Easter Sunday 2024 - March 31. What does this mean?

[JustJack]

I understand Easter is a very busy period in Spain, but can someone please break that down a bit?

What I don't fully understand is the flow of this Easter traffic. I'm assuming the day after Easter would also be a very busy day. How many days until things are back to normal?

I'm considering going to the south of Spain for the last two weeks of March with my family, as that's spring break. My family would fly back at the end of March and I'd start walking from Seville. So knowing Easter Sunday is March 31, what date would you depart Seville? It could either be March 29, 30, 31, or April 1. Which date would you leave to minimize the hassles of Easter travel?

 

[Albertagirl]

Easter is also spring break in Spain. That is why it is a very busy period for camino walkers in Spain, as many pilgrims are also off work and choose to walk the pilgrim routes then. This spring, I was a hospitalera in Calzadilla de los Hermanillos from a couple of days before Easter Sunday for two weeks. Besides the usual hospitalero/a chores, I opened the albergue officially for the summer season, to be ready for Easter walkers. I cannot say how busy the pilgrim routes in Spain will be next spring. But if they follow the usual pattern, they will be ramping up for the summer and opening summer accommodations. I would suggest that you discuss this with your family soon. Whatever day you choose to start during the Easter season will be busy. You can choose to reserve your accommodation in advance, at least for when you have your family with you. This would take off a lot of the stress. And they are many interesting Easter celebrations to watch if you are in Spain at that season.

 

[J Willhaus]

As I understand it, in Seville there will be many celebrations, parades, services in the week leading up to Easter so that might be an exciting time to be with your family.

Easter Week in Seville. Fiestas in Seville | spain.info

Easter Week in Seville. What to see in Seville and more on Spains official tourism website | spain.info

www.spain.info

 

[Former member 104756]

Jack, Semana Santa (Holy Week) for 2024 will be from 24 March through to Easter Sunday, 31 March. In towns and villages there will be celebratIons throughout the week, with an influx of visitors.

Apart from witnessing the amazing spectacle and large crowds, if you are planning to be in Seville or other popular destinations during that time, I’d be looking at accommodation now (as in yesterday). The prices will be likely already much more than at most other times of the year.

As to when to start walking from Seville, I guess it depends on whether you want to witness the Semana Santa celebrations or avoid them.

 

[Damien Reynolds]

It means prices go up for accommodations, but there are parades. Book in advance.

 

[trecile]

It means prices go up for accommodations, but there are parades. Book in advance.

And Sevilla is one of THE places to go in Spain for Semana Santa.

 

[Anniesantiago]

And Sevilla is one of THE places to go in Spain for Semana Santa.

They go up everywhere!
I've been looking this week, figuring out when I want to leave.

 

[Anniesantiago]

As I understand it, in Seville there will be many celebrations, parades, services in the week leading up to Easter so that might be an exciting time to be with your family.

Easter Week in Seville. Fiestas in Seville | spain.info

Easter Week in Seville. What to see in Seville and more on Spains official tourism website | spain.info

www.spain.info

Semana Santa in Sevilla is Spectacular! SSSS!

 

[Damien Reynolds]

Just don't be freaked out by the white hooded characters. It's not what you think.

 

[stevepjq]

Oh Seville on Easter - it is a sight to see. So much fun as are other major cities like Leon. As previously suggested, try to stay there for the activities Holy Thursday through Easter Sunday. Easter Monday is also a holiday but that would be the day, I recommend you start your journey.

 

[MinaKamina]

Just don't be freaked out by the white hooded characters. It's not what you think.

you never learn, do you Damien?

 

[duncanwhyte]

I thought there would be a range of closure, hold ups and such. On the remote Mozarabes there was action in all but the smallest villages. Street theatre enactments, marching bands and the all night vigil on maunday Thursday. All through the night.

However many of the central churches in the large cities are cordoned off in places to make stagings for various events. Some visitor places are closed or limited viewing. Mostly it seemed crowded in places and times, but all that needed to, kept working. So I expect flights, trains buses etc to continue as usual.

 

[Damien Reynolds]

you never learn, do you Damien?

Sorry. First time I saw it I was kinda freaked out. But I did research, and realized... so do I never learn?

