Celebrate San Juan in Marbella
There is something about San Juan that brings people together. It really is amazing to see.
Book Top Experiences and Tours in Marbella:
If youʻre booking your trip to Marbella last minute, we have you covered. Below are some of the top tours and experiences!- From Malaga and Costa del Sol: Day Trip to Tetouan, Morocco
- Caminito del Rey private tour from Costa del Sol
- Costa del Sol: Private 1-Way Transfer to/from Malaga Airport
- From Marbella: Costa del Sol Group Sailboat Cruise & Drinks
- From Malaga: Day trip to Gibraltar and Dolphin Boat Tour
June is a huge month for Spain and especially the Costa del Sol. Not only does Marbella host its famed Feria to honour the city's patron saint San Barnabe, but at the end of the month, an event called San Juan is held to celebrate the shortest night and longest day of the year.
La Noche de San Juan marks the beginning of the summer solstice and is held each year on the evening of June 23 and runs into the early hours of June 24. The fiesta is shrouded in pagan rituals; fire and water are the main protagonists in the tradition.
Fire
Huge bonfires and life-size figures are built on the beach, and it is said that if you jump over the fires three times then your problems are burnt away and your spirit is cleansed and purified
Water
According to tradition, the water element of the fiesta is to recuperate and rejuvenate. People jump into the sea after midnight to wash away evil spirits. It is also said that the water is at its purest on the eve of San Juan, so it is rumoured to heal skin ailments and grant you happiness for the next 12 months.
It's not just bonfires and running into the sea though. La Noche de San Juan is celebrated slightly differently in each region of Spain and in typical style, Marbella certainly knows how to do it justice!
Extravagant events take place at locations dotted along the coastline, for example, Nikki Beach will often bring style and glamour to the occasion, accessorizing the event with mystery and magic, celebrating the idea of love, life and letting go and then locations like Sonora Beach in Estepona is famed for its celebration of San Juan and its chilled-out vibe which reflects the night perfectly. Also, The Beach House, Bono Beach and Siroko in the El Rosario and Elviria areas host vibrant celebrations to mark the date.
Simply sitting on the beach looking out over the Mediterranean Sea with a picnic and your closest friends is also one of our preferred choices to enjoy the evening, wherever you are along the coast. There is something about San Juan that brings people together. It really is amazing to see hundreds of fires burning on the beach at the dead of night, and people running into the sea, all to bring luck to the year ahead.
HAPPY SAN JUAN!!
Check out our events calendar here for the lowdown on where to go.
