What is Sant Joan?
The Nit de Sant Joan, or Revetlla de Sant Joan, is the eve of the feast of Saint John on 24 June. It falls close to the summer solstice, the shortest night of the year, and its roots in ancient midsummer fire festivals are much older than the saint's day. In Catalonia it's one of the biggest nights of the year. 24 June is a public holiday, so nobody has to get up early the next morning.
The Flama del Canigó
Every year, a flame is lit on Canigó, the sacred mountain of the Catalans in the French Pyrenees. Volunteers carry it by relay across Catalan-speaking lands, and it's used to light the Sant Joan bonfires. The tradition began in 1955 in Northern Catalonia and is now a symbol of the shared language and culture on both sides of the border. Girona receives the flame every year and passes it on to neighbourhoods and towns.
Traditions of the night
- Bonfires (fogueres). Lit in squares, neighbourhoods and on beaches. Tradition says that jumping over the embers, or burning a paper with something you want to leave behind, brings luck for the year.
- Fireworks and firecrackers (petards). From the afternoon until the early hours, you'll hear them everywhere. Children love them, and dogs don't.
- Coca de Sant Joan. A sweet flatbread topped with candied fruit and pine nuts, or with custard (crema) or crackling (llardons), always shared with friends. Bakeries sell thousands that day.
- Cava. Catalan sparkling wine, the essential partner of the coca.
- The sea at midnight. On the Costa Brava, many people spend the night by the sea, and some take a midnight swim to start the summer.
- Herbs of Sant Joan. Folk tradition says medicinal herbs picked on this night are at their most powerful.
Sant Joan in Girona
Girona celebrates in its neighbourhoods. Local associations organise their own revetlles, with bonfires, music, dancing and long shared dinners in the street. Many people also head out to the Costa Brava, half an hour away, to spend the night by the sea. The Ajuntament de Girona publishes the list of neighbourhood events each June.
Tips for visitors
- Join a neighbourhood revetlla. They're friendly, family-run and the best way to meet locals.
- Be careful with firecrackers. Keep a safe distance, never pick up one that hasn't gone off, and buy fireworks only from authorised shops if you buy any at all.
- If you travel with a dog, keep it indoors that evening.
- Plan for 24 June. It's a holiday, so most shops are closed and the city wakes up late.
- Book coast accommodation early. Beach towns are very busy that night.
Time your course for Sant Joan
Our Girona Essentials week runs monthly from March to November. Choose the June dates and you'll end a week of Catalan classes, the old town, the market and the volcanoes with the biggest party of the summer, ordering your coca in Catalan. Small groups, max. 8.
Catalan words for Sant Joan
- Bona revetlla! or Bon Sant Joan!: Happy Sant Joan!
- la revetlla: the eve, the night party. la foguera: the bonfire. la flama: the flame.
- els petards: the firecrackers. els focs artificials: the fireworks.
- una coca de llardons: a coca with crackling. una copa de cava: a glass of cava.
- Salut i bon estiu!: Cheers, and have a good summer!
- Quina calor!: It's so hot!
Summer in Girona
Sant Joan opens the summer season: long evenings, the Costa Brava at its best, and open-air concerts all over the province. Plan the rest of your stay with our 15 best things to do in Girona, or read about Girona's other festivals: Sant Jordi, Temps de Flors and the Fires de Sant Narcís.