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The night of San Juan is the most magical night of the year. A night that, in many places in Spain, is characterised by the celebration of fire, the start of summer and its festive atmosphere.
There are many rituals for the night of San Juan throughout Spain. Each and every one of them is unique. For this reason, we have compiled a list of 5 outstanding places where you can celebrate the Night of San Juan in a very special way.
Bonfires of San Juan in Alicante
We could not start this list in any other way. Surely, because it coincides with Alicante’s main festivities (the Bonfires of San Juan), the Night of San Juan in Alicante is one of the most important and popular in Spain.
Throughout the week leading up to the 24th of June (the day of San Juan) many festive events take place: parades, gastronomic and musical events, but it is on the eve of San Juan, the night from the 23rd to the 24th of June, when the peak moment of the Bonfires of San Juan arrives. Throughout the night the bonfire monuments, made of papier-mâché and with a satirical theme, are burnt, and it has become a tradition that the official fire brigade itself takes an active part in the fiesta as they move around the city putting out the bonfires. People insistently ask them to dunk them, giving rise to what is popularly known as “la banyà”.
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A Noite Meiga in A Coruña
One of the most mysterious and magical Midsummer nights is celebrated in Galicia. A night of meigas and full of spells and traditions to leave bad feelings behind is the one that takes place on the beaches of Orzán and Riazor in A Coruña. Beaches full of bonfires, and people making delicious sardinadas, are two of the most popular traditions in “A Noite Meiga”.
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Festes de Sant Joan in Ciutadella in Menorca
Sant Joan, or Saint John, is the patron saint of Menorca. For this reason, the Festes de Sant Joan in Ciutadella is one of the most important celebrations on the island. As in many other parts of Spain, during the night of Sant Joan, bonfires and fireworks are the real stars of the festival, but on Sant Joan in Ciutadella, horses take over the centre of the city. With the help of the “caixers” (the horsemen who ride them), these horses jump among the people and it is one of the most spectacular acts that can be seen during these festivities.
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The burning of the “júas” in Malaga
If we go to the Costa del Sol, the Noche de San Juan in Malaga is one of the most outstanding because of the originality of its main tradition: the burning of the “júas”.
The “júas” are rag dolls that represent public figures and current events, which are burnt in one of the bonfires that are lit during the Noche de San Juan.
Almost all of these bonfires are lit on the beach. The most popular are the Malagueta and La Misericordia beaches. There, the famous espetos malagueños are also cooked and there is a very special atmosphere throughout the early hours of the morning, with the climax at midnight, when the bonfires and the waves jump into the sea.
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Sant Joan’s Night in Barcelona
Although “la revetlla de Sant Joan” (or “la verbena de Sant Joan”) is celebrated in all corners of Catalonia, Barcelona may be the province with the largest number of people attending this festival during the shortest night of the year.
During the Nit de Sant Joan in Barcelona there are plenty of plans to choose from: enjoy live music and a verbena in neighbourhoods such as Gracia or Sants; watch the fire show of the Devils in the city centre; try the coca de Sant Joan and taste it with cava and, of course, spend the night with family and friends on the beach, make a bonfire, watch the fireworks and stay until dawn.
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