One of the most magical celebrations of the year in Mallorca is undoubtedly the Noche de San Juan. Every 23rd June, the island lights up with bonfires and fireworks in a great popular festival that marks the beginning of summer.
In this article you will find all the information you need to celebrate Midsummer's Eve in Mallorca and enjoy the shortest night of the year on the island. Keep reading to learn more about this tradition!
The festival of San Juan in Mallorca
Fire is the main protagonist of the festival of San Juan in Mallorca, which symbolises the beginning of a new cycle coinciding with the summer solstice.
Although San Juan's Day is on 24 June, the main celebration takes place on the night of 23 June, with numerous parties, dances and traditions all over the island.
The most common way to celebrate Midsummer is to go to the beach to light bonfires and set off fireworks. Here families and friends gather for an all-night party. It is also customary for San Juan in Mallorca to have a night swim in the sea to purify the body.
Best places to celebrate San Juan in Mallorca
Like in the rest of Spain, Noche de San Juan is celebrated in most of the towns and cities of Mallorca. Highlights include the festivities in the towns of Calvià, Deià and Sant Joan, where Saint John is the patron saint, and, of course, those in Palma de Mallorca.
Open-air concerts, bonfires on the beach, rituals and traditions... these are the best places to spend San Juan in Mallorca.
Calvià
The town of Calvià pays homage to the elderly on the 24th of June with a mass, regional dance performances and an event where locals over the age of 75 enjoy a glass of almond ice cream with ensaimada (a typical pastry from Mallorca).
Deià
On the day of Sant Joan, patron saint of the town, the residents of Deià dress up in traditional Mallorcan costumes to attend mass. There is also a verbena, a night of habaneras (Spanish contradance) and firework displays.
Sant Joan
The town of Sant Joan celebrates the festival of the "Dancing Sun" every 24th June, when young children go up to the Ermita de la Consolación, a little chapel located 1 km from town, to watch the sunrise as the bells ring out.
San Juan in Palma de Mallorca
On Midsummer's Eve, Palma de Mallorca sees traditional dances and family activities until the evening in the Parc del Mar, next to the Cathedral.
Towards 11 pm begins the popular correfoc, where groups of people dressed as demons chase down visitors in a fire and pyrotechnics show. The parade also includes two large fire dragons linked to Mallorcan folklore.
Before midnight, people go to the beaches of Palma to go for a swim or end the night by the bonfire. On the 24th of June, a public holiday, San Juan begins with a verbena with live music on the Playa de Palma.
Book your hotel for San Juan in Mallorca
If you are looking for a hotel to stay in Mallorca for San Juan, we invite you to stay in a true oasis in the heart of the island. Finca Serena Mallorca offers you all the luxury of a 5-star hotel in Mallorca and the calm of a privileged location among vineyards and olive trees.
Enjoy a few days of wellness and gastronomy in a magical setting surrounded by Mediterranean countryside. You will be able to relax with massages and treatments at the Único Spa, try the dishes the Jacaranda Restaurant and enjoy a wide range of activities in Mallorca such as yoga, golf or cycling.