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola - if one is a practicing Catholic (or just a simple Christian) then Easter in Spain is, imho, a sight to behold. As others have advised the period of Holy Week (from Palm Sunday to the Monday after Easter Day) will result in extra demand on accommodation. Also many smaller shops may be closed or have reduced operating hours. The advice about booking accommodation as far as possible in advance is also sound. Best wishes,.

 

[Antonius Vaessen]

I am planning to walk from Sevilla around Easter. I want to avoid the heat in Sevilla ( in 2015 I started 29 March and temperature reached 32 C) and the crowds that can be expected in Sevilla in the Holy week. I am not so much interested in the festivitities ( experienced them in other years)
So now I'm thinking to start walking wednesday after Easter. Can anybody tell me what I could expect in regard to the number of pilgrims that will leave Sevilla, will the busyness have been reduced by then

 

[Harington]

As I understand it, in Seville there will be many celebrations, parades, services in the week leading up to Easter so that might be an exciting time to be with your family.

Easter Week in Seville. Fiestas in Seville | spain.info

Easter Week in Seville. What to see in Seville and more on Spains official tourism website | spain.info

www.spain.info

They do not mean 'Easter week', which is the week following Easter Sunday. They mean Holy Week, which is from Palm Sunday to the end of the day before Easter Sunday. Holy Week in Spain sees many processions.

 

[geraldkelly]

Easter week in Seville is extremely popular and accommodation will be in very short supply and much more expensive. The city will also be extremely crowded and getting around will be difficult because of the number of processions, some of which continue all night. Search for semana santa sevilla on Youtube if you want to get an idea of what to expect.

Seville also has the Feria de Abril, which despite its name doesn't always occur in April. It's a traditional spring festival involving lots of people dressed in traditional dress. It happens either one or two weeks after Easter. Accommodation is Seville is basically impossible while it's on.

 

[Teez]

We are flying into Madrid on Mar 31 and hoping to catch a bus the same day to Burgos. We have accommodation booked already in Burgos. We will book the bus as soon as we can. Are there likely to be any unexpected problems?

 

[David37]

I understand Easter is a very busy period in Spain, but can someone please break that down a bit?

What I don't fully understand is the flow of this Easter traffic. I'm assuming the day after Easter would also be a very busy day. How many days until things are back to normal?

I'm considering going to the south of Spain for the last two weeks of March with my family, as that's spring break. My family would fly back at the end of March and I'd start walking from Seville. So knowing Easter Sunday is March 31, what date would you depart Seville? It could either be March 29, 30, 31, or April 1. Which date would you leave to minimize the hassles of Easter travel?

I walked the Via de la Plata this year (2023). I started on Easter Sunday, 9th April and had no problems with accommodation. In general, I didn't book ahead unless I was staying in a town on the weekend or there was a long weekend. Semana Santa in Sevilla is fantastic with all its Processions. The highlights are Easter Thursday, which is a public holiday in Sevilla and Thursday night/ friday morning. Easter Saturday was also good. It pays to have a siesta thursday afternoon so you can enjoy the processions starting at around midnight. The processions start Palm Sunday. I considered starting the walk Easter Saturday and it would have been fine also.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Last year we were in Manresa for Semana Santa. Other years we've been in Madrid, Cordoba, Granada, Sevilla.
Next year I'm hoping to spend it in Pamplona. I already booked my lodging, but would like to bus or train to Logroño the Monday after Easter. Hoping I won't have a problem. Getting excited!

 

[Vacajoe]

We are flying into Madrid on Mar 31 and hoping to catch a bus the same day to Burgos. We have accommodation booked already in Burgos. We will book the bus as soon as we can. Are there likely to be any unexpected problems?

Ooof!!! I’d definitely check on whether that bus will run since that IS Easter Sunday! And if it does run as usual, expect it to be very full - get tickets as soon as they become available.

 

[MissChic]

Just don't be freaked out by the white hooded characters. It's not what you think.

hahaha. I'm Spanish and my exhusband is British, he got the shock of his life when he saw them for the first time. I had to, indeed, explain that they were not what he thought they were. Just Jack, please do not miss Seville during Semana Santa. It's expectacular and very moving. Even if you are not Catholic, it is impressive.