
The shortest night of the year is a beach night in Mallorca. On 23 June, the eve of Sant Joan, friends and families spread out across the island's sands to light bonfires, jump over the flames for luck, burn written wishes to let go of the past, and take the midnight swim said to cleanse the spirit and bring luck for the year ahead. The liveliest stretches are the Palma city beaches — Can Pere Antoni, Ciutat Jardí, Can Pastilla, Cala Major and El Arenal — buzzing until dawn. For a quieter, more local feel, Cala Bona in Son Servera keeps its old fishing-port calm even on this busiest of nights. This is the informal, do-it-yourself side of the solstice, distinct from the organised correfoc at the Parc de la Mar and the municipal party in Palmanova.
Life happens in person