Holy Week, Semana Santa, in Andalucia is an event that literally transforms towns and cities across this region © Michelle Chaplow |
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Semana Santa - Holy week in Andalucia
2025 : Sun Apr 13 - Sat Apr 19
2026 : Sun Mar 29 - Sat Apr 04
2027 : Sun Mar 21 - Sat Mar 27
2028 : Sun Apr 11 - Sat Apr 17
2029 : Sun Mar 25 - Sat Mar 31
2030 : Sun Apr 14 - Sat Apr 20
Holy Week, Semana Santa, in Andalucia is an event that literally transforms towns and cities across this region. Processions of elaborately decorated floats with Jesus and Mary statues, groups of pointy-hood wearing Nazarenos (penitents), and shrill brass bands, walk slowly through the streets, from their parish church to the cathedral and back. It is an amazing experience, and a great time to come to Andalucia if you want to imbibe some deeply-held traditions that have less to do with religion than with social groupings and rituals. Many people avoid this time of year to visit Andalucia, but if you come prepared, both for the crowds and the inflated prices, then it is well worth the effort. You will never see anything like it again.
Semana Santa / Holy Week Dates. Most of the processions take place from Palm Sunday (Sunday before Easter Sunday) to Good Friday and Easter Saturday. there are very few processions on Easter Sunday and none on Easter Monday. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are public Holidays in Andalucia.
major pageantry
If you want major pageantry and rich, bejewelled Virgins, Malaga or Seville are the cities to head for. Seville has 60 brotherhoods, some with as many as 2000 members. The biggest stars of the show are the Virgins of Macarena and Triana, both of which make their grand appearance at 'La Madrugada', the small hours of Good Friday.
City Centres
From Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday traffic is closed off in city centres and the solemn processions take over in the afternoons (so be sure to do your shopping in the morning). The aroma of burning candles, the passionate strains of a late night saeta and the mournful trumpets that accompany images of Christ and the Virgin Mary create an other-wordly ambience that can transport even the most casual observer to another time and place.
But you don't have to be in a big city to get the Semana Santa vibe - villages and towns of every size have their own celebrations, and each province offers its own variation on the Holy Week theme, with many festivities declared to be of International or National Interest for Tourists.
Discover more about Semana Santa in Andalucia.
 Holy Week in Andalucia is a tradition that is an integral part of the culture and appropriately reflects the spirit of the people © Michelle Chaplow |
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Semana Santa in the towns of Andalucia
Future Semana Santa Dates
Semana Santa future dates are found in the info box on our Semana Santa home page
