Sant Jordi, or Saint George’s Day is much more than a simple feast day in Barcelona. It is the Catalan equivalent to Valentine’s Day and love is in the air!

Roses, books and lovers: Barcelona is full of them on 23 April. In Catalonia the World Book Day becomes an especially romantic festivity. The people in Catalonia celebrate the day of their patron saint, Sant Jordi, with a curious tradition. If you want to know what it’s about, its origin and how to enjoy this day, please carry on reading.

St. George (Sant Jordi) was a busy man, and not only did he gallivant about the English countryside slaying dragons, but occasionally he would be called upon in these warmer climes to dispatch a nasty lizard or two. Such heroic behaviour saw him dubbed patron saint of Catalonia and his festival is certainly one of the most colourful in the city as the entire length of Las Ramblas turns into a flower stall – the idea being that men should purchase a rose for the dainty damsels in their life. Women meanwhile are supposed to buy men a book as the country’s legendary bard, Miguel Cervantes, died on this day.