Enjoy everything that Girona offers you during the Sant Jordi Day: flowers, books, romantic restaurants and much more.
Sant Jordi is, without a doubt, one of the most emblematic days of the year in Catalonia. The streets are filled with stalls and people strolling, lovers exchange flowers and books, and the cities teem with life. Culture and love go hand in hand on this day that has grown around the legend of Sant Jordi and the dragon.
Below we have prepared a brief itinerary for you to enjoy a romantic and beautiful day in Girona from early morning until night.
Charming bars for breakfast in Girona
You cannot start the day on the right foot without a proper breakfast. And with the offer of bars, cafeterias and places to have breakfast or brunch, the decision is not easy in Girona. If you like sweets, the Xocolateria l'Antiga located in Plaça del Vi is one of the best places to start the day. Hot chocolate accompanied by some gingerbreads or the famous grandmother's cake are some of its specialities, which you can take indoors or on the cool terrace.
If, on the other hand, you prefer to have a brunch to skip lunch and make the most of the day, you will find the Federal Café on Carrer de la Força. Pancakes, smoothies, salads, toasts, hamburgers... a whole arsenal of varied dishes that will fill you with energy for the rest of the day.
And if you are one of those who does not start to wake up until the first coffee, in Girona you are in luck: there is such a wide variety of quality cafeterias that some time ago we made a post with the best ones.
Emblematic places of the Barri Vell in Girona
Once
Once you had breakfast, it is time to put down the food and take a walk around the city. Girona's Barri Vell is full of narrow streets and corners to discover calmly. One of the busiest places in Sant Jordi is the Rambla de la Llibertat, traditionally the nerve center of the day and which is filled with book stalls and flower shops. Despite the fact that in recent years the book stalls have moved to Parc de la Devesa as a result of covid (it seems that this year the formula is going to be repeated), La Rambla continues to be a must-see place: balconies full of landmarks, people walking and the traditional figure of the Tarlà cheering young and old.
From the Rambla itself we only have to cross one of the bridges that cross the Onyar (and take some photos of the houses on the river) to reach another of the places that are filled with life around Sant Jordi, the Plaza de la Independència. With bars and restaurants around, this square is a meeting place for both tourists and locals. The terraces under the mythical arcades or the sun that fills the space with color throughout the day are two of the reasons why meeting up for a vermouth or a soft drink is a pleasure.
Now about to finish, and due to the impossibility of listing all the charming places in Girona in this blog post, we must visit Parc La Devesa. This urban park (the largest in Catalonia) has become the main stage of Sant Jordi due to covid and in view of its success, it seems that it will repeat this year. And points in favor are not lacking. Plenty of space to distribute all the stops and a natural environment that fits very well with the festivity.
Romantic restaurants in Girona per Sant Jordi
With the hustle and bustle of visiting the stops and the city, you are sure to get hungry. And on a day as special and romantic as Sant Jordi, there is nothing like celebrating life in one of the many great restaurants of the city. To begin with, we cannot talk about the most romantic restaurants in Girona without mentioning Le Bistrot, a classic in the city and which in 2014 was considered, together with the stairs of Sant Martí, the most romantic place in Spain in a survey in the Post Office Facebook. Its French and bohemian air give it a special movie-charm. Also, the food is really good and lives up to its fame.
Another option if you are looking for a place that combines originality and quality is the "Probocador" restaurant. Its name, a play on words with provocateur, already indicates his intentions. Starting with quality products and with an original bet, its cuisine is one of those that remains etched in the memory.
Florists and bookstores in Girona
Although, as we have said in the previous point, La Devesa will be full of stands selling roses and books, there is nothing comparable to the tranquility of a good bookstore. Walking into a bookstore, as bibliophiles know, is always special. In Girona, after the closure of the legendary Geli bookstore, Llibreria 22 has become one of the most famous. Founded in 1978 by the cultural agitator Guillem Terribas, it has now become the literary center of Girona. In addition to the original bookstore, it has another comics bookstore and a kiosk in front and a cultural center where they make presentations and other cultural events.
If what you like is to investigate shelves in search of hidden treasures, the old Sweet Books bookstore will enchant you. Hidden in one of the streets of the Barri Vell (and very close to our front office) is this bookstore full of first editions, rarities, discontinued books, hard-to-find versions... and lots of sweets and trinkets (hence the name).
And to finish the literary recommendations, if before buying a book you like to leaf through it calmly, the Context café is your bookstore. This cultural space is a bar, restaurant, bookstore and cultural center, all in one. You can have a beer or a wine from their great selection, you can attend poetry recitals or just sit down and read a book calmly.
If visiting Girona is always a pleasure, doing so on a day as special as Sant Jordi is one of the memories that remains etched in the memory. We hope that with these recommendations you can enjoy a memorable day and if not, you can always visit us at the front office. Long live traditions!
