April 23rd is the feast of Sant Jordi (Diada de Sant Jordi), the patron Saint of Catalonia. The tradition is that the man buys the woman a rose and the woman buys the man a book, although this is not just between lovers, it is also between friends, workmates, … . It is a very colourful day as you will see almost everybody carrying at least one rose.
Although Sant Jordi is not a public holiday, city centre (and Las Ramblas specially) is totally packed with people walking around looking for books and roses or simply enjoying the atmosphere.
As it is also Book´s day (Dia del Llibre) there are lots of bookstalls where you can even see writers signing their own books.
It is a very romantic day, although in recent years is getting more commercial, but still a very enjoyable day.
Tip: April 23rd is the only day of the year that the Palau de la Generalitat is open to the public. It is a magnificent building so it is a highly recommended visit. Big queues are expected so try to get there early.
Tags: sant jordi, dia del llibre
Nice tradition but it is far too commercial
Miguel