dskimo1

I am considering a trip to Spain next April during Holy Week. Outside Seville, will Spain be particularly crowded that week? What if we spend most of the time in Madrid or the day trips around Madrid? We would like to avoid terrible crowds.

jamikins

I am not sure about Milan, but we spent Holy Week in Barcelona and San Sebastián this past Easter and didn't find the crowds to be bad. We also didn't see any processions etc so if that is what you want to see I think other towns may be better but there will be crowds. You can see our pics here to give you an idea of crowds

Barcelona https://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gi...7644215874841/

San Sebastián https://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gi...7644330328153/

ribeirasacra

It is a the first public holiday of the year so it is always busy. Some places more than others.
Madrid has it's own website for the celebrations, but still show programme for 2014 as it is too early for 2015.
http://www.semanasantamadrid.es/
a link to photos of Semana Santa in Madrid.
http://bit.ly/1mbr6wH

kimhe

Holy Week is pretty low key in wonderful San Sebastián. Weather will be very unpredictable, but otherwise April is a great time of year to go, a couple of months before the summer visitors flock to this culinary capital of Spain if not all of Europe and the fabulous city beaches. A little about Holy Week here from the Hotel Londres website: http://www.hlondres.com/en/concierge...-san-sebastian

Robert2533

Semana Santa is celebrated throughout Spain. There are large celebrations in the south, more so than in the north, but you will find excellent processions in Burgos and the Rioja; Logroño, Calahora, "Los Picaos" de San Vicente de la Sonsierra and "Quema de Judas" in Alfaro, and a week long celebration in Corella, plus celebrations in Tudela, Pamplona, Sangüesa, Estella, Artajona, Olite and Zugarramurdi (Navarra).

The weather can be unpredictable at times. We had a minor snow storm in Samaniego a few years ago on Easter Sunday when they were burning Judas.

I wouldn't say the crowds are ever 'terrible', as most processions happen at night, but it can be entertaining and exciting if you've never experienced some of the events during Holy Week. The only problem is that it is high season nearly everywhere, so hotel prices tend to go up somewhat.

Pegontheroad

I have been to Semana Santa twice, once for three days in Málaga and four days in Sevilla, and the second time in Málaga for a week.

Sevilla didn't work well for me. There was rain, which canceled the processions, and hotels were extremely expensive. In many cases, they doubled their prices. It was hard to see the processions because the streets were lined deeply with people.

In 2012 I went to Málaga, and it was wonderful, absolutely unforgettable! The processions started in the early afternoon--maybe as early as 1:00 p.m.--and lasted well into the night. It was also very crowded, but since there were seats and bleachers lining the way, I was able to sit until the "owners" of the seats came along, and then I just moved to another seat.

It was more difficult in the evening, as there were spectators lined up ten deep all along the route,so I rented a seat at the hotel and was in the front row. Renting the seat was expensive (110 euros), but absolutely worth it.

For me as well as for Malagueños, one of the most enjoyable evenings was Maundy Thursday, when the Spanish legionnaires disembarked from a ship and quick-marched through the streets. They are called "Novios de la Muerte," or "Bridegrooms of Death," and they sing the very dramatic ballad about one of their own who met death in battle.

Others know the words and sing along enthusiastically with the legionnaires.

We stayed at the Hotel Don Curro, which was very close to the Avenida Principal, along which the processions took place. It was reasonably priced and very comfortable.

The following is my trip report, which includes the description of my experiences at Semana Santa in Málaga. It includes a lot of general stuff about my whole Spanish trip,
but beginning about April 18--19 the descriptions of the processions begin.

http://www.fodors.com/search/results...ge+trip+report

There's also a very informative report on Trip Advisor that helped me to know what I was going to see.

Christina

I've been in Seville and Madrid for part of it. I didn't even notice it in Madrid, in fact I went there specifically to avoid the hubbub it is in some other places (and the high hotel prices that go with it in such places, like Seville). I was in Madrid at the time that would be the heaviest (the end near Easter), I was only in Seville towards the beginning of it.

I think Madrid would be a good choice if you don't want a place that is really concentrated on it, it's a bigger city for one thing, maybe that helps. But it's just not as big a deal as in Seville.

TDudette

DH and I were in Bellagio Italy on Easter Sunday and in Bologna during the preceding week. The trains and bus stops were mobbed on Thursday before and very busy on Good Friday as well. We had made a point to purchase early in the week our reserved tickets for our train ride to Bellagio on Good Friday. Once there, we were early enough to catch an earlier train but were told that all reserved seats were taken. On Easter Monday, the ferry we needed to take was operating on holiday time so we had to re-arrange things.

I was in Madrid from Wednesday-Sunday this past Easter but wasn't traveling to other cities so I can't speak to crowds or schedules. There was a big procession on Good Friday and many streets were blocked off. I didn't have the same feeling of "the world" getting out of town the way we did in Bologna.

