Fira sant ponc
By Charlotte Stace
Barcelona’s Fira de Sant Ponç is one of the city’s oldest and most traditional fairs dedicated to medicinal remedies, aromatic herbs and culinary delights.
Yet this fair is nothing new - it’s been celebrated by Catalans across the region since the Middle Ages and is named after Sant Ponç, the patron saint of herbalists and beekeepers. According to legend, after coming to Barcelona and witnessing the widespread misery that resulted from years of sickness, plague and poverty, the Saint began preparing potions and medicinal remedies to cure the city's sick. To show gratitude, the people decided to create an annual herbal festival in his honour.
In Barcelona, you can find the Sant Ponç celebrations on Carrer Hospital, where a variety of stalls are set up by local herbalists, artisans and craftsmen. Here, you’ll be able to buy aromatic herbs, chocolate, honey, artisan cheeses, candied fruit and much more.