I will be spending the first few days of Holy Week in Spain, and wonder whether to schedule this time in Segovia or Toledo. (Sevilla is not a possibility.) Does anyone have any input/advice about the celebrations in these two cities and neighboring regions? Is there anything special done in Toledo cathedral on Palm Sunday, for example?
Any information would be appreciated. Thanks. Mary

Welcome aboard: Do a search, as in other threads this topic has come up. If you are in Segovia with a car, you are only two hours from the two largest Semana Santa processions outside Sevilla. Medina del Campo and Valladolid boast the two. Check out what others have to say, too.

Enjoy your trip!

While I've never been witness to any pasos/processions in Segovia (although I HAVE been there during Semana Santa), I did see pasos/processions in Toledo in 1995 and it was totally moving. It was my first trip to Spain and my ladyfriend and I went to nearby Toledo. I'm really not at all religious, nor is my ladyfriend, but she actually dropped a few tears at the sights of the Virgin and Jesus being carried ever-so-slowly through the narrow, winding streets of medeivel, gothic, ancient Toledo to the main square. We spent about 6 hours there and another 2 trying to leave the city for Madrid by car afterwards. With history permeating every brick and cobblestone, I'd vote for Toledo of the two you mention.

Saludos, MadridMan

I am not sure if it's every year, but Toledo had a Corrida de Toros on Palm Sunday a few years ago with an excellent Cartel (i.e., top name Toreros). Otherwise, Palm/Passion Sunday is like any other Sunday. I don't think the Semana Santa Processions really get under way until mid-week at the earliest.
Both Segovia and Toledo are definitely worth visiting (as is San Lorenzo de Escorial) but don't miss what Madrid itself has to offer.

[This message has been edited by Eddie (edited 02-13-2001).]

to Eddie, Calibasco, & others....

I'm finalizing my trip to Madrid, leaving around 3/29 for 2.5 wks. What are the exact dates of semana santa? 4/9 - 4/16?

I'm having difficulty getting a room for those dates in the centrally located hostels.

I wanted to see Madrid again during 'normal' times and I'm expecting that it won't get too crazy in the city during that week with all shops closed, etc. But any suggestions on what to expect would be welcomed. I haven't been back since '94 so I'm trying to remember was it was like during that time (weather as well!)

Leche

I have no idea...I never get Easter right until my wife tells me. Talk to your local Catholic priest. Try the one in Boise there at the cathedral. He seemed like a good man when we were there for mass in July. Sorry!

Easter Sunday is 15 Apr, so jueves de Semana Santa is 12 Apr, viernes, 13 Apr etc. Major retail stores (Corté Inglés, for example) in Madrid will be open every day except Sunday. Trains for the coast (Alicante, for example) will be very crowded with people going to or returning from their beach houses. Monday is also a holiday for most offices.

Most major religious processions are Friday. Sevilla's 'la Macarena' departs the basilica around midnight Thursday and returns around noon Friday. Several years ago we day-tripped to Sevilla on AVE for viernes de Semana Santa. We got there just in time to see the Procesión de la Macarena returning to el Portal de la Macarena and the Basilica. Sevilla's downtown area was wall to wall people, many wearing typical Andalucian garb. The sidewalk cafés and restaurants were crowded (with Nazarenos who had just finished their Processions) and it was very warm (90+F). The following year we just watched the processions on TVE from the air conditioned comfort of Carlos & Paloma's (our hosts) house.

[This message has been edited by Eddie (edited 02-15-2001).]

Mil esker, Eddie.