SPECIAL POST: SANT JORDI (ST. GEORGE)

Feliç diada de Sant Jordi! Happy St. George Day! Today, 23^rd of April is Saint George, the patron of Catalonia, that means that it is the most romantic day of the year.

In Catalonia, we have a very peculiar way of celebrating this day. The tradition says that men give their sweetheart a red rose, and the ladies give the men a book.  Moreover, the streets of all over Catalonia towns are packed with bookstalls and book markets on Sant Jordi’s day. It is almost impossible to have a relaxing walk, the main streets have crowed of people buying roses and books. However, it is one of my favourite holidays.

Barcelona's streets on St. George Day (I)

Barcelona's streets on St. George Day (II)

In addition to this tradition, children learned in the school the fantastic and knightly legend of St. George. The legend of St. George and the Dragon is truly a wonderful fairytale of knights in shining armour on white horses, dragons and beautiful princesses in the best traditions of chivalry, honour, romance, heroism, swordplay and love. This is the Catalan version of the St George legend:

Saint Jordi’s Legend:

"Once upon a time, a terrible dragon terrorised the inhabitants of a small village in Catalonia called Montblanc. The dragon wreaked havoc among the population and devoured the animals put out to pasture until there were none left. To calm the dragon's anger, the inhabitants of the village decided to sacrifice one person every day, chosen by drawing lots, and to offer that person to the dragon as a sign of their good will. "However, one, dark day, the person chosen to be sacrificed was the king's daughter. Just when she was about to be swallowed up by the dragon, a courageous knight appeared and confronted the evil beast. This was Saint George (Sant Jordi in Catalan). He thrust his lance into the dragon and, out of the blood that spurted forth, there grew a red rose bush. Since then, it has been the custom in Catalonia to present a rose to your loved one.”

St George's Legend

Hope you enjoy Saint George Day if you are in Catalonia, if not don’t hesitate to go the next year!

And don’t forget to give a red rose!

Feliç diada de Sant Jordi!

St. George

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BARCELONA

Good morning guys! Today I want to share with you the beauties of the capital of Catalonia. As many of you know, Barcelona has the reputation of being the most cosmopolitan, modern and avant-garde city of Spain. My target is to show you the less touristy places that make Barcelona a special place. First of all, I want to give you 3 essentials tips to make your stay more enjoyable.

1. It is very easy to get around the city, the metro is open until late at night, there are also continuously buses that connect all parts of the city and taxis are not too expensive. But if you want to enjoy the city as a whole I recommend you to take a bike, they are available throughout the city.
2. Be careful with pickpockets. I recommend you're always aware of your personal belongings.
3.  If you come in summer, remember to bring sunscreen. It gets quite hot especially between 1pm and 5pm. I also recommend always carry a water bottle with you.

With this tips you are ready to enjoy the city!

My goal is to show the most beautiful places for the inhabitants of Barcelona. So you will not find many tourists wherever you go. Here you have the top 3 places you can visit in 1 day:

One of the places you can visit in the morning is Monjuic. It is close to Plaza España and has direct communication with metro (L1 and L3), train and bus. At the top of the mountain there is the Palau Nacional, currently the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC). Opposite the National Palace there's Magic Fountain. It is a beautiful fountain illuminated with different colors. It is free and worth enjoying it. 

National Palace Montjuïc

Magic Fountain Montjuïc

If you continue up the mountain you will find the Olympic Stadium and the Palau Sant Jordi, where the Olympics Games 1992 were celebrated. If you are traveling in summer you can go swimming in the Olympic pool that is open to the public. You will enjoy excellent views of the entire city while you give yourself a dip.

Olympic swimmingpool I

Olympic swimmingpool II

In the afternoon you can go for a walk through the Port Vell. The Port Vell is the oldest part of the Port of Barcelona. You will enjoy a memorable walk among the scent of the sea and daily life of Barcelona sailors. Nearby the Port Vell there are several facilities such as the Palau de Mar which houses the History Museum of Catalonia. We can also find Barcelona Customs, the World Trade Center and the Aquarium of Barcelona. Also in the central part there is an area dedicated to commercial use, known as the Maremagnum. There is also part of the port reserved for cruise ships.

Port Vell

Moll de Fusta

To end the day, I would show you the secret that hide Barcelona. It is a place that knows only the people of Barcelona, the locals call the Bunkers. It is located in the neighborhood of Carmel and has great views of the city. So I recommend you go to the sunset. I'm not going to say much more because I want you to enjoy yourselves the amazing spectacle. To arrive I recommend you taking the bus lines: 24, V17, 92 or 119.

Bunkers Views I

Bunkers Views II

Port Vell

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