I just read a posting clarifying carnivals in Spain during February. Now I have a question regarding holy week:

Is this the week leading up to Easter Sunday? What kinds of festivities are there and what cities hold them?

Do cities also have a fair after Holy Week similar to Sevilla's or is it just in Sevilla?

I, MadridMan, am confused about this too. This year, Easter Sunday is on March 31st, the last day of the month. I BELIEVE Semana Santa (a.k.a. Holy Week) is the week leading UP TO Easter Sunday. Can someone confirm this please?? Thanks. I'm planning MY next trip for this week before Easter Sunday and extending through the week AFTER Easter Sunday (get ready! Version 4.0 is coming!!).

Semana Santa (Holy Week) is observed by ALL of Spain. EVERY city, every town, every village and pueblo has some kind of "pasos"/procession with the churces in the area.

I've made 3 trips to Spain during Holy Week ( 1995 in Madrid/Toledo, 1998 in Sevilla/Córdoba, & 1999 in Barcelona/Navalcarnero) and find this a particularly interesting and cultural time. Where else in the world can you count 1,000+ capuchinos walking at a snail's pace?

The fesivities are simple....well, lavish, depending on where you are. SEVILLA is THE PLACE to be in Spain for Semana Santa, but not everyone can make it there. AND, it's almost impossible to find lodging in the 30 minute perimeter (we stayed in Alcalá de Guadaira). Spaniards are on their BEST DRESSED during this week and you'll see many of the women wearing the traditional black dresses and black ... ummm.. (what's the thing called which women wear on their heads????).. Anyway, if at all interested, I have a quite a bit of "footage" of Semana Santa and its processions on " MadridMan's Sevilla Video " from my 1998 trip there.

Maybe others members have other suggestions of particularly beautiful or cultural locations to see "los pasos" (the processions). I remember the first time I saw one in Toledo in 1995, my ladyfriend, a woman who is not at all religous, began to cry (well, one or two tears were released) as the processions of the Virgin Mary and Jesus passed by sooooo slowly. She wasn't the only one though.

Enjoy! I'll see it all again, not sure where in Spain this time, in a few months. Can't wait!!

By the way, here are a couple websites about Semana Santa in Sevilla: http://semanasanta.andal.es/ http://www.lapasion.org/

Saludos, MadridMan

[ 01-11-2002: Message edited by: MadridMan ]

I also would like to know about Holy Week.
I am planning to travel to Spain from March 25 till April 8th, and wonder if I am going to find available rooms, bus or train tickets.

Rafael

Unless already dicussed in detail on another thread, can someone give a historical perspective on the main points of this "national" week. I know the religious implications, but information on the cultural influences on, and with the celebration, would be greatly appreciated!!!

I believe Holy Week is the week leading UP to Easter Sunday. Reason being is that there are many Holy celebrations prior to Easter Sunday (Ash Wednesday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday)...

Ahh and just a little note to you all, Angel and I were married on Easter Saturday (day before Easter) last year! I was on a plane to Spain on Easter Sunday!!

[ 01-12-2002: Message edited by: Chica ]

MadridMan writes:

The lace head covering is called a Mantilla and it is worn with a peineta (large comb). In Sevilla one sees many ladies dressed like that accompanied by gents in traje Cordobés Thursday & Friday preceding Easter Sunday. It's a Catholic tradition known as 'corriendo monumentos' to visit a number of Churches on Holy Thursday. Actually it dates back hundreds of years to when it was taught one could earn certain Indulgences by such acts.
CathyM writes:

Yes! Friday is still observed as a holiday for most office workers. Many Madrileños also take Thursday & Monday off and head for seashore resorts. Most of the 'festivities' are religious processions and they are held in Madrid (c/Mayór Friday evening) and most of Spain's other major cities. Sevilla has the biggest and most colorful; and Cordoba has some very impressive ones: one in which the Nazarenos carrying a float have to squat down almost on their knees to pass thru the Portal of the Church. In Sevilla, Nazarenos are members of 'brotherhoods' competing for prize money and honors that go with winning the competition.


To the best of my knowledge it's just Sevilla although el Puerto de Santa Maria (Cadiz) has its feria de Primavera in early May.

[ 01-12-2002: Message edited by: Eddie ]

Thanks for all of the great responses.

