden is perhaps the greatest Eurovision performer of the modern era. In 2012, she performed her song Euphoria, a dark atmospheric electronic pop song with an extraordinary vocal range that received a record 12 points from 18 countries. The song went multi-platinum across Europe and spent weeks at the top of the charts, from Oslo to Athens. But Lorene's Eurovision success didn't stop there as she returned in 2023 and won the contest again, making her the only artist in Eurovision history to win the contest twice. The 2014 Eurovision Song Contest was another very memorable year. This is mostly thanks to Austria's representative Conchita Verse, who performed in drag with a full beard. Her performance of a Bond-style orchestral power ballad titled Rise Like a Phoenix was both chilling and breathtaking. Conchita's win also sparked a conversation across the continent about identity and representation and what it means to celebrate someone like this on the largest stage in Europe. Russian politicians called for a boycott, but many European commentators called it a triumph for inclusivity. To this day, it remains one of the most defining moments in the contest's history. And lastly, if you want further proof of how much a Eurovision win can launch a musician's career, just look at Meniskin. The Italian rock band was relatively well known in Italy before 2021, but after winning Eurovision with their song Ziti ebwoni, they went worldwide, even performing for US audiences on Saturday Night Live. They also launched a global tour and became one of the most talked-about rock bands of their generation. Their Eurovision win was the first for Italy since 1990 and serves as a reminder that the contest is not exclusively the domain of pop music. Each year is different and every type of music can find its audience at Eurovision. Okay, so before we get to this year's contest, let me briefly recap what happened in 2025. The 69th Eurovision Song Contest was held in Basel, Switzerland, having won the previous year's contest in Malmo, Sweden. It was, as the EBU noted, a beautiful piece of symmetry, because Switzerland was where Eurovision was born in 1956, and Basel was bringing it back to its home country almost 70 years later. The 2025 contest was a standard dramatic edition. The grand final on the 17th of May featured 26 countries and an estimated audience of over 160 million people, with the eventual winner being Austria's JJ, a 24-year-old opera singer who was born in Vienna but grew up in Dubai and returned to study at the Vienna State Opera, ultimately winning Eurovision with a song called Wasted Love. The song received 436 points and triumphed particularly with the professional juries, receiving 12 points from eight different countries. The outcome meant that for the first time since 2014, Austria would once again be hosting Eurovision. And so with that, Eurovision 2026 is also the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest and is being held in Austria's capital of Vienna, a city that might just be the most perfectly appropriate host for a music contest. Vienna is undoubtedly a city of music, having been the inspiration and backdrop for some of the world's greatest composers, including Mozart, Beethoven, and Strauss. And now this extraordinary musical city is hosting the largest live music competition in the world for the third time, having previously done so in both 1967 and in 2015. The venue for both the semis and grand final is the Weiner Staatshol, a 16,000-seat arena in the west of the city that also hosted Eurovision in 2015. But for those who do not have tickets to any of the live shows, well, you can still get amongst the festive atmosphere at the Eurovision Village, which will be set up in the magnificent square located in front of Vienna's City Hall. The village is free to enter with public fanzones where you can watch the live shows on big screens and soak up the full festive vibes. This year's edition is also particularly significant because it is the 70th anniversary contest, so the EBU has built that milestone into the whole concept, with special hosts staging and interval acts. Everything has been designed to celebrate seven decades of this extraordinary musical tradition, and I'm personally beyond excited. Now the schedule for Eurovision 2026 is as follows. The first semifinal takes place on Tuesday, the 12th of May, the second semifinal is on Thursday, the 14th of May, and the grand final is on Saturday, the 16th of May. And if you want to watch all three nights, then you are looking at a very exciting and packed week of television. This year there are only 35 countries participating in Eurovision, which is slightly fewer than in recent years, and I alluded to the reason for that earlier. It's one of the most significant controversies in the contest's recent history, with five countries, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain, all deciding to boycott this year's edition over Israel's continued participation in the contest. It is the largest number of boycotting countries since 1970, and it has prompted serious conversations about the rules governing political neutrality and the integrity of the voting system. Eurovision has always navigated political weight alongside its many sequins and fog machines, and 2026 is no different. However, there is one silver lining to this whole situation, and that is the long-awaited return of several countries to the contest, including Bulgaria, Moldova, and Romania. Since I now live in Bulgaria, I am very excited to see them perform, and historically, Moldova has always been a favorite of mine, often sending the most bizarre and wonderful entries that, despite their uniqueness, tend to become fan favorites. Many years back, Romania also sent a Yodeling pop song, which was a hit for some and a miss for others, but I absolutely loved it. You see, that is what makes Eurovision so unexpected and delightful to watch. It's wild and wacky, but it's also acceptable and highly encouraged. Okay, so we've covered pretty much everything you need to know in order to understand the contest format and reference a few past fan favorites. Now, if hearing about Eurovision has piqued your interest, then the next most important question to answer is how to watch it. Starting off, if you are located in the United States, you have two options this year, and one of them is completely free. The streaming service Peacock has been the exclusive US home of Eurovision since 2021 and will be streaming all three live shows. Plus, for the first time ever, the EBU has struck a deal with YouTube to live stream the semi-finals and the grand final at no cost whatsoever. Both the semi-final and the grand final start at 3 p.m. Eastern time or noon if you're on the West Coast. And if you're watching from the UK, well, Eurovision will be available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The BBC's coverage is some of the best in the