The arrival of summer transforms the Camino de Santiago into an even more special route. At the end of June, just as the evenings grow longer and the air smells like celebration, Galicia lights up with the Night of San Juan, or Noite de San Xoán in Galician. Imagine finishing your stage, dropping your backpack at the hostel, and feeling the beaches and squares fill with music, laughter, and sparks flying into the sky. That moment when the sun gives way to fire is pure shared magic.
San Juan Night in A Coruña and Galicia is a deeply rooted celebration
What is the Night of San Juan
The Night of San Juan is the moment when the boundary between the ordinary and the mythical fades. On June 23rd, the eve of San Juan, the shortest night of the year and the start of summer becomes a great collective celebration to bid farewell to the shadows of winter and welcome summer with open arms. Pilgrims, locals, and curious travelers gather around bonfires with the same intention: to burn the old, attract the good, and feel part of a tradition that has been alive for centuries.
History and tradition
Long before cities existed, pre-Roman peoples already watched the sky with concern as they noticed the days shortening after the solstice. To “give strength” and honor the sun, they lit great bonfires that illuminated the shortest night of the year and warded off evil spirits. They also celebrated omens of good harvests, essential for collective survival through winter. Over time, the Church gave new meaning to the festival by linking it to the birth of Saint John the Baptist, keeping the celebration on the eve of June 24th and giving it religious significance.
The summer solstice has always been a significant moment in pagan cultures
In Galicia, this syncretism remains intact. Fire acts as a purifier, and those brave enough to jump over the bonfire leave bad luck behind. Water is also seen as cleansing, which is why many people take a dip at midnight or wash their face with the first ray of sunlight. And the herbas de San Xoán —St. John’s wort, rosemary, fennel, broom, lemon verbena, fern, mallow— soak overnight to absorb the moon’s energy and by dawn become a balm to ward off meigas and witches. Between the crackle of firewood, the smell of grilled sardines, and the murmur of the Atlantic, ancestral memory comes to life, and everyone feels like a link in a millenary chain.
As the saying goes: “On San Juan, sardines soak the bread”
Where to celebrate San Juan in Galicia
San Xoán in A Coruña
A Coruña, starting point of the English Way, hosts the largest celebration in the entire northwest of the Iberian Peninsula and proudly holds the title of Festival of International Tourist Interest. The streets start buzzing days in advance, but the main day begins on the morning of June 23rd when a colorful procession of meigas parades through the historic center. The Fire of San Juan, blessed in the Church of San Andrés, is then carried to the beaches of Riazor and Orzán, where groups build their bonfires with wood, old furniture, and lots of enthusiasm.
As night falls, the scent of grilled sardines fills the promenade, and the entire city gathers to watch a spectacular fireworks show that lights up the ocean’s surface. At midnight, a giant effigy is set ablaze amid cheers, and jumping over the embers officially kicks off the summer.
The next day, the meigas parade again, a tribute mass honors the saint, and the party continues. If you want to know more about the San Xoán week in A Coruña, click here for the full program.
On San Juan, don’t forget to jump the bonfire (but carefully!)
Other places
If your route or schedule doesn’t align with the city of A Coruña, don’t worry — Galicia’s coast becomes a necklace of fire from Ribadeo to A Guarda. Vigo lights bonfires on Samil and O Vao beaches with open-air dances lasting until dawn, Pontevedra fills its Alameda with lanterns and mixes bagpipes with pop music, and Muros, Fisterra, and Ferrol blend maritime tradition with group moonlit swims. Inland towns along the French Way, like Sarria or Melide, host outdoor parties so no one misses out on dancing. Wherever you are, you’ll find the same essence: sharing food, fire, and songs until you fall asleep from pure joy.
How to celebrate the San Juan festival
As the eve of June 23rd approaches, excitement can be felt in every corner of Galicia: wood piled in corners, the scent of fresh sardines, and conversations swirling around bonfires, spells, and magical herbs. Celebrating San Juan is not just about watching the fire, but living it with all your senses: cooking over hot coals, toasting with queimada while the fire burns blue, and letting the herbal dew renew body and spirit at dawn. Here’s how to take part in each of these rituals and enjoy the shortest —and most intense— night of the year like a true Galician.
Along with grilled sardines, churrasco is a San Xoán classic
Fire, sardines, and churrasco
Gather your group, collect firewood, and wait for the sunset to paint the sky orange. When the flames are roaring, jump the bonfire three, seven, or nine times depending on local tradition. It’s not just a leap — it’s a ritual to burn fears, close chapters, and start summer with a light heart. Meanwhile, prepare the sardines and churrasco for dinner and fuel up for the shortest night of the year.
Queimada
When the fire turns to embers, it’s time for the Queimada. Pour aguardiente into a pot, add sugar, lemon peel, and a few coffee beans, and light the liquid while someone recites the famous Galician conxuro to ward off meigas and evil spirits. Blue flames dance, the sweet aroma of orujo fills the air, and every sip tastes like fulfilled magic.
Herbas de San Xoán
Hours before or after — perhaps on the morning of the 24th — you’ll have picked a small bundle of aromatic herbs. Leave them to soak outdoors overnight, then wash your face with that mix of herbas de San Xoán. They say it brings beauty, health, and a year free of bad energy. You don’t have to believe in witches to enjoy the freshness it leaves on your skin after the most magical night of the calendar.
A good Galician queimada will protect you from evil spirits
Ready to experience it on your Camino?
Plan your route to arrive in Galicia during San Juan week, book your accommodation in advance, and get ready to feel how the Camino de Santiago in June lights up in a unique way. If you’d like, we can take care of your Camino and have everything ready so you can enjoy the shortest —and brightest— night of the year with no other concern than to enjoy it. We’d love to join you!
Ultreia and Happy San Juan, pilgrim!
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