More related questions:

Although the Holy Week processions are fabulous, are many restaurants/sites closed and are the crowds overwhelming? If so, is Holy Week really a great time to visit a city that you've never visited before? Or is the experience so wonderful that any of these little "problems" are quickly overlooked?

Is the Saturday before Easter Sunday also a good day to experience the festivities? Are there any "final" festivities on Easter Sunday?

The reason I'm so interested is that I'm planning a trip to Galicia in April but am considering moving it up to Holy Week, if even possible.

CathyM writes:
I've never been to Santiago for Easter, but
If you go to Santiago de Compostela, I am sure you would see the Botafumiero at the Pilgrim's Mass Saturday and at the High Mass on Easter Sunday http://communities.msn.com/gettoknowalittlefromspain
although the number of Pilgrims who make that trek in February & March may be fairly small.

Nothing special happens the Saturday before Easter in other parts of Spain. Easter Sunday is a day for festive family dinners and family get togethers.

Sevilla: crowds are very large in Terrazas & restaurants downtown on Good Friday. At the end of the Processions, many Nazarenos flock to Tabernas for cold CruzCampo after being in the Procession as many as 12-hours. Most restaurants are open; but expect family-run ones that just serve a 'menu del día' to be closed (i.e., no 'cheapies' that day).

The crowds are overwhelming; but that's part of what makes it such a pleasure. You could do a 'twofer:' Good Friday in Sevilla and Easter Sunday in Santiago de Compostela. Or: You could watch selected Processions on TVE

Thanks again, Eddie. Unfortunately the 2-fer idea won't work with this trip. I only have 5 days off work so I have to travel on the weekend, leave on Saturday and return on a Sunday. However, now I am fascinated with the idea of visiting Spain during Holy Week. In Santiago, does the famous Botafumiero make it's appearance only during special occasions or is it always out?

Any ideas about how booked flights to Spain would be for this time period? I'm flying on a friends and family pass stand-by only.

The black outfit along with the peineta and the black mantilla mean those women are dressed as 'Manolas'.

Apart from Sevilla where you'll find the most popular Holly Week, other popular destinations are Zamora and Valladolid.

CathyM writes:
The Botafumeiro is an incense censer that is said to have been used because the pilgrims who slept in the cloister emitted some foul odors. In normal years, the Botafumiero is only used on Church feast days (Palm Sunday, Easter, Pentecost, etc.). In año Santo you can see it in action more often (Saturday's Pilgrims' Mass, for example).

Trivia: What are the people called who pull the ropes that guide the Botafumeiro??

I have travelled to Madrid several times for Holy Week: Flights are usually very crowded with school children making a Spring Break trip (the Mother of all slumber parties is what I called it). How it will be after 9/11 is really anyone's guess. Palm/Passion Sunday (Mar 24) you may be all right going there; but Friday and Saturday probably wouldn't be very good for stand-by fliers. Even Easter Sunday might be a problem coming back.
Lots of luck! You'll need it.

Answer to my Trivia question: Tiraboleros!

[ 01-15-2002: Message edited by: Eddie ]

It seems that the Boutafumeiro makes its appearance only during special events.

However, some years ago my cousin visited the cathedral with a group of people the Botafumeiro was "magically" turned on after they paid 25000 pesetas (150 euros).

Rafael writes:
We went from Madrid to Alicante & back once for Holy Week and the Train (Talgo) was as crowded as I have ever seen. Book your bus or train tickets a day or more in advance and you shouldn't have any problem. When we day-tripped to Sevilla for Good Friday we didn't have any problem with reservations & tickets for the 0830 AVE Thursday (i.e., the day before).
Don't expect to find lodging in Sevilla (unless you're already booked) Wed, 3/27 thru Fri, 3/29.

Thanks for the SS recommendations, Antonio. Let me second the motion on Valladolid. Having only a video of Sevilla's to compare to, (which isn't fair), I will say that Valladolid's Semana Santa procession is impressive. The ENTIRE city seems to be in the main square, too. [Note to self: Go to Valladolid during Semana Santa...wait for procession to start, leave main square, and LOOT TOWN.]

Zamora may be even better as it's fame is known and it is a much smaller town than Valladolid. I've also been in Avilés for Semana Santa, and they had a good procession.