San Juan's Night on the Beach

An unmissable night in the Spanish calendar.

Saint Juan’s night is one of the most popular festivities in Spain with many cities and villages celebrating it throughout the country. Its roots are at the same time Christian, pagan and Iberian and the goal is to celebrate the longest day of the year: the summer solstice. The tradition consists of lighting a great fire sometimes accompanied by a pyromania show. It would be a shame to miss it; especially on the wonderful Costa Brava! You can enjoy beautiful beaches and an excellent traditional bonfire, both at the same time! Here, ChicRoom Barcelona gives you more details about this holiday that will inflame the night of 23rd to 24th June throughout Catalonia.

We can also give you some ideas of the best beaches in Catalonia to go to for Saint Juan’s night.

Photo by dynamosquito on Visualhunt.com / CC BY-SA

Origins of San Juan's Day

The origins of this festival are not very clear. For some it comes from the East, for others it comes from the Celtic civilisation. Others say that it is the commemoration of the fire of Rome by Nero, some celebrate the baptism of Saint Juan… But everyone agrees on one thing: it’s party time!

Celebration Time

In Catalonia, during the day of Saint Juan, a great bonfire is lit in most towns and villages with firewood. In general, the children pick up the wood to keep it in a specific place in the village. Then everyone meets to dance and sing around the fire.

The flames are thought to have magical properties that watch over the health of the inhabitants of the city during the year. The songs are a kind of dialogue between dancing people and when the song is over, the dancers make a bow to the fire.

Photo by Contando Estrelas on Visual Hunt / CC BY-SA

Customs

On many of the beaches, you can also enjoy a little night-time swim and a wonderful view of the fireworks. This is a night when water, thought to be a wellspring of prudence and a certification of life, is thought to be brimming with healing forces. Long ago, taking a plunge at midnight was a mandatory custom.

Photo by ViTalko on Pexels

Sant Juan’s Coca

During Saint Juan’s night it is also recommended to taste the traditional Coca de San Juan with candied fruits. The sugar will give you the rush of energy needed to party until sunrise and an added bonus is that it is absolutely delicious!

Photo by Monmar Comunicació on Flickr / CC BY-SA

Where to Stay?

ChicRoom Barcelona has a vast selection of fantastic and elegant properties for your stay in Barcelona by the beach, on the Costa Brava, the Maresme Coast, Sitges and Ibiza. Visit our website and choose your dream holiday apartment today!

Sitges Mar on ChicRoom Barcelona