For many, it is the best night of the year. In addition to fireworks and fun, it is also the shortest night and the longest day. Celebrate the most magical festival of the year on Costa Dorada, Costa Brava and Barcelona: the night of San Juan. If you don’t want to miss it, you can get around with Shuttle2Sun‘s economic and sustainable private transfer services and shared transfer services from Barcelona airport, Barcelona port, Reus airport, Girona airport and Camp de Tarragona AVE train station.
Every night on the 23rd of June, these regions of Catalonia are filled with festivities, music and traditions to welcome the summer solstice. If you are planning to enjoy this great festival, in this article we detail how it is celebrated and the best plans for you to experience an unforgettable night at the festival of San Juan.
Origin
The origin of the festival of San Juan can be found in the ancient pagan celebrations in honour of the sun and fire. The Celtic peoples already celebrated the summer solstice with rituals to honour the sun and to ask for fertility and abundance in the fields. With the arrival of Christianity, the festival was adapted and linked to the birth of St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of the Church.
During the verbena de San Juan, bonfires are a central element. Fire is believed to have a purifying and protective power, and bonfires are lit to drive away evil spirits and negative energies from the past year, making way for new opportunities and good fortune. In addition, jumping over the flames is considered a form of purification and personal renewal.
Water also plays an important role in this festival. The waters of springs and rivers are said to have healing properties during the night of Midsummer’s Eve. Thus, you will see that many people bathe at night in coastal towns such as Salou, Tarragona, Barcelona or Blanes, for example. You can try it too!
The different towns and villages of Costa Dorada, Costa Brava and Barcelona, in Catalonia, are filled with joy and colour. The streets are decorated with garlands, flags and typical elements of the festivity.
Families and friends get together to share meals and dinners in the open air, where the traditional “cocas de San Juan“, sweet and savoury cakes with different ingredients and flavours, are a must.
Here are the best places and towns where you can enjoy the festival of San Juan to the fullest.
Tarragona
Costa Dorada is known for its beautiful beaches and festive atmosphere. During the San Juan festival, many towns along the coast celebrate the arrival of summer with firework displays and bonfires on the beach.
In Tarragona, large bonfires are lit to the accompaniment of live music and the famous “correfocs“, parades of demons and beasts of fire that fill the streets with sparks and fun. One of the main points of celebration is on Miracle beach and on “Balcón del Mediterrani”, where you can watch the firework displays that take place in different parts of the city.
Salou
Another popular town on Costa Dorada ideal for celebrating this night is Salou, where you can enjoy a great atmosphere on Llevant beach. There, a large bonfire is lit and there are beach bars and venues with live music, and even events with DJs are organised. Many families and friends take the opportunity to enjoy an open-air dinner in the form of a picnic on the beach.
You can reach these two towns or any of Costa Dorada area such as Reus, Cambrils, La Pineda or Valls, using the Reus airport or the. From there you can use Shuttle2Sun‘s services.
Barcelona
We could not miss our recommendation of the Catalan capital, Barcelona, which dresses up for the verbena. It is typical that several popular festivals are organised in the different neighbourhoods of the city, where the neighbourhood associations are usually in charge. Some of the most popular places are the Plaza de la Mercè in the Gothic Quarter, where you can enjoy concerts and batucadas, or in Sant Antoni, where the famous “correfoc” and concerts take place.
Apart from the bonfires and fireworks, another event worth mentioning is the Flame of Canigó. Since 1996, different organisations have been distributing the Flame of Canigó, from the top of the mountain to all the different Catalan-speaking towns on Costa Dorada, Costa Brava and around Barcelona, to light all the bonfires of San Juan. This flame is kept alight all year round in the castle of Perpignan, which has been renewed every Saint John’s Day since the 1970s. The flame is received on the evening of 23 June in the Plaça de Sant Jaume. The bearers of the flame are escorted by the Àliga and the Giants of the City to leave it in the crucible in the centre of the square. The whole act is accompanied by the melody of “Muntanyes del Canigó” and then the fire is distributed to light the rest of the bonfires in the city.
Two very good points of entry to Barcelona are the Barcelona airport and the port of Barcelona, which are about 25 minutes from the centre of the Catalan capital.
Costa Brava
The different towns of Costa Brava also join in the celebrations of the festival of Sant Joan with enthusiasm.
In Palamós, this festival is celebrated in a special way, as it coincides with its own town festival called “A gust de tothom”. During this, you can enjoy fire castles, circus and magic shows and concerts of music from the 60s, 70s and 80s.
In the old fishing village of Estartit, a huge bonfire is set up on the kilometre-long beach of fine sand, where you can also watch the fireworks.
Further south, just at the beginning of Costa Brava, is the village of Blanes, where an international fireworks competition is held, creating a unique festive atmosphere. There is also a special tradition known as “Els Tres Tombs de Foc”, a night-time parade where participants carry torches and walk through the streets of the town until they reach the beach, culminating in a night-time swim.
If you prefer a quieter atmosphere, you can opt for picturesque villages such as Cadaqués or Tossa de Mar. These places offer a more intimate and authentic experience, where you can enjoy the magical night surrounded by cobbled streets and charming architecture.
Moreover, thanks to the good location of Girona airport, you can easily reach any town on Costa Brava with Shuttle2Sun.
As you can see, San Juan in Catalonia is one of the best festivities of the year where the most important towns get ready to offer something unique to all participants. If you are planning to attend, remember that Shuttle2Sun provides shared transfer services and private transfer services from Barcelona airport, Barcelona port, Reus airport, Girona airport and Camp de Tarragona AVE train station.
