What to do for Sant Jordi 2025 in Barcelona

Sant Jordi is Catalonia's most romantic day, with people buying books and roses for their loved ones on April 23. 

The streets are covered in red flowers and full of people buying books for their loved ones.    

Barcelona will have a record-breaking 500 stalls selling books and roses, making a total of 3,500 meters of space reserved for this joyous day. 

Here is what to do and where to buy books and roses during Sant Jordi day in seven different districts of Barcelona. 

Eixample district 

This year, the Eixample district will once again become the city’s main attraction, with 203 book stalls, centered around the Sant Jordi Superblock around Passeig de Gràcia, between Diagonal and Gran Via and Carrer de Balmes and Pau Claris. 

Casa Battló, one of the famous modernist buildings by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, will be decorated with roses, as it does each year, and is definitely worth a visit.  

Another iconic piece of Gaudí architecture is the basilica Sagrada Família, which will celebrate Sant Jordi with a huge audiovisual art installation called ‘Llum Primigènia’, about the legend of Sant Jordi.  

Ciutat Vella district 

The central district of the Catalan capital will have 94 book stalls, with the more than one-kilometer-long boulevard La Rambla once again becoming one of the main attractions, despite being under construction. 

At Passeig de Lluís Companys, the walkway in front of the Arc de Triomf monument, will also have books and rose stands. There will be a specific space reserved for comics, children's, and youth literature. 

On la Rambla de Raval, around 60 social organizations, collectives, and associations will celebrate Sant Jordi with some 40 activities, including workshops and book presentations. 

On April 23, many museums and public institutions, such as the Barcelona City Hall will be open for visits.

Central Plaça de Sant Just will celebrate its 16th edition of the Artists’ Book and Small Press Festival.

Gràcia district

The Gràcia district is known for having the highest number of bookshops per inhabitant. Besides those bookshops, there will be 23 book stands, from Jardinets de Gràcia running up Carrer Gran de Gràcia. 

There will also be a gathering of illustrators on the Plaça de Nicolás Salmerón square.  

Sant Jordi will also be celebrated in Park Güell with book exchanges, reading areas, and a workshop.

Les Corts district

This district will have ten bookstands in an effort to decentralize the celebrations and bring people towards more traditional places with local initiatives. 

There will be many activities by local organizations and shops in the area of La Diagonal Avenue.

Sant Martí district

This year, Sant Martí will have eleven book stalls, along with the already existing bookshops, and the main Sant Jordi areas will be around La Rambla de Poblenou, la Plaça del Mercat del Clot and the García Márquez library, which was named the 'Best New Library in the World' in 2023. The library will also be hosting activities.

At the Encants market, there will be a charity book stall. Books will be sold for €1 a piece, and all proceeds will be donated to the Spanish Association for Creatine Deficiencies.

Sant Andreu district

Plaça d'Orfila square is an epicenter for the inhabitants of the Sant Andreu and will be occupied on Sant Jordi by five book stands. Authors will be signing their books at the book stands and at the district's library. There will also be different literary activities, concerts, and child-friendly events organized throughout the district.

The neighborhood Bon Pastor will hold their first edition of the poetry competition Jocs Florals.

For same-sex love, the district will also celebrate its fifth edition of ‘Lesbian Sant Jordi’ (Sant Jordi Lèsbic).

Sarrià district

This year, the district will have two book stalls, and the main activities will take place around the squares Plaça de Sarrià and Plaça de Mañé i Flaquer.  

There will be other activities such as theater, poetry readings, and book exchange throughout the day in the district.  

Sant Jordi around Catalonia 

One of the factors that makes the day so special is that it is celebrated up and down all over Catalonia. Check out our guide to where to celebrate Sant Jordi if you’re outside the Catalan capital.