Saint John's Eve Bonfires

San Juan is the night Spain turns the shortest darkness of the year into a beach party. In Guardamar the build-up runs across a few days in late June, with the local foguerer group laying on bits and pieces around Sant Jaume street — there's usually a magic show and a children's prize-giving in the days before the main event. The real draw is the night of the 23rd, when fires are lit along the sand and the town drifts down to the shore.

Expect crowds, music and the smell of woodsmoke after dark. Tradition says you wade into the sea at midnight and leap the embers for luck, and plenty of people do exactly that. Bring something to sit on, a jumper for the small hours, and don't plan an early start the next day. Free, and you don't need a word of Spanish to join in.