Sant Jordi’s Day 2024
April 23
It’s the most romantic day of the year in Barcelona! To celebrate Catalonia’s patron saint, Sant Jordi (aka St. George), the whole city will be decorated with roses, and flower kiosks on Las Ramblas and major streets will be doing a brisk trade.
The tradition is to give a single red rose to all the important ladies in your life, be they lovers, mothers, daughters or colleagues, whilst menfolk are typically gifted a book… perhaps by Cervantes or Shakespeare, both of whom died on this day (a coincidence that led to World Book Day, which is also celebrated today on the 23rd April).
Of course, no need to pander to stereotypical roles in this day and age, so feel free to get your girlfriend a book and your dad a rose, the day is a relaxed one with plenty of bonhomie to go around. The best thing to do is set off around Passeig de Gracia for a nice walk. Some of the more famous buildings like Gaudi’s Casa Batllo (pictured) might be decorated with roses, and you can soak up the atmosphere of the festival in and around the central streets like Rambla de Catalunya.
El dia de Sant Jordi is not a public holiday, so shops and restaurants will be open as usual. You can read more about the festivities on the city’s official website.
Keep reading for more great things to do in April!