The streets were jam-packed with people. I got onto La Rambla at the bottom towards the Columbus statue during my lunch hour. Festive red and yellow stripes were the feature of Sant Jordi’s Day – a Catalan alternative to Saint Valentine’s Day (with an interesting twist!).
Thousands of locals and foreigners set out on the streets relishing in the homemade delights, Catalan memorabilia, marked down books and exquisite rose displays.
Sant Jordi’s Day or Day of the Rose (or Day of the Book as it is also called) is a feast for the eyes and definitely a good experience to lift the spirits! I wouldn’t recommend a better time to be in Barcelona if you’re a tourist. But be warned. The crowds are a plenty on this day (which falls on the 23rd of April each year) and if you enjoy the hustle and bustle and people pushing you from all angles then you’ll be in your element. If not, I suggest a coffee shop, far, far, far away from La Rambla.
Brief History of Sant Jordi’s Day
On Sant Jordi’s Day a man is meant to give his loved one a rose and the woman should reciprocate with a book. This rose-giving tradition has been conducted since medieval times. However, the giving of a book is a more modern tradition that caught on. Legend has it that a bookseller began commemorating Shakespeare and Cervantes on Sant Jordi’s Day and the giving of a book followed suit.
What You Can Expect
Millions of roses are sold on Sant Jordi’s Day and if you’re a booklover looking for a bargain you’ll love the fact that books are marked down significantly on this special day too. Book readings and talks by Spanish authors occur in cafes and bookshops across the city. Street performers and music acts add to the incredible, vibrant atmosphere.
As a book lover I feel extremely lucky and grateful to have witnessed Sant Jordi’s Day in Barcelona even if only for a short time. There is nothing as fulfilling as seeing people browsing through bookstands, taking pride in the written word and celebrating their love for one another with the bold red and yellow Catalan flag waving proudly from every building.
Elizabeth Joss-Bethlehem
Elizabeth Joss-Bethlehem is the founder and main writer at The Museum Times. She works as a university lecturer by day and is an avid travel blogger and arts and culture enthusiast by night. Elizabeth started The Museum Times out of the need to give smaller, lesser-known museums more exposure.
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