The night of San Juan marks the beginning of summer and is the shortest night of the year.
The tradition is to celebrate the verbena with a bonfire on the beach with family and friends.
On the Costa Brava, as in the rest of Catalonia, the verbena is part of the festive heritage.
In each village the tradition is to celebrate the verbena with a bonfire on the beach with family and friends, following ancestral rituals. In other countries they also celebrate the shortest night of the year with fire as the protagonist. This element is accompanied by music, dancing until the early hours of the morning, firecrackers and above all with the traditional coca de San Juan.
The coca de San Juan is made with sponge cake dough, cream and candied fruit, but there are also other versions such as chocolate and other ingredients.
And for a different experience you can join in the arrival of the Flama del Canigó, which starts in Girona.
It is an emblematic tradition for the Catalans, inspired by an epic poem by Jacint Verdaguer. Since 1955, the Flama del Canigó has united the Països Catalans through fire. The bonfires of San Juan are lit with the same spark that has previously been lit on the summit of the Canigó mountain, 2,784 meters high. The volunteer bearers are relieved to spread the flame throughout the regions of the country, carrying a symbolic message of survival and vitality of Catalan culture.
So if you do not have plans on the night of San Juan, now you know what to do, from the municipality you are just need to let yourself be guided by the music and firecrackers and surely you will find a party where you will be welcome.