• For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)
This is a mobile optimized page that loads fast, if you want to load the real page, click this text.

Seeking advice about participating in Easter week celebrations in Spain.

Opa Theo

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Camino Francais to Santiago
Having walked the St Francis route, Spain resonates with us. To celebrate becoming 75 years of age my wife and I wish to make a pilgrimage to Spain to participate in Easter Week religious celebrations. Can anyone suggest a particular town or city or church? Are there any travel organizations that could help us?
Thanks
Theo
 
Altus 24 Liters daypack (DENON 24 H30)
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
My two cents: Easter processions are held by Fraternities (Cofradías) where only members can take part. If you want to carry the "floats" on your shoulders, you have to train with the rest of the crew for a few months ahead of Easter. Those member wearing the spiky hats are also members of the fraternities.
So, as a rule of thumb, you can only be a viewer.
You might, though, be able to take part in Palm Sunday processions by simply carrying some branch of olive tree or a full palm leave, that type of celebration is open to all Christians.

Other than that, I cannot think of other scenarios where you might join in the celebrations as part of them.

Good luck with your pursue!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sevilla or Zamora, but any larger city in Spain. You don't need a tour group.
 
Camino Jewellery
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Go to Malaga.

I’ve been throughout Semana Santa to Malaga (x3), Sevilla (2), Madrid (1) and Leon (1).

For accessibility, spectacle, climate and sheer family-friendly participation in an amazing event; Malaga 100%.

Be prepared to stay up (very) late and seek out the departures from and returns to the start-points. The narrow streets overnight are spectacular.

You can get guides online or physically in town. The timings and routes never vary. You’ll find the tronos are constructed so as to (barely) pass through the narrowest of gaps en-route.

The accompanying bands make up with enthusiasm what they may lack in musicality; but that’s how it is.

You don’t need any facilitation whatsoever. It’s a small city centre; just don’t go to the viewing stands on the Alameda Principal; that’s boring. Just go and seek them out - follow the sound of inexpertly- blown trumpets.
 
Oviedo is another good place to view events. I started my Camino Primitivo there and timed it so that I could see the Sudarium and some of the Semana Santa events. A memorable experience.
 
Theo , most has been said , Logrono has probably the best procesion that I have ever seen with about 20 large floats and they have a practice day without hoods. Some floats have over 50 bearers and they all duck and enter the cathedral.
The most Intimate procession was at Granon where the town folk carry Jesus and the Mother Mary to a hermitage a mile away, in total darkness and after a service on the way back the old ladies initiate songs and prayers. To me one cannot beat it but please bear in mind that almost every Spaniard is on the Camino , is is exceptionally busy.
Granón
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Medina Rioseco has the “floats” an entire museum full of them but I do not know if they are paraded during Semana Santa.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
A second vote for Malaga where Semana Santa will run from Sunday 02 April to Sunday 09 April. As you will probably know, Semana Santa does not include "our" Easter Monday which is just a back to work day in Spain. The festivities in Malaga are so big (or more specifically the number of cofradías mentioned in an earlier post that you will find something happening every day of that week though the crescendo is reached over the Easter weekend.

That said, I would suggest you focus on which city can offer you hotel rooms and at a reasonable price.
In Malaga many will have been booked a year in advance and the prices seem to have a habit of soaring at this important time of year. I would imagine that all the main Andalucian cities will offer you a fantastic break with good weather - Malaga, Sevilla, Cordoba, Granada.

And if you can't find a room at a price you want to pay then just head for one of the many white villages. It won't be on the same scale but the local people will party just as hard.
 
Zaragoza has a fabulous gathering of drum processions during Holy Week. It is easily accessible from Madrid, Pamplona, and Barcelona so you could visit other cities via short train/bus trips during the week, plus it’s large enough that accommodations are readily available (though the earlier the better for cheaper rates)
 
Camino Preparation Guide
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I was in Leon for Easter 2022. There was a lot of Easter celebration there. Many parades per day, all the floats, church services. We attended a stations of the cross service on Good Friday in a church (not the cathedral), to the North east of the Cathedral. It was lovely. Personally, by Easter morning I was done with the crowds and began walking. My finest Easter memory happened in a little village on a hill outside of Leon, the church bells rang for a very long time and I could hear singing all over the village. It felt like heaven and seemed everyone had raised their shutters and began singing in harmony.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Camino Photo

Most read last week in this forum

Similar threads

K
  • Tags fiestas/holidays/markets
    • Oct 12 - National Day of Spain holiday
    Replies
    2
    Views
    1K
    DyanTX
  • Tags fiestas/holidays/markets
    • Camino Planning - Local Festivals
    Replies
    2
    Views
    759
    naplesdon
  • Tags fiestas/holidays/markets
    • Carnaval is coming, Carnaval has arrived
    Replies
    4
    Views
    970
    SabsP
    Menu
    Log in
    Register