tlynn17

My husband and I are trying to decide on timing for our trip to Guatemala. We can either go the end of February or during the week leading up to Easter(although we would leave the day before Easter itself). This is our first time to Guatemala and I guess I am just wondering if the added crowds and costs (more safety concerns?) are worth the festival experience. Any advice on that as well as any advice on what to see, do or expect during Holy Week would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Jeff_Costa_Rica

Antigua is traditionally THE place to be during Holy Week, especially on Good Friday. The processions are elaborate. But most lodgings raise their prices at least 50% that week. (Some double their rates.) Almost all impose minimum stays. You can't just book for Thursday and Friday nights. Plus, if you plan to be in Antigua during Holy Week, I'd make reservations now. Things fill up that quickly.

Antigua holds processions every Sunday during Lent, and with Easter coming very early in 2008, the end of February falls during Lent. The Lenten processions are not as huge as the Good Friday ones, but I think they are certainly impressive.

There's such a variety of things to see and do in Guatemala, that you could fill up a week easily, even without Antigua.

weber6560

I'd opt for Holy Week in a heartbeat. It is the largest celebration anywhere except for Seville. I have been to both and I actually prefer the Antigua event to Seville. The emotion, the dedication, the hard work of the people is so much more apparent in Antigua. The fombras through all the streets are amazaing. The "floats" [pasos] are beautifully hand carved. [I was down there studying Spanish for a couple of months and got to watch, over about a 3 week period, the final construction of one. No electric tools.] The womens procession on Wednesday night [?] is really something to see. And Good Friday's procession is a once in a lifetime deal.

Seville too is spectacular and the processions larger but, for me, it didn't generate the same emotions that Antigua did.

Permit me one other story please. My first night in Guatemala, early in Lent, I am siting in a restaurant in Antigua about 8 pm and I hear a commotion outside. A group of about 10 people are walking down the middle of the dark street in their own procession. About 1/2 are Maya dressed. Everyone is singing, chanting, and praying. Their "shrine" was about 4x6 feet, caried on shoulders,included a statue of the Virgin and was lit bt two flourescent tubes. The power for the lights was a small gas generator carried in a wheelbarrow and pushed by a young teenage boy. Music was a big boombox carried on another shoulder. I was absolutely amazed and trailed the groupd [from a half block back] for about 30 minutes before I gave up. It was an expression of faith that I will not forget.

tlynn17

Thanks so much for the responses. I am trying to finish my M.A Thesis right now so I haven't been able to really pour as much time into researching this as I would like so I really appreciate the comments. I am trying to look at hotel prices etc. to see if for example,we go to Antigua early in the week if that would make a difference on price, crowds etc. while still giving us the festival experience. The week before Easter is my Husband's spring break so going then would be most convenient in that respect. Anyway, thanks and I will surely post more as I move along in the process.