10 ways to celebrate "San Juan"

If there is a night that marks the beginning of summer, that is the night of San Juan, and although it officially begins a few days before, on the night of June 21, the night of June 23, mentally makes us all change the chip for the holiday season, for leave of absence in our country, or as if it were the beginning of a new year.
June 23 means much more than the shortest night of the year, it is a night of rituals, celebrations, water, fire, and a diversity of traditions that surround our country.

IBIZA - Macarrons & Bonfires.
The beach of Talamanca, is one of those places of confluence of the island, the bonfires and the tasting of macarrons of Sant Joan, a typical Ibizan sweet, are given appointment, next to the bonfires that are made in the beach.

MENORCA - Or "caixers".
Ciutadella is the "must" site of the island tonight, it coincides with its patron saint, which makes it more special. The riders (or "caixers") are in charge of making their horses jump among the people as a symbol of power and nobility.

LANJARÓN - Water for everyone.
The municipality of Lanjarón in Granada is known by everyone, thanks to the brand of bottled water, which bears the name of the village. In the night of San Juan a race is celebrated or we could also call it battle, of throwing boiler of water all against all.

BARCELONA - Coca de San Juan.
The coca de San Juan, is one of the typical sweets of this day / night in Barcelona, is also one of the places where you see people burning everything old to make way for the new. From university notes, to things you want to leave in the past and forget.

A CORUÑA - The number 9.
In Galicia, the number 9, goes hand in hand with the night of San Juan, whatever you do, do it 9 times. The most repeated thing tonight is to jump the waves 9 times with your back to the sea. Tradition rumors that this is a fertility ritual, although everyone takes it to what they want.

BILBAO - Wishes under the pillow.
The night of San Juan, is one of the nights, where more desires are asked. In the Basque Country, there is a tradition of putting under the pillow a branch of ivy and a white paper with a written wish. Before going to sleep he lights a candle and the next day he burns the paper and buries all the elements.

MADRID - Face washing.
This tradition covers almost all the places where San Juan is celebrated, but in places without a beach, such as Madrid, where there is less tradition of celebration, it is very common to wash your face at around 00:00h, to clean up all the bad things, and give way to what is new and, of course, good.

MALLORCA - Don't look in the mirror.
If we hadn't said so, the celebration of San Juan has its origin in pagan traditions. On the island of Mallorca one of the most listened to superstitions for tonight, is not to look in the mirror. Tradition has it that after bathing in Sant Joan you don't have to look in the mirror. Otherwise the pagan spell of good health is broken. 

LAS PALMAS - 3 potatoes under the bed.
Before you go to sleep, throw three "potatoes" under your bed: one peeled, one unpeeled and one more that is not completely peeled. In the morning, take one of them out without looking: if the peel comes out, economic matters, if the middle one comes out, a year of ups and downs awaits you and if you get the full skin one, it's your day and a year of luck awaits you.

CADIZ - Burning of dolls.
In the purest style of the Fallas of Valencia, or of the feast of the Judas of other places in the Sunday of resurrection of Holy Week, in Cadiz is habitual, the burning of rag dolls, to symbolize as in other places, the burning of the past, and to augur the arrival of the good thing. It could not be otherwise, and in Cadiz, this tradition has the name of: Feast of the 'Juanillos.

Happy San Juan night to all!