Nit de Sant Joan in Benidorm and Alicante
The Nit de Sant Joan, the night of 23 June, is when thousands of people head to Benidorm's beaches to see in the shortest night of the year, and in 2027 it falls on a Wednesday. Benidorm does not allow bonfires on its beaches, so the night here is about gatherings on the sand, a midnight paddle and the bars, while the real fire festival is down the coast in Alicante, about 40–45 minutes by direct bus or 72 minutes by TRAM.
Alicante's Hogueras de San Juan, a Fiesta of International Tourist Interest, fill the city from 20 to 24 June 2027 with giant satirical monuments, daily mascletàs and, at midnight on 24 June, the Cremà, when every monument is set alight. Benidorm also has its own small bonfire, the Hoguera La Cala, in the neighbourhood of the same name next to Poniente.
This page is honest about the difference: come to Benidorm's beaches for a busy, friendly night out, and make the trip to Alicante if you want to see the fires.
Dates
| Year | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 20 June 2026 – 24 June 2026 — Alicante's Hogueras programme ran with the plantà on 19–20 June and the Cremà at midnight on 24 June 2026; Nit de Sant Joan was the night of Tuesday 23 June. | Confirmed |
| 2027 | 20 June 2027 – 24 June 2027 — Alicante's Hogueras run 20–24 June 2027 (Spain's official tourism site), with the Cremà at midnight on 24 June. Nit de Sant Joan on Benidorm's beaches is the night of Wednesday 23 June. Benidorm's 2027 beach arrangements are announced in June. | Confirmed |
What happens, day by day
20–24 June, Alicante
The Hogueras week in Alicante. The monuments go up in the streets in the plantà, mascletàs fire at 14:00 every day in Plaza de los Luceros, and the flower offering to the Virgen del Remedio takes place on 21 and 22 June. In 2026 the International Folklore Parade ran at 20:00 on 23 June.
23 June, La Cala
Hoguera La Cala's flower offering: in 2025 the foguerers gathered at Plaza de las Tiendas at 19:00 and processed to the church of San Juan Bautista.
23 June, night, Benidorm beaches
Nit de Sant Joan. Crowds gather on Levante, Poniente and Mal Pas from the evening. Bonfires, glass and sky lanterns are banned; lifeguards work until 02:00 and the beaches must be cleared by about 02:00 so cleaning machines can start at 03:00.
24 June, La Cala
Sant Joan's day in La Cala: Mass at 12:00 and a mascletà on Calle Santander at 14:00 (2025 programme). That night the children's monument burns just before 23:00 and the main bonfire just after midnight, watched by several hundred people on the promenade near Calle Murtal.
24 June, midnight, Alicante
The Nit de la Cremà. A white firework palm is launched from Mount Benacantil at midnight, then the monuments across the city are burned, with firefighters spraying the crowds in the banyà. From 25 to 29 June an international fireworks contest lights up the beach at midnight.
Where
In Benidorm, the Nit de Sant Joan happens on Levante, Poniente and Mal Pas beaches, with first-aid posts on Levante and Poniente and an accessible beach point at Parque de Elche. The Hoguera La Cala is in La Cala, at the far end of Poniente. In Alicante, the mascletàs are in Plaza de los Luceros and the monuments are spread across the city's neighbourhoods. TRAM line 1 runs from Benidorm to Luceros in about 72 minutes.
Benidorm beaches, La Cala and Alicante city — Levante, Poniente and Mal Pas beaches, Benidorm
Cost
Everything is free: the beaches, the La Cala bonfire and Alicante's mascletàs and Cremà. The only cost is transport; the TRAM from Benidorm to Alicante is a zone-based fare, and a taxi back late at night is far more expensive.
Where to stay nearby
Stay on Levante or Poniente for the beach night. If the Cremà in Alicante is the main reason for your trip, consider a night in Alicante, as regular trams back to Benidorm stop long before the midnight Cremà.
What's on in the bars that week
Shows listed for 20 June 2027 – 24 June 2027:
Bar line-ups for these dates haven't been published yet. They appear here automatically as venues list them.
Nit de Sant Joan in Benidorm and Alicante — FAQs
Can you have a bonfire on Benidorm beach on San Juan?
No. Benidorm council bans bonfires, glass containers and flying lanterns on its beaches on the Nit de Sant Joan. You can gather on the sand, but the beaches must be cleared by about 02:00 so that cleaning machines can start work at 03:00.
When is the Nit de Sant Joan in 2027?
It is the night of Wednesday 23 June 2027, running into Sant Joan's day on Thursday 24 June. In Alicante, the Hogueras de San Juan run from 20 to 24 June 2027, and the Cremà, when the monuments are burned, starts at midnight on 24 June after a firework palm from Mount Benacantil.
What happens in Benidorm on San Juan night?
Thousands of residents and visitors gather on Levante, Poniente and Mal Pas beaches. The council runs a special operation of around 60 police, lifeguards, medics and cleaners, with lifeguards on duty until 02:00, three ambulances near the beaches and toilets open until 03:00. Bars stay open as normal.
Does Benidorm have its own hoguera?
Yes, a small one in La Cala, beside Poniente beach. The Hoguera La Cala commission holds a flower offering on 23 June, a mascletà at 14:00 on 24 June and burns its monuments that night: the children's bonfire just before 23:00 and the main one just after midnight. Several hundred people watched in 2025.
How do I get from Benidorm to Alicante for the Hogueras?
TRAM line 1 runs from Benidorm to Luceros in central Alicante in about 72 minutes. In 2026 the TRAM ran round the clock on lines 1 to 4 from 20 to 25 June, but it is not clear whether night trams ran all the way to Benidorm. Luceros stop closes around 14:00 during mascletàs; use Mercado instead.
What is a mascletà?
A daytime firework display built around rhythm and noise rather than colour. Alicante fires one at 14:00 every day from 18 or 19 June to 24 June in Plaza de los Luceros, building to a deafening finale. Spain's tourism site advises bringing earplugs, and the square fills up long before the start.
Is 24 June a holiday in Benidorm?
Sant Joan is not on the Valencian regional holiday calendar for 2027, so expect Benidorm to work normally on Thursday 24 June unless the council names it a local holiday. Bars, restaurants and beaches are open whatever happens. If you are heading to Alicante's Cremà that night, plan your return before you go: regular trams stop running well before the midnight Cremà, so check the TRAM's Hogueras timetable or book a taxi.
Related guides
Last updated 20 October 2026 by the onbenidorm team.