world with excellent British commentary that, after watching the show for so many years, feels like returning to old friends. They are also not afraid to make jokes about the performances, leaning into the whole it's serious, but also not serious at all. Now for those devout Eurovision fans in Australia, SBS has been broadcasting Eurovision since 2015, and their coverage has become a real cultural event in its own right. SBS and SBS On Demand will broadcast all three shows, but with the time difference, it means you'll be watching in the early hours of the morning, so you can either wake up super early to watch it live or re-watch it on demand. Personally, nothing compares to the excitement of watching the scores come in live. So if you can, set those alarms and be prepared to get up before dawn. And lastly, if you're elsewhere in Europe, almost every participating country's national broadcaster airs Eurovision live with its own commentary in its official language. So as an English speaker living in Bulgaria, I will definitely be using a VPN to access either the UK or Australian broadcasts, because as I said before, the commentary is all part of the fun. Plus, if you are somewhere in the world that I haven't mentioned, the best place to start is the Eurovision.tv website, which has a full list of broadcasters and streaming partners in each country. The official Eurovision Song Contest YouTube channel is also great for regular uploads of performances. But like I said before, having a VPN allows you to tune in to almost any broadcast all over the world, regardless of where you are watching from. Because Eurovision is the single best window into European culture. In the space of one evening, you will see 26 countries present a performance they are incredibly proud of. Some countries will send traditional folk songs mixed with modern production elements, while others will send experimental electronic art pieces. And I expect many will send pure pop bangers too. There will be at least one orchestral ballad and hopefully a couple of the performances I most look forward to. The straight up strange and bizarre that defy every category of music. Plus lots of crazy costumes, intricate dance sequences, and flickering strobe lights. It's outrageous and educational all at the same time. Believe me, Eurovision will give you a cultural education that no guidebook can ever truly replicate. You'll learn things about countries like Estonia and Georgia, San Marino and even North Macedonia. You will also get to sample each country's music scene, and I guarantee you will become irrationally invested in the small countries that are trying to qualify for the grand final. Some of them you may have not even known they existed before watching. And the best part is that when you do travel in Europe, you will have a whole new layer of reference and connection to the places you visit. Plus, maybe you'll be inspired to visit a country you heard about during the competition. I know I certainly have. Both Romania and North Macedonia were countries I first became interested in thanks to Eurovision. And after traveling to both, I can confirm they are beautiful and so worth visiting. Now, beyond the cultural education, Eurovision is also just fantastically entertaining to watch. The performances are incredible, the voting gets very tense, and the commentary adds a great deal of humor and fun. The whole show is also designed to be very fast-paced and highly entertaining, so there are no gaps or slow moments. In fact, it's difficult to anticipate bathroom breaks as the songs move from one to the next so quickly. And finally, as someone who did not live in Europe until only a few years ago, watching Eurovision is like a mini escape to Europe without ever needing to leave your couch. The contest opens up to the world and allows you to be part of everything that makes Europe so wonderful and welcoming. So for those wanting just a taste of the Eurovision Mania, you can tune in on Saturday, the 16th of May, for the grand final. But if you want to dive a little deeper, then I highly recommend you watch one or both of the semifinals. This is where you'll get to see the performances for the first time and choose your favorites. Planning a watch party with friends and family is also a great way to build on the excitement of the night. Eurovision is a communal experience that is made all the better when there is lots of noise, live reactions, and friendly, albeit passionate debates over who will win. So if you have any European friends or Australians, remember we're part of it too. I suggest you make a plan to watch with them as they can provide a little more context and a whole lot of enthusiasm. Now, the most important rule of watching Eurovision is to embrace the absurdity. If you lean into the crazy rather than standing back and judging it, well, I promise you'll have a much more enjoyable experience and a whole lot more fun. It's genuinely one of my favorite weeks of the year, and if you are a Europe-loving traveler like me, which you most likely are if you've managed to find my little corner of the podcast world, then I suggest you grab a cup of coffee or a glass of Prosecco, I mean it is a celebration after all, get comfy and settle in for the most entertaining and outrageous night of the year. Because this is Eurovision. Well, there we have it. From its humble beginnings in a small concert hall in Ligano, Switzerland in 1956 to the Grand Stage of Vienna in 2026. And from only seven countries and one winner to 35 countries and over 160 million viewers. Eurovision is an event that has brought us so many defining cultural moments and is the musical pinnacle of the year. So make sure to get amongst it and get invested. Listen to the songs in advance. Pick out your favorites, plan a watch party with friends, and get ready to scream with passion and frustration when the votes start rolling in. Because that's just what Eurovision does to people. It brings people together through the power of music, connecting us all across borders, across languages, and across all the things that would otherwise seem to divide us. So remember to tune in for the grand final on Saturday, the 16th of May, sit back and watch the spectacle unfold. Now, if you enjoyed this episode, please make sure to follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a friend you can't wait to watch Eurovision with. And for those who want to connect, you can find me on Instagram at travelwith.tyler. Or if you've got an idea or thoughts you want to share about the show, feel free to email me at info at travelwithtyla.com. Next week, we're off to explore the ancient ruins and vibrant seas of Athens and the stunning Greek islands. It's going to be a super fun summer escape, packed with helpful travel tips and dreamy destinations that I promise you won't want to miss. Until then, keep dreaming, keep exploring, and keep that European wanderlust alive.