Catalonia celebrates Sant Jordi’s Day on 23 April. It is both our celebration of love and a day of civic and cultural pride. Roses and books take centre stage as the powerful symbols of love and culture. Streets and squares across towns, villages and cities come alive with a unique atmosphere. Stalls of books and roses fill the streets, and everyone embraces the open-air event with joy. This tradition is open to everyone, and locals and visitors alike are warmly invited to take part. Come and experience Sant Jordi in Catalonia; it’s an experience you’ll never forget. What is the origin of Sant Jordi’s Day? The origin of Sant Jordi’s Day traces back to a medieval legend, with some versions placing the tale in the walled town of Montblanc. The story of Saint George and the dragon tells of a fearsome dragon that terrorised a village. Each day, the villagers were forced to sacrifice one of their own, until one fateful day, the princess was chosen. A brave knight, Saint George, defeated the dragon by piercing its heart with a sword, saving the princess and setting the village free. As the dragon fell, its blood spilled onto the ground and turned into a bush of red roses. The knight picked a rose and gave it to the princess. Every year, around Sant Jordi’s Day, Montblanc hosts a spectacular Medieval Week to honour the legend of Saint George. Visit it and immerse yourself in the most authentic Sant Jordi celebration, where the Middle Ages come to life. How is Sant Jordi’s Day celebrated in Catalonia? Saint George has been the patron saint of Catalonia since the 15th century. His day is one of the most iconic and widely celebrated traditions in the territory. Although not an official public holiday, you’ll soon see that no one stays home on Sant Jordi’s Day. The streets are filled with people, roses, books and smiles. Stalls of roses From early in the morning, you will see rose stalls pop up everywhere. The scent of these flowers, symbols of love, fills the air across Catalonia. Red roses are the true stars of Sant Jordi, and florists sell nearly half of their annual rose stock in a single day. As you walk through the streets, you’ll notice all kinds of floral arrangements, from the more traditional red Sant Jordi roses, paired with a sprig of wheat—a symbol of fertility and prosperity—to more creative compositions. Nowadays you’ll even find sophisticated floral displays, as well as roses in different colours like blue or black. This celebration of love and roses dates back to the 16th century, but it was not until the end of the 19th century that it truly took root as a popular festival across Catalonia. World Book Day Book stalls have shared the streets on Sant Jordi’s Day with rose stalls since the 1920s. Booksellers fill their tables with an incredible array of books on every imaginable subject. Sant Jordi’s Day is also the time to celebrate and vindicate Catalan culture, with a special emphasis on works published in the Catalan language, although you’ll find plenty in Spanish and even other languages. The book world fully embraces this celebration. It’s not just bookshops taking to the streets—authors do too. From debut writers to established names, local and foreign authors alike take part, meeting readers at the bookshops’ and publishers’ stalls to sign copies of their books. In addition, 23 April is also a tribute to two giants of literature in English and Spanish. Did you know that it is the date of the burial of Miguel de Cervantes and the death of William Shakespeare? For this reason, alongside Catalonia’s long-standing celebration, UNESCO decided to declare 23 April as World Book and Copyright Day, helping to share Sant Jordi’s Day with the whole world.So much to do and see on Sant Jordi’s Day in Catalonia On 23 April, every town and city across Catalonia transforms into a huge open-air party. Streets and squares come alive with people eager to share a special moment with family, partners or friends. Whether you are in a big city or a small town, there are countless ways to enjoy this special day. Sant Jordi in Barcelona: a city full of culture and legend Barcelona’s iconic streets like La Rambla, Rambla de Catalunya and Passeig de Gràcia are packed with crowds on Sant Jordi’s Day. You’ll also find spaces that offer special visits on this day, including Casa Batlló, whose facade depicts the legend of Saint George. The City Hall, Palau Güell, Sant Pau Modernista Complex and the Palau de la Generalitat also offer special activities or free visits. Across Catalonia, every town celebrates in their own way No matter where you are in Catalonia, you can enjoy this celebration and find a similar spread of rose and book stalls on the main streets. Each town adds its own special character to the celebration. In Tarragona and Reus you’ll see human tower performances. In Lleida,Vic, Manresa and Girona, as in many other places, traditional sardana dances are a key feature. In the towns just outside the Catalan capital, such as Sabadell, Terrassa, Granollers or Mataró, the squares come alive with poetry readings, concerts and literary activities for all ages. Gastronomy and traditional Sant Jordi dishes In a more recent tradition, dating back to the 1980s, many bakeries offer Pa de Sant Jordi. This is a rustic country-style bread baked with alternating bands of cheese and sobrassada, arranged to resemble the four red stripes of the Catalan flag. Celebrate Sant Jordi's Day in Catalonia and let yourself be swept away by the magic of books, roses and culture. A day you will want to repeat every year!