This is one of the most keenly anticipated and widely celebrated Catalan public holidays. According to the traditional tale, Sant Jordi (Saint George) killed the dragon that used to live in Montblanc where it terrorized the local population, thus saving the king's daughter from certain death. Legend has it that a beautiful rose bush sprang up in the spot where the dragon's blood was spilled. From the 18th century onward, the Sant Jordi festival became widely identified as a Catalan 'fiesta' which these days arouses great popular, civic and cultural passion. On Sant Jordi's Day, lovers exchange a rose and a book and every town and city in Catalonia is filled with stalls set up to sell both.
In Christianity, Palm Sunday commemorates the entry of Jesus Christ and his disciples into Jerusalem. It was the last time Jesus went to Jerusalem and, according to the Gospel, that happened at the beginning of the last week of his life, a few days before the Lord's Supper. On Palm Sunday, families traditionally take to the streets dressed in their best clothes carrying white palm leaves or laurel bouquets. This tradition is gradually being lost due to the secularization of society, but one can still find stalls in the city that sell this type of braided palm leaves, an example of traditional craftsmanship. These are intricately crafted white palm leaves, each one more beautiful than the next, used by Catholics to symbolize the entrance of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem and the joy with which he was received. Palm Sunday also marks the beginning of Holy Week.
There are two official languages in Catalonia: Catalan and Spanish, and there are more and more people in the region who understand and speak English. You’re sure to get by.
One of the symbols of Barcelona, a meeting place for locals and visitors alike where people also flock to celebrate the victories of the Catalan team, Futbol Club Barcelona, Barça. The Canaletes Fountain has become one of Barcelona's most visited landmarks.
The Fossar de les Moreres is a place of great symbolic significance where the weight of history takes centre stage. Here, right in the centre of the Born neighbourhood, was the site of the graveyard for the fallen during the 1714 Siege of Barcelona. A monument stands on the site as a reminder. The place sometimes goes unnoticed by visitors. For the Catalans, the fossar is more than a memory. It is a homage.
Tarragona city, the capital of the Costa Daurada, is a city that grew out of the sea. 92 km south of Barcelona, showcases a roman legacy which has been declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco