La Noche de St Juan

Traditions vary around Spain from region to region but all cities mark “La noche de San Juan” (the night of St John) with the biggest celebrations taking place in Alicante, Valencia and the Canary Islands. One of the most obvious spectacles of the San Juan festivities are the lighting of bonfires (Hogueras) which in coastal areas tend to take place on the beaches. These fires have two symbolic meanings, one is to give the sun more strength as from this day on the sun gets weaker and the days shorter and the second is to cleanse the onlookers of their sins. Finally the revellers jump over the fire or into the sea at midnight to absolve their sins and to bring good luck.