Leap the bonfires of St John!
When: June 23rd – 24th every year.
Where: San Pedro Manrique, Spain.
San Pedro Manrique in Spain celebrates the San Juan Festival in legendary style. On the evening of 23rd June, bonfires are lit and on the stroke of midnight the customary Paso del Fuego (fire-walking) begins.
The fire walkers dance barefoot across red-hot coals, supposedly without even the slightest sign of injury. The town attributes the wonders of their unblemished feet to their patron saint, La Virgen de La Peña (the Virgin of Sorrows), however occasionally the local hospital does have to deal with one or two casualties.
The next day (San Juan’s Day) starting at around 8.30am, another fiesta is celebrated. The Fiesta de las Móndidas (the local legend of the missing maidens). Many years ago 100 maidens went missing from the area. The fiesta pays tribute to the tale and women dress up in white robes, carrying gifts of saffron and flour. There is singing and dancing including the infamous folkloric dance, baile de la jota.
Perhaps the biggest Bonfires of St John Fiesta is the one held in Alicante (La Hogueras) where towering “ninots” are spectacularly exploded!
Spanish Chicken
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Spanish Food & DrinkFood and drink are a way of life in Spain. The Spanish eat late, you won’t see many restaurants even open before 9pm and they are at their busiest between 11pm and midnight. Stalls line up in the streets selling traditional recipes and treats. Look out for Coca de San Juan (St John’s cake), a traditional sweet bread made with candied fruits made specially for the festival. Drink Sangria or a good Spanish Rioja. |
Travel to Spain
San Pedro Manrique is located in the province of Soria, Castile and León, Spain. Fly into Pamplona (95 km away). Book flights and hotels with ebookers.com. You may need to search for flights and hotels separately.
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From Spanish travel books and holiday reading to binocuars and And don’t forget the camera!
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Enjoy your trip! And when you’re back we’d love you to come back and tell us all about it!
Festival de San Juan – full flip over the fire by Brother O’Mara, on Flickr
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