We all know the story of St. George… Legend has it that in the 12th century St. George had been travelling for many months by both land and sea when he came to Libya and heard tales of a fearful “dragon” terrorising the country. “Dragons” in these times were often used to represent the devil, hence the religious references throughout the story and the later saint naming of St. George when he defeated the dragon and managed to save the beautiful maiden from the jaws of death.

We have all grown up listening to this story at home or at school and, even though St. George’s Day is not as well-known or celebrated as much as St. Patrick’s Day; when all the pubs and bars all over the world are decorated in green, offering out leprechaun props and guinness hats; we should still be proud to celebrate it, especially when we realise St. George is also the patron saint of Catalonia and, seeing as the Balearic Islands equally shares the Catalan language, this day is also widely celebrated all over Majorca!

As you may already know from reading our previous Gran Isla Hotels blog posts, Majorca never misses an opportunity to celebrate, especially when it’s something as important as this day. However, in contrast to Barcelona’s celebration of the day, Majorca celebrates it on a more intimate scale. Barcelona becomes a river of red and yellow with Catalonia’s flag draped across every balcony, terrace and bar and there’s an animated ambiance in the air, with numerous book stalls and festivals taking place all over the city. The same goes for Majorca, of course, but because St. George isn’t Majorca’s official patron saint, you don’t have to worry so much about the hustle and bustle that comes with fighting over books and red roses here. Why, you ask, would you need to fight over these? Well, in fact, for Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, St. George’s Day is actually a more romantic day than Valentine’s Day; often referred to as “El Dia de los Amantes” which translated to “Lovers Day”. This is because St. George’s Day takes place on April 23rd: the day that England and Spain’s most famous writers (Shakespeare and Cervantes) died. And that is how the giving of books come into play. Somehow roses for the ladies were also added to this tradition so now, all over Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, couples exchange these gifts on this day: books for the men and red roses for the women.

Given that this romantic tradition doesn’t exist in England, (even though we strongly believe it should!) why don’t take the opportunity to take part in this celebration. You can always switch it up and both give each other books for the special day and leave the rose for Valentine’s: after all, who’s to decide that some ladies wouldn’t prefer a book to roses? Or vice versa!

Of course, what better place to celebrate this day than in Majorca; an idyllic island surrounded by crystal-clear turquoise water and encased by white-sand beaches. One of the best locations for a romantic getaway on this paradise island is in the north, more specifically, the Port of Alcudia, which is quieter than places like Magaluf but also developed enough to offer all kinds of facilities and exciting activities. Our Hotel Piscis Adults Only resort reopens its doors to guests this Friday 28th meaning that from this date you can book your romantic stay with us at any time over the summer.

No matter when, we’ll offer you a relaxing stay where you can wind-down and enjoy quality time with your partner away from parent-life or work responsibilities.