Legend has it … that a long, long time ago the people of Montblanc lived in fear of a dragon that devoured all of its herds and threatened all of its inhabitants. The king, committed to saving his village when they no longer had any more animals, decided to draw lots among all the townspeople and give the dragon one person a day so that he would leave the town in peace, with the unfortunate luck that his daughter, the princess, was the first to be chosen. The king, honest and faithful to his decisions and to his people, sent his only and beloved daughter to the dragon´s cave. At that moment, a young knight armed from head to toe and riding a white horse appeared and launched his spear at the beast, wounding it to death. Right in front of the admiring eyes of the entire village, a rosebush with red roses as blood sprung up just where the dragon had died. The knight, who introduced himself as Jordi, plucked the most beautiful rose and offered it to the princess, victoriously bidding farewell to the village of Montblanc and leaving those lands forever and ever.
Sant Jordi has become the patron saint of Catalunya and April 23rd has been declared the Day of Sant Jordi, a National Holiday in Catalunya. This special day marks the day of lovers, and it is customary to give a red rose “like the blood of the dragon” to that special person. This day also becomes a day that celebrates Catalan culture, creating the tradition of giving a book as a gift. The streets of Catalunya are filled with stands of roses and books, and the locals dedicate the day to the celebration of culture and art.
Yurbban Hotels also wants to join the celebration of Catalan culture with a complete agenda for all those who want to celebrate this special day. First of all, our flower shop, Passage Flowers, will be open all day from 8h to 21h, offering the most beautiful and romantic roses.
From 17h on, the Yurbban Passage hotel will be filled with authors and fans of reading, where everyone is invited. First, we will welcome Arantxa Coca who will present and sign his book “Parejas al borde de un ataque de nervios”, (Couples on the verge of a nervous breakdown), on our terrace overlooking the city of Barcelona.
At 18h, in the Kitchen Lab, chef Teresa Carles will present her book “Recetas y principios de la cocina Vegetariana” (Recipes and Principles of Vegetarian Cooking), and we will talk about healthy cooking with nutritionist Mireia Cervera. In this case, attendance will be limited to 45 people, so previous reservations must be made through press@yurbban.com.
Lastly, to end this emblematic day, books will be signed on the terrace and poetry will be read, accompanied by live music by Magalí Sare i Sebastà Gris duo.
Let us be your date this Sant Jordi and let’s celebrate the Catalan culture together. Hope to see you all!