Diada de Sant Jordi & Palma’s Top Children’s Bookshops

Wednesday April 23rd marks World Book Day and ‘Diada de Sant Jordi’ (Saint George’s Day) the Catalonian celebration of love and literature. In addition to story-telling and literary events across the island, hundreds of stalls selling roses and books will pop up in Palma, with authors reading and signing, and booksellers sharing recommendations and offering once-a-year Sant Jordi-exclusive discounts.

But why is Sant Jordi, Patron Saint of Catalonia, celebrated with the gift of a book or a rose? 

The Legend: The legend of Sant Jordi tells the tale of a brave knight, a white horse, a beautiful princess, and a fearsome dragon. Sant Jordi, a Christian soldier of the Roman Empire, died on April 23rd 303 AD, but some 600 years ago the tale of a dragon emerged, and as legend grew it became customary to commemorate the Saint’s death with the gift of a red rose – a symbol of the slain dragon’s blood, and Sant Jordi’s love and honour.

World Book Day: The idea actually started in Spain back in 1923, when Valencian editor Vicente Clavel launched a festival to celebrate books and reading. By 1931, it was moved to coincide with Diada de Sant Jordi, aligning with the deaths of literary heavyweights Cervantes and Shakespeare. UNESCO made it official in 1995, and now it’s marked worldwide. For many of us, of course, it’s also the day we inevitably end up raiding the fancy dress box at 7am looking for a vaguely literary costume!

Family Fun: Head into Palma to enjoy the many outdoor book stalls, public readings and workshops – you can find the full Palma program here. You may even spot Sant Jordi wandering the streets with his rose!

To celebrate Sant Jordi and World Book Day, we’ve rounded up six super kids bookstores in central Palma where you can celebrate the magic of children’s literature on April 23rd and throughout the year.