Noche de San Juan: five beaches where you can celebrate the biggest pagan festival in Spain

The summer solstice festival of fireworks will take place throughout the country on Friday night, June 23 into the early hours of Saturday

Summer is literally around the corner, and its arrival heralds the launch of the biggest and most famous festival in Spain: Noche de San Juan (Night of San Juan).

After the longest day of the year (June 21), the summer solstice festival takes place – June 23 into June 24 – an incredible fiesta of fireworks, bonfires and open-air dances on the beach.

For one night, Christian and mystical tradition come together in an electric melting pot for this festival that symbolises the triumph of light over dark and aligns with the summer solstice of the Northern Hemisphere.

What happens on San Juan? Origins and traditions

According to folklore, the fires of San Juan would kill off any bad spirits still lurking in the dark and even cure disease, and it was considered that if people jumped over a bonfire three times on the feast of Noche de San Juan, they would be cleansed and their problems would be burnt away.

The festival actually originates from pagan festivals thousands of years ago in honour of the birth of Saint John the Baptist, and today, is traditionally celebrated on beaches.

The infamous bonfires ('hogueras' in Spanish) see tens of thousands of people flock to Spain's coastline where the different traditional rituals are performed, including jumping over the flames for good luck.

The custom has been adopted by young people in recent years, and students use the bonfires to burn their notes after finishing their exams before the summer break.

So where can you enjoy the festivities? Here are five typical beaches in Spain to celebrate Noche de San Juan:

1. Sant Joan d'Alacant

The list of beaches had to start with Alicante's Sant Joan d'Alacant (San Juan Alicante), one of the most popular on the Spanish coast. Thousands of people gather every year on the Postiguet beach, which borders the Santa Cruz and Raval Roig-Virgen del Socorro neighbourhoods, to celebrate the lively festival with fireworks, bonfires, BBQ, music and dance, kicking off two weeks of festivities.

2. Sant Joan de Ciutadella in the Balearic Islands

Festival-lovers will not want to miss the Sant Joan de Ciutadella merrymaking in the Balearic Islands. A man carrying a lamb walks through the streets of Menorca a week before June 23 announcing the arrival of the festival, and on the big night of festivities, more than 100 horsemen make their entrance in the Plaça des Born culminating in a huge fireworks display on June 24.

3. Playas Riazor and Orzán, La Coruña, Galicia

At the stroke of 11pm, the Comitia of the Fire of Saint John walks from the Orden Tercera in the heart of the Old City along the promenade carrying, in relays, the fire with which the great bonfire will be lit. Thousands of people descend on the Paseo Marítimo, between the beaches of Riazor and Orzán, to watch the magnificent display.

5. Matalascañas beach, Huelva

Cuesta Maneli beach in Huelva has been hailed "one of the best in Spain" by National Geographic, and less than a half-an-hour drive away is Matalascañas, a golden sandy beach more than 6km long, where fiestas are celebrated in style, with DJ bonfires and free bus transport. Art plays a big part in the celebrations which have been described as "very intense", oozing "a camaraderie that crosses age, culture, and background", according to Andalucía's tourist board.

5. La Barceloneta, Barcelona

In Barcelona, one of the best spots to enjoy the bonfires, fireworks, dances and music is La Barceloneta beach, although the central act of the Flama del Canigó (a ceremony started in 1963 linked to the summer solstice), takes place in Plaça Sant Jaume.

For those who aren't lucky enough to celebrate Noche de San Juan on the coast, every year local councils stage a host of activities in parks, and on river and lake beds so that nobody misses out on the festivities. It's worth checking out your local town hall website to see what's planned.

Image 1: El Puig Turistico
Image 2: Comunitat Valenciana
Image 3: Menorca.org
Image 4: Turismo de Galicia
Image 5: Ayuntamiento de Almonte
Image 6: Ayuntamiento de Barcelona

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