Celebrate St George's day abroad

Going abroad for St George's day may seem unpatriotic to some, but think again.

It is a little known fact that England's patron saint and his famous dragon slaying skills are also celebrated in Catalonia, Germany, Malta and Russia. So, it is possible to go abroad and celebrate St George without betraying your patriotism.

Teletext Holidays rounds up the best places to celebrate St George’s day across Europe, with details on what to see and where to stay.

Catalonia
Sant Climent Sescebes celebrates Diada de Sant Jordi with an annual procession. According to local legend, there is a magic rock near the village that leads to a huge treasure, guarded by a magic spell that can only be broken on the night of St. George’s day.

In Barcelona, St George’s Day is celebrated by giving books and roses to loved ones. You can buy your books at the Book and Rose Fair, lining St James Square, and visit the Palace of the Autonomous Government to see the exhibition of roses. As Spain’s most cosmopolitan and forward-looking city, and capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia, Barcelona has great nightlife, stylish restaurants, many museums and spectacular architecture.

To visit Catalonia fly from London to Barcelona from £308.00 for two adults and stay at the Terrassa Park, in the Valles district, from £121.00 for three nights (prices based on two adults sharing).*

Germany
Like our own patron saint, Germany’s St George is famous for a legendary battle with a dragon. According to folklore, he saved Brandenburg from a lindorm (a dragon that looked like a fir tree) that had come to seek revenge for the accidental killing of its offspring. St George’s Church now stands on the site of this infamous event.

Brandenburg is close to Berlin, a must see whilst in Germany - especially with this summer’s World Cup! Not to be missed are the Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag Building. Berlin is also famous for its nightlife and highlights include Techno-den Panorama, as well as the kitschy Delicious Doughnut Research on Rosenthaler Strasse.

To visit Germany, fly from London to Berlin (Tegel) from £270.00 for two adults and stay at Am Campus from £121.50 for three nights (prices based on two adults sharing).*

Malta
In addition to celebrating St George’s Day on the traditional day of April 23rd, Gozo, in Malta, also has a larger festival from the third Tuesday to third Sunday in June each year. This has a great party atmosphere with pageants, horse races and fireworks!

Gozo offers visitors a glimpse of a simpler, rural existence. Protected coves, ruined Crusader castles and whitewashed little villages give the area an atmosphere of real history and rustic charm. Gozo has a number of excellent restaurants and has also established itself as a major scuba diving centre.

To visit Malta, fly from London to Malta from £672.00 for two adults and stay at Calypso, in Marsalforn, from £123.00 for three nights (prices based on two adults sharing)..*

Russia
St George is the mascot of Moscow and can be found in various forms all over the city (not to mention in Russian art, such as Kandinsky’s St George painted in 1911). Notable from more recent history is the World War II memorial depicting St George slaying the dragon, symbolising the war against the Nazis.

Moscow is a city of contrasts, combining the glittering and the grey, the beautiful and the bleak. It is the epicentre of the new Russia with shops, bars and a growing nightlife. Moscow is a city reinventing itself and is definitely worth a visit in the warm summer months.

To visit Russia, fly from London to Moscow Domdedov from £437.60 for two adults and stay at Zarya from £171.00 for three nights (prices based on two adults sharing)..*

For further information on any of these locations, please visit www.teletextholidays.co.uk or Teletext Holidays TV on Sky, channel 665.

* All prices are subject to availability XXX