Sant Jordi celebrations charm locals and visitors alike

Sant Jordi 2025 will be remembered as a good one. No pandemic cancelations or heavy rain, just sunny skies, tens of thousands of people on the streets, and millions of books and roses gifted to loved ones.    

The celebrations in honor of Catalonia's patron, Saint George, were completely unexpected for some visitors to Barcelona.

"It was quite a surprise because we didn't really know anything about Sant Jordi. We just found out about it two days ago," three Italian tourists told Catalan News.

The charm of this day celebrating love and romance with books and roses won them over immediately.

"It's really lovely that all these people are gathered here around the book and flower stands, and it's such a cultural event."

For one couple Catalan News spoke to, there was even more to celebrate.

"I knew about Sant Jordi because my birthday is on St George's Day, said one Englishwoman.

"We came to Barcelona a couple of years ago and that's when I found out that they celebrated it big time in Barcelona."

"It's fantastic, absolutely fabulous," her Scottish husband added.

With the sun out, Barcelona locals were enjoying the day just as much as the visitors.

"Sant Jordi is a beautiful tradition where everybody goes out in the city, gets to enjoy the sights, the beautiful, red roses, and gets to gift them to their loved ones," one student selling roses told Catalan News. 

"It's a tradition that should be kept, and one that we should cherish," he added.

Queuing up to get her book signed, one woman put it simply: "Sant Jordi’s Day is the day of love, of universal love."

It's also a good day for booklovers, she pointed out. "Books are really well priced, there are lots of discounts, and it’s a great opportunity to celebrate with everyone you care about."

In Barcelona alone, 500 stalls with books and roses filled the streets, marking a record-breaking edition of the Catalan version of Valentine’s Day.

Beyond Barcelona

Sant Jordi celebrations took place across Catalonia, not just in the capital. 

Thousands of people packed into Avinguda de Francesc Macià and Rambla de Ferran in the western city of Lleida, where more than 200 stalls were authorised by the local authorities this year, 10% more than last year.

In central Catalonia, booksellers and florists both forecast positive sales figures due to the good weather and the fact that Sant Jordi falls on a weekday this year.

"It's a magnificent day," Isabel Casas, manager of the Llegim bookstore in Igualada, told the Catalan News Agency (ACN). "At 8 in the morning, we were still setting up the stall and people were already coming to look for books," she added.

In Manresa, nearly 170 stalls were set up – a similar number to last year – while in Vic there were 100, with another 50 in Igualada.

In northern Catalonia, more than 140 stalls filled Girona's old town for the second consecutive year.