Experience Sant Juan the Best Summer Fiesta in Barcelona Spain

he festival of Sant Juan (Saint John) is celebrated every year all over Spain between June 20th- June 24th. It climaxes on June 23rd when the summer solstice, or shortest night of the year is marked with an explosive mix of fireworks, bonfires and beach parties that wont stop until the sun comes up.

As well as the fireworks, stages with concerts, music and dancing will be set up around the city, with the busiest areas being Ciutat Vella, Eixample, Montjuic and Barceloneta, the popular beach side district of the city.

Bars and clubs will be open all night, and thanks to the free-spirited culture in Spain, alcohol will be cheap and fast flowing, even in the streets.

Party-goers will be arriving from all over the world to celebrate with the locals. Cava (champagne) will be drunk, Coca ( a traditional cake) will be eaten, and people of all ages and all walks of life will come together to party hard.

The festival of Sant Juan is without a doubt one of the best reasons to visit Spain, especially Barcelona, at this time of year. So, now that you have decided you want a piece of the action, here is a few tips from the locals as to how to get the most out of your experience.
The festival of Sant Juan (Saint John) is celebrated every year all over Spain between June 20th- June 24th. It climaxes on June 23rd when the summer solstice, or shortest night of the year is marked with an explosive mix of fireworks, bonfires and beach parties that wont stop until the sun comes up.

As well as the fireworks, stages with concerts, music and dancing will be set up around the city, with the busiest areas being Ciutat Vella, Eixample, Montjuic and Barceloneta, the popular beach side district of the city.

Bars and clubs will be open all night, and thanks to the free-spirited culture in Spain, alcohol will be cheap and fast flowing, even in the streets.

Party-goers will be arriving from all over the world to celebrate with the locals. Cava (champagne) will be drunk, Coca ( a traditional cake) will be eaten, and people of all ages and all walks of life will come together to party hard.

The festival of Sant Juan is without a doubt one of the best reasons to visit Spain, especially Barcelona, at this time of year. So, now that you have decided you want a piece of the action, here is a few tips from the locals as to how to get the most out of your experience.
The festival of Sant Juan (Saint John) is celebrated every year all over Spain between June 20th- June 24th. It climaxes on June 23rd when the summer solstice, or shortest night of the year is marked with an explosive mix of fireworks, bonfires and beach parties that wont stop until the sun comes up.

As well as the fireworks, stages with concerts, music and dancing will be set up around the city, with the busiest areas being Ciutat Vella, Eixample, Montjuic and Barceloneta, the popular beach side district of the city.

Bars and clubs will be open all night, and thanks to the free-spirited culture in Spain, alcohol will be cheap and fast flowing, even in the streets.

Party-goers will be arriving from all over the world to celebrate with the locals. Cava (champagne) will be drunk, Coca ( a traditional cake) will be eaten, and people of all ages and all walks of life will come together to party hard.

The festival of Sant Juan is without a doubt one of the best reasons to visit Spain, especially Barcelona, at this time of year. So, now that you have decided you want a piece of the action, here is a few tips from the locals as to how to get the most out of your experience.

Find accommodation. And do it quickly.
In a city experiencing a continual and aggressive increase in tourist numbers, it may be difficult to find accommodation for this time of year in Barcelona. Especially if you have left it this late to make a booking.

Skip the hotels and hit the net to find an apartment for your stay. Renting an apartment is the perfect choice of accommodation for groups, couples or families of any size. It is the most affordable, private, safest and comfortable choice of accommodation.

Select your location strategically.
You are in Spain. It is summer. It is hot and the sun is shining. You need to be close to the beach. Not only will the beach be packed with parties, bonfires and the freshest seafood on the Spanish coast, you need a comfortable place to recover from the night before during the day, and the beach is obviously a great choice.

Barceloneta is the area of the city to stay if you want to be close to the sand whilst still being well connected to the main areas of town, where all the action will be taking place.

Originally a small seaside fishing village, Barceloneta is a grid of narrow streets and residential apartments. The perfect place for a quiet retreat when and if, the bars discotheques finally close at dawn. Best of all, you are an easy 20 minute walk to the main areas of town such as La Rambla, El Born, Barrio Gotic and Raval.

In Barceloneta you will also find plenty of corner stores, cafes, restaurants and bars dotted around the place where you can buy anything from groceries, alcohol, cigarettes, souvenirs and sun cream.

Try the seafood. Trust us.
Again, you are in Spain, on the coast. Barcelona is one of the cheapest places to sample really fresh seafood. From Paella to Octopus to Shrimp and Fish. It is all here.

You will not find it hard finding good seafood in Barceloneta. We recommend Ancora for a traditional (not packet) Paella starting from 10 euros per person. Find it on the corner of the main street Passeig de Joan de Borbon and Carrer de Almirall Cervera. They also do a great Sangria.

Get some rest. You are going to need it.
The night of the 23rd is not to be missed. You are going to need all your energy to get the most out of it. Do this the Spanish way with a siesta after lunch on Saturday. We recommend a massage on Barceloneta beach. A full body massage will cost you about 10 euros and it is definitely money worth spent.

See the sights. There is plenty.
You have come all the way to Barcelona, so you might as well check out some of the local attractions. There is plenty to choose from. If you do not have a lot of time, taking a bike tour is an excellent way of getting a glimpse of the city is top attractions and getting your bearings around town. If you have got a bit of time to spare, your list should include some of the following:

Gaudi masterpiece La Sagrada Familia
The Gothic Cathedral and surrounding labyrinth of streets with some of the most well preserved architecture in Europe
The Picasso or Dali museum
The Aquarium (the biggest of its kind in Europe)
Performers, tapas and shopping on La Rambla
La Boqueria where seafood, fruit, meat and cheese can be found at its freshest.

So, that's about it. The essentials. That's all you really need to know. The best way to experience Sant Juan is to jump right in and go with the flow. Like most fiestas in Spain, anything can happen... Enjoy