Semana Santa in Madrid is lively, certainly not somber. Many of the museums, including the Prado, close on Good Friday, but most are open during the rest of the week except Mondays. The bars and restaurants do a big business as lots of tourists, including thousands of Spaniards, come to Madrid for the processions. The streets, particularly the area around the Puerta del Sol, are jammed during the evening until very late at night.

The most important and impressive procession is that of Jesús de Medinacelli (from the church of the same name behind the Hotel Palace). You should be able to get the time it starts and the route (which includes the Calle de Alcalá) in your hotel or from the official tourist office in Calle Jesús de Medinacelli off the Plaza de las Cortes.