April 23, Saint George's Day, is a very special day. A popular and much-loved celebration in Catalonia. The streets are filled with book stalls and roses, turning towns and cities into great outdoor bookstores and flower shops!
This holiday coincides with International Book Day, and it is very common for couples and loved ones to exchange roses and books as a sign of love and affection, a tradition that goes back to the Legend of Saint George.
The legend of Sant Jordi says that there was a terrible dragon in Montblanc that caused havoc. To appease him, a person was chosen who was sacrificed to the monster. One day luck pointed out the king's daughter, who would have died at the hands of the beast if it hadn't been for the appearance of a knight who faced the dragon and killed it. And from the spilled blood was born a rose garden with red flowers.
There are many places and ways to spend the cultural festival par excellence. We will give you some good reasons to spend it in Calonge and Sant Antoni.
El Sant Jordi in Calonge, the first Catalan booktown.
There are in France, the United Kingdom, Norway... and from the end of 2021 also in Catalonia. Calonge is the first Catalan booktown, a town dedicated to books. There are seven bookshops specializing in different themes that you can find while walking through the historic and medieval center of Calonge. Under the slogan "Calonge, Town of Books" we find different specialized bookstores: Llibooks and Calonge Comics, via Libelista Calonge and Rals Llibres. Also Viatgera, Cocollona and Orient.
All of them dedicated to different literary genres so that visitors can choose the topics they like best. This year will be the second Sant Jordi for the Catalan Booktown!!
In Calonge and Sant Antoni we are betting on a popular and international festival of the book and the rose that does not only take place in a single day; For almost a week, there are workshops, book launches, shows, live music and the expected rose and book stalls.
To round off these days of celebration, spend some time walking by the sea, or sit on the beach and enjoy one of the books that have been purchased for Sant Jordi.