Magical Easter in Spain – Semana Santa

The holy week in Spain

Spain has been a lusted place by travelers all over the world. Firstly, it is a beautiful European country with a blend of history and cultures. There is a lot of architecture, beaches, local markets to explore and enjoy. The period from May to September is the best time to visit Spain and other parts of Europe. However, with Spain, there is an exception. Each year hundreds of travelers visit Spain around Easter time in April. As the people love to see the zeal and intensity of this festival.

To make this Easter hopeful we are sharing one amazing Easter week ritual with you. The holy week celebrated just before Easter in Spain. There is a major show of faith, punctuality, religious fervor, and a complete passion for Jesus Christ.

Semana Santa paso


For the holy week, Spain is festive and full of life. However, the Andalusian region is second to none in the celebrations. There are floats with religious processions passing by towns. People line up and wait for hours to see such a display of the life of Jesus and Mary. Spanish people call these floats or figurines pasos. Sturdy men of faith in the procession carry these pasos.

Spanish food is another topic altogether, and amidst this festivity, there is a lot to eat. The Catholics abstain from meat in the holy week. Therefore, everywhere seafood and delicious vegetarian delicacies are baked and cooked.

Music plays another main role in Spanish culture. As the bands play passionate songs loudly the whole ambiance is different and festive for people observing it.

Notably, Seville in Andalusia has the best display of floats, the La Madruga event is marked as the most awaited one while people gorge on the local sweets such as torrijas and pestinos.

Castile and León

This region is in the northwestern part of Spain. Furthermore, this region is home to eight world heritage sites protected by UNESCO. As the history of Spain is full of many stories and changes of rulers thus the grip of Christianity is also very strong which survived many wars and invasions.

This region’s celebrations are not as grand as Andalusia but the participation of the brotherhood, processions, and devout followers is exemplary. The display art or floats for this festival are said to be made in workshops of famous designers such as Gregorio Fernández, Víctor de los Ríos, and many others.

Notably, Salamanca has the best celebrations planned for this event.  The striking procession of floats with sculptures of Jesus and the Virgin Mary with flags and candles set the right mood for this religious festival. The performance by the University of Salamanca’s Brotherhood of the Students is also a treat for all.

Spaniard Catholics and their fervor

The fact is that all over the country the Semana Santa festivities are huge and great. Additionally, each region has something unique to offer while Badalona does a silent procession with only candle lights making the ambience surreal. On the other hand, there is Murcia where the whole region is famous for strict adherence to orders and major attention to detail.

There are lavishly decorated floats with flowers and elaborate sculptures. The brotherhood members wear clothes that are identical and set the aura of passion and love for Christ.

Moreover, Madrid and Barcelona also have their share of festivity in the weeks. However, as the cities have a business and much corporate work going on. The processions are managed so the general work and traffic are not disrupted for long.

If you are planning to visit Europe a bit earlier than the peak months, make sure to book Spain and experience the Holy Week the way Catholics do in Spain.

You get the music, the passion and food all on the roads. Hola Spain!

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