If, for some reason, you couldn't celebrate Valentine's Day with your love, you can always fly again in Barcelona on 23 April. That day, in fact, the barcelonas celebrate Feast of Sant Jordi (San Giorgio), which combines romanticism and culture in a Catalan version of Valentine's Day.
Throughout the day lovers (and not only them!) invade the Rambla, which is full of stands of flowers and books, buying roses and great classics or editorial novelties to give to the loved one.
But never San Giorgio, as patron of Catalonia, became the saint of lovers? According to a legend, the Christian martyr, who died in Cappadocia on 23 April 303, would have killed a dragon to save a noble maiden and the blood of that dragon would be born red rose.
For this reason, in the Middle Ages in Barcelona the custom of visiting the Chapel of the Saint in the Generalitat Palace, where a "feria de rosas" or "de los enamorados" took place.
The tradition of give a book Instead, it is more recent and dates back to the 1920s, when the writer and publisher Vincent Clavel Andrés proposed to the Association of Writers and Books in Barcelona to dedicate one day to the promotion of books.
Land two traditions have therefore joined, also because, among other things, both Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare died on 23 April of the same year, 1616. This Catalan initiative has gained so much notoriety that, in 1995, UNESCO declared on 23 April World Day of Book and Author Law.
If you decide to take advantage of Bridge of 25 April to make a romantic getaway in Barcelona to exchange the red rose and the book and you are looking for a central hotel and up to the situation, book a room at the Hotel Duquesa de Cardona, housed in a ancient noble palace of the 16th century and with a terrace with a fantastic view of the marina of Barcelona.
<img alt=’buzzoole code’ src=’https://buzzoole.com/track-img.php?code=69d5e231f245966765b7b50486c5e7d0′ />
