For the annual event, visitors pile into Alicante from all the neighbouring towns and villages. The finale’s starting signal, at midnight, is a volcano-like cascade firework which explodes over the old hill-top fortress; it’s visible across the whole town, and is followed by fireworks in every district across the city.

This year, a hefty raft sporting a papier mache Disney tableau was set alight in the harbour shortly after midnight, with fire-fighting boats on standby. Around 200 other fantastic papier mache designs around the city were also set alight, again with fire-fighters on hand at each installation.

This year, just like the ones before it, crowds gathered to watch the pyres and the fireworks, plus the “banya” – baths of water used to put out the fires. People stayed up until 5am celebrating, dancing to a wide variety of music, and drinking and eating.

Given that this event is no one-night wonder – it goes on for several weeks previously – the rubbish amassed is considerable. But come 9am the next day, the place was transformed.

Machines cleaned the historic tiles of the esplanade, and order was quickly restored. The parks behind the seafront – taken over for the duration of the fiesta by various neighbourhood groups, and with protective barriers in place – were cleared and washed with high-pressure hoses.

Whole teams of workers washed all the debris into central collection piles for other workmates to sort into plastics and other waste. Adjacent building walls, waste containers, benches – you name it – were spray washed and left impossibly clean and fresh.

In the harbour, a special boat with big rubbish scoops at its bow, and a cleaner onboard armed with a fishing net pottered around, tidying up rubbish that had blown into the water. We took a moment to enjoy a coffee while watching the clean-up; it was impressive in its organised simplicity, and extremely effective.

My mind wandered back to the UK. Aito is based in Twickenham, a mile or so from the rugby ground, and we and our neighbours regularly bemoan the rubbish that has piled up after events at the stadium, whether rugby-related or music concerts.

It struck me how the UK – and other destinations – could learn a lot from the Spanish in how to manage the clean-up process after major events.

They are old hands, expert in managing tourism and the challenges of waste removal associated with fiesta time are simply part and parcel of keeping things ship-shape.

I’ve been impressed by everything about Spain while researching Sunvil’s new programme to the country. It offers all that specialist Aito operators seek – wide-ranging culture, endless outdoor activities, superb gastronomy and wine, and a friendly, can-do welcome. Visiting for leisure, with a bit more time than one normally has on contracting trips, has only confirmed to me what a superb destination Spain is.

Noel Josephides is an Aito council member and chairman of Sunvil