Sant Jordi Festival Barcelona

Sant Jordi, or St George, is the patron saint of Catalonia (and England and about ten other countries and regions). But St George's Day in Barcelona is also the city's version of Valentine's Day, when romance sweeps the city, and lovers swap books and roses.

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Sant Jordi Festival in Barcelona - Essential Facts

Where is the Sant Jordi festival?:

Barcelona's Ciutat Vella (old town).

When is it?

April 23 Read more about April in Spain.

How much is the Sant Jordi Festival?

Free of charge.

Sant Jordi Festival Traditions

The most romantic of Barcelona's festivals, when book stalls take over the city's streets. It's a day for strolling arm in arm with your lover. The tradition is for the man to give his lady a rose in return for a book. The streets and balconies are clad in Catalonia's red and yellow flag, the Senyera.

Sant Jordi Festival History

The day commemorates the chivalric tale of Saint George, patron saint of Catalonia, who rescued a Princess from the dragon, hence the rose. Why the books? Because April 23 also commemorates the death of Cervantes, the writer of Spain's greatest novel, Don Quixote.

Getting to Barcelona

You can fly to Barcelona's airport or take a high-speed AVE train from Spain's major cities.

Getting Around Barcelona

Barcelona's Metro service can plonk you in reach of all of the major landmarks, but Sant Jordi is a day best spent strolling in idle abandon, preferably with a loved one.