I'm going to studying in Granada next semester, and have the week of Semana Santa off from class.
Where is the best place(s) to be during this week?? I know Sevilla is very popular, where else?? Would you all suggest that I spend the entire week in one location, or split the time between more than one city? I know I have a lot of time to think on this, but Im just tyring to get an idea Thanks!

Not much happens Monday thru Wednesday of that week. Sometimes I wonder why they call it Semana Santa. Many Offices shut down Wednesday evening and don't re-open until the following Tuesday.

For Processions and such, Sevilla is the place to be Thursday and Friday of Semana Santa. Thursday it is traditional to correr monumentos (i.e., visit several Cathedrals and Churches). The Virgen de la Macarena Procession 'kicks off' around midnight Thursday and returns to the Basilica Friday morning.
The Ayuntamiento de Sevilla publishes and distributes a schedule of Processions. Your taxi driver might be able to provide you with one.

IF YOU CAN, spend the entire week of Semana Santa in Sevilla can provide you with one of "Life's Special Moments" in my opinion. I did this in, what, 1997 and we did most of the regular tourist things while there as well as enjoying the daily processions and the nightlong one outside of the Cathedral on the Thursday night. We rent chairs, it was about 25 degrees, we nearly froze our @$$ off and one of the coldest on record but there were plenty of chairs available so we took frequent breaks to have a coffee in some nearby bar, even at 3:00am, 4:00am, and 5:00am. We finally left the processions at about 6:30 or so and saw the sun rise as we made our way back to where we were staying. I'd say we saw about 29,000 capuchinos that night. Maybe more!

This year, I'm not sure where we'll be going during Semana Santa. During this holiday, I've been to Madrid (of course), Sevilla/Córdoba, Barcelona, and Galicia. We're still debating what region to see this year, somewhere different, I'd imagine. Looking forward to it, that's for sure.

Saludos, MadridMan

Madridman writes: Hey, MM: I think they are called Nazarenos, not capuchinos

WHAT?!!?!? REALLY??!! I could have SWORN they were called capuchinos. I'll have to look over my program at home (if I can find it). My ladyfriend (from Madrid) and I BOTH have been calling them capuchinos for the last several years! It seems to me there were TWO different kinds of men which wear the robes and the tall, pointy hats and those which numbered in the hundreds for each individual procession were capuchinos. Hmmph! That reminds me of last last Semana Santa during the "Party With MadridMan" at El Brillante in Madrid and someone asked me in Spanish how it was that I spoke Spanish so well (well for a Yanqui) and I told them, in Spanish, "No soy fluido" or "I'm not fluent" (this is what I thought). And member Shawn (now in California - last year in Valladolid), looked at me, then to the group, then back at me and said, "FLUIDO??" That brought forth the discussion about my MISUNDERSTANDING of that word -- which I'd been using FOR YEARS and no one ever corrected me.

So thanks Eddie (and thanks Shawn) for the correction.

Saludos, MadridMan

Yeah, I always say corriente for fluent.

Mman, I see nothing wrong with saying something like:

"Lo siento, mi español no es demasiado fluido...."
"Sorry, my Spanish is not so fluent...."

"Me temo que no hablo un Español muy fluido...."
"I'm afraid I don't speak a very fluent Spanish...."

(The trick is not saying that YOU are 'fluido' I guess :p ).

Kelly!

Why leave Granada? Semana Santa is absolutely increible during Holy Week. I would recommend that you stay put!! Travel during the week in Southern Spain is OUTRAGEOUS!!!!If you are interested in leaving make sure that you have reservations AHEAD of time!!

Debbie

WOO HOOOOO!!!!!! I JUST BOUGHT MY PLANE TICKET TO MADRID FOR 3 WEEKS SURROUNDING SEMANA SANTA!!!

kelar419, I imagine being in Granada for Semana Santa to be a wonderful time. I'm SURE they have spectacular pasos there as well.

Enjoy your experience there! I KNOW you'll carry it with you all your life.

Saludos, MadridMan

I've caught the Semana Santa fever too. I found a fare LAX to Madrid for $650 USD and grabbed it. Finally was able to book a room in Sevilla yesterday.