Easter on the Via de la Plata

[Sansthing]

I am hoping to start from Seville early in April 2012. I know Easter Sunday is on April 8th and that Easter can be a busy time as many Spanish people take that week off, some to do part of the Camino. My question is whether Easter week is the week before or after Easter Sunday, and whether there would be many people starting from Seville then. I want to avoid the Easter "bulge" if possible but at the same time not start too late myself because of the heat later on. Any info would be much appreciated. Many thanks.
Sandra :arrow:

 

[lynnejohn]

I believe Easter Week ends with Easter Sunday. We began one of our caminos on the day after Easter Sunday and there was not much of a bulge by then.

Buen Camino.

lynne

 

[Sagalouts]

hi Sandra
I think that Easter is a bigger thing in Salamanca and Zamora ie no room at the inn,but as you are prob starting after all should be well.
nice to see you planning another Camino,I wish you well
Ian

 

[anne136]

Hy Sandra!
I think it will be no problem, to start in the easter-weekend in Sevilla. It is early in the year, and i think, that there are not so much pilgrims. In Sevilla there is no albergue an you must look for a hostel, hotel or pension. 2010 i walked the via de la plata in april/may from Sevilla to Salamanca and it was not very full, 10-15 pilgrims, but not more. This year i walked the second part from Salamanca to Santiago und Muxia, starting at the 11. of april. The first week e met nobody on the way, only in the afternoon or evening two or three pilgrims arrived in the albergue, then it get fuller, but it was never a problem to get a sleepingplace in the albergue.
The biggest problem on eastern: i walked 28 kilometres to get a breakfast, and there was no open bar on the way, so take some breakfast in your rucksack in the day before eastern.
Have a good way and enjoy the planning. If you want to look some pictures or video-clips look on my blog. I am from germany, and i´m writing in my homelanguage, but you can have a look on the pictures.
http://www.anne-sternenweg.blogspot.com
Much greetings Anne

 

[sulu]

Hi Sandra,
Holy Week, the week before Easter is VERY big in Seville, there are important processions every day and people go from all over Spain. You will do well to look for accommodation before booking a flight if you intend to start from Seville on Easter Sunday.
Most of Spain has holidays during the days leading up to Easter but Catalonia and Valencia have Easter Monday off so many take the week after Easter to do some of the Camino. How many of these will be thinking of the VdlP I don't know, I imagine most go to the Frances.
I am starting from Seville on Easter Sunday but I booked accommodation back in October!
Sue

 

[camino07]

Hi Sandra and Sulu
I decided to give Easter a wide berth so won't start walking until the Friday. I arrive in Seville on Wednesday the 11th April. Hope there are a few pilgrims leaving around then. I guess you two will be well in front of me.
Happy New Year when it comes.
Heather

 

[sulu]

Hi Heather
I specifically want to see some of the processions, hope it doesn't rain! But I do know the city will be heaving, just hope the camino is not that busy, some people is nice though
Buen camino
Sue

 

[Sansthing]

Thanks for all your helpful replies, at the moment I can't decide between April 3rd or April 10th! I'm walking with a friend, so we'll make up our minds together.
Nice to hear from you Sagalouts, thanks for your good wishes. I know you're "Caminoed out" at the moment, but hopefully it'll wear off!
Sandra :arrow:

 

[alipilgrim]

Hi Sue, Heather and Sandra,

I too am walking the Via de la Plata but am starting a bit before you - March 31st! Sue, have you booked accommodation along the Way, or just in Seville?

Thanks, Allison

 

[sulu]

Sue, have you booked accommodation along the Way, or just in Seville?

Hi Allison
I have only booked in Seville. I prefer to use Albergue so can't book, though I know that there are some long days on the VdlP so I may need alternative accommodation sometimes. I am keeping my options open. I will only be walking to Cacares, I will have to do the rest sometime in the future.
Sue

 

[bjorgts]

Happy new year!
I will start in Cadiz earlier than you, and will be further up north when we come to Holy Week/Easter. The whole Holy Week ending up on Easter Sunday is big in Sevilla, so book ahead if you are there that week. If it can help you with your planning, here are the names on the two Sundays. Palm Sunday: Domingo de Ramos. Easter Sunday: Domingo de Resurrección. If you want an impression of what is going on in Spanish cities during this week, use You Tube and write “Semana Santa” or Pascua”. If you combine this with the city names, you will find that there are processions in almost every place you pass through during this week. If you google this words combined with city names, you can also find some programs for the week.

I walked Camino France at Easter in 2007, and my best memory from this week is not the big processions in Logroño and Nájera, but the mass and procession in a tiny little village with ten houses, 40 people and a church on Easter Sunday. So this time I know that I will find processions on most of the places where I pass that week, and the small ones tell my something about the local history of this traditions. Those will be more important for me to experience than the big once in Sevilla, Merida, Salamanca and Zamora. I was in Pamplona on Domingo de Ramos, and this day seemed to be sort of “the childrens day”. Hispanics, am I right?

I tell you all this because may be you should not only consider the possibility of many walkers, but also the possibility of getting an impression of Spanish Easter. I really look forward to just that now.

Generally I have not booked ahead, but have booked in Merida, which is also an important place at Easter.

My husband and I have walked Via de la Plata in parts during the two weeks after Easter for some years, and have experienced everything from being almost alone to full albergues. I remember that we once walked a couple of really long stretches to get away from a bulge with 30-40 people at the albergues. Having done that, we then were almost alone at night. So what will be or will not be, is not easy to tell. If you end up in a bulge, it may be very concentrated and a day forth or behind you can walk almost alone.

So, there will be several walkers from the forum on Via de la Plata this spring, but may be none of us will meet any of the others.

Bjørg

P.S.: If you find my English is not good, remember that some of us are writing a foreign language when we write on this forum.

 

[sulu]

If you find my English is not good, remember that some of us are writing a foreign language when we write on this forum.

I can't see much wrong with your english I don't suppose many of us would fancy writing in Norwegian so just feel proud of yourself and don't worry.

I have seen Easter processions in smaller places, some have impressed me and others not, this time I really want to be in Seville. It may be so crowded I will regret it but only time will tell. Ss regards accomodation on the camino around Easter, maybe if we all psot our experiences it will help others to judge next year!
Enjoy your camino and Happy New Year,
Sue