Catalan Valentine's Day
Roses, books and couples in love will be everywhere in Barcelona on April 23. Catalans on this day honor their patron saint of Saint Jordi. It is also Lovers’ Day and International Book Day.
The holiday of San Jordi is one of the most original and popular in Catalonia. This is a popular favorite holiday that combines culture and romance associated with Book Day and Valentine's Day. Couples usually exchange gifts: men receive a book, and women receive a rose. In same-sex couples, boys receive a book from each other (usually poems), and girls receive a rose each, or more often both.
Barcelona on this day resembles a huge flower and open-air bookstore. The streets are filled with people strolling along the book and flower stalls in search of suitable gifts not only for a partner, but also for family members and friends. It's a beautiful day when there are kiosks with the latest book editions all over the city, where famous authors sign copies, and the air is filled with the scent of roses.
Therefore, the best option to celebrate San Jordi is just to take a walk and breathe in this atmosphere. Be sure to visit such streets as La Rambla, Paseo de Gracia, Paseo de San Juan and Rambla de Catalunya, where there are especially many book and rose gardens, as well as literary events - seminars and readings. In addition, sardanes (folk dances) and castilleros (human towers) often take place on this day in places such as San Jaume Square.
San Jordi Day is also an opportunity to visit buildings such as the Town Hall, the Guell Palace, the Art Nouveau Ensemble of Sant Pau, the Athenaeum or the Palace of the Generals, where special events or open days with free excursions are usually held.
It is especially pleasant to visit the Casa Batllo, in the design of which Gaudi used references to the legend of the dragon slayer San Jordi. Decorated with roses for the holiday, it looks amazing.
The origin of this curious holiday stems from a combination of traditions of different eras. Firstly, San Jordi has been the patron saint of Catalonia since the 15th century. Another famous legend about the dragon slayer says: a knight killed a dragon with a sword, which frightened the people and the princess, and beautiful red roses grew out of the dead monster. George gave one of them to the princess. San Jordi is also known in Catalonia as the patron saint of lovers. Secondly, April 23 is the International Book Day, due to the fact that on this day in 1616, the world-famous writers Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare died, so are being commemorated.