Based on 2 trips only, I got the impression that the long Easter weekend was trip home time for students and many families so my best suggestion for you is, once there, reserve a few days ahead for required train or bus trips. Also, get online tickets for galleries in advance if possible. We never knew which day we'd want to be inside. Watch for holiday schedules as well.

DH and I always reserved our planes and hotel rooms at least 6 months ahead of time but that might have been too much. Other Fodorites can weigh in.

dskimo1

Muchos gracias. What I'm taking from these posts is that we could see some processions if we are in Madrid, but the Holy Week (and the crowds and closed streets that come with it) would not prevent us from doing other sights that week, as well. If someone disagrees, please let me know.

mareeS55

If you're in Spain during Holy Week, you will get caught up in a procession somewhere. Might as well enjoy the spectacle, as it's still an intrinsic part of Spanish culture.

We found ourselves inadvertently caught up in Semana Santa a couple of years ago during a driving trip. Apart from various accommodation hassles in places like Toledo, Salamanca, Madrid, Santiago de Compostela, Burgos, Almeida, we found it fascinating.

Best was Palm Sunday in Santiago de Compostela. We arrived in town from out in the very west of Galicia, parked the car, immediately became swept up in the crowds towards the Cathedral, followed the procession, and attended Palm Sunday Mass with the hundreds of pilgrims who had finished the Camino.

As a not-very-observant Catholic from Australia with a lapsed Presbyterian husband in tow, this was a Mass that really blew me away. The cathedral was packed to the gunnels, the massive incense-burner was swung overhead on its rare Holy Week release, and the mighty pipe organ was in full throaty roar.

Holy Thursday in Madrid was pretty full-on. We caught the train there from Toledo because the inns were full, and ended up in a divey place near Atocha, but the street processions were spectacular there as well, and very crowded.

Good Friday and Easter Sunday we spent in smaller towns, no less ceremonial with the processions. In the end, it's best to go with the flow and let yourself get caught up in it. Semana Santa is one or our best memories of that visit to Spain, despite the accommodation frustrations.

kimhe

Excellent description mareeS55! And in Andalucia at least, particularly in Sevilla, the so called Madrugá from late Thursday and through all of the night, into the dawn, morning and early afternoon on Friday, is the undisputable highlight of the celebrations. The two major processions with the most beloved Marys (Macarena and Esperanza de Triana)for some 14 hours. In general, devotion, food, wine and high spirits hand in hand for a whole week.
http://sevillanlife.com/2012/04/08/h...na-la-madruga/

mareeS55

kimhe, The other images of Spain I keep are the storks clacking away in the steeples above the squares, and the midday light in the white towns, and the angelus bells, and fat green olives with a lunchtime cervesa.

kimhe

betty_moone

Hi dskimo1,

Madrid is a good place to come on Holly Week (Semana Santa in Spanish) if you want to enjoy Easter in Spain but not in a too much crowded city: http://www.gomadrid.com/semana-santa/

You'll still be able to watch the traditional Easter processions, if you wanted to, but the streets won't be as cramped as in Seville or other Andalusian cities.

Also you can visit other great places not far from Madrid, like El Escorial, Toledo, Segovia, to mention only a few.

And very important: Do not forget to taste a good 'torrija'! : wp.me/p5p61K-fS

Hope you have a nice Easter break!

MinnBeef

I will be in Sevilla for nearly all of Semana Santa, arriving on that Wed. the 1st and leaving the day after Easter for Granada. Does anyone have any recommendations for how a lonen tourist can best see some of the processions, considering the throngs of people? I ran across a website called mybalcony.com but it's not very user friendly and provides little helpful info. on where the balconies are located. I'd especially love to see part of La Madruga on that late Thurs. night/early morning of Good Friday. Any recommendations?

kimhe

MinnBeef:

Forget about the balconies and "google translate" these sites if you want to experience the Madruga in Sevilla:

http://www.visitarsevilla.es/experie...dias-consejos/

http://suite101.net/article/guia-par...5#.VP95r4c5CM8

chapla

In Madrid each church has a designated route during Holy week.There is actually a detailed book you can pick up at the Madrid tourist office-behind the Palace hotel.The processions are in the evening or late afternoon so this gives you a chance to do other things in/around Madrid.Iliked the procession in/near the Plaza Mayor-quite spectacular.
I really don't like the torrijas,for Americans,think cold French toast!

Bedar

If you haven't experienced Semana Santa in Spain, you should. It's their premier cultural event. It will be somewhat crowded everywhere, beach resorts, etc, because it's a holiday week. Hotel prices higher everywhere.

Pegontheroad

I recommend that you rent a seat along the procession route. It made a great difference for me. Seeing the processions was an unforgettable experience.

chapla

No seats to rent in Madrid,just find a good viewing spot along the route about half hour before the processions start from the church.