Semana Santa, or Holy Week, the most sacred week for Christians around the world leading to Easter, is fast approaching, falling between April 2 and April 8, 2023. Semana Santa in Spain is a special time, with celebrations and festivities just about every where you turn. When I found a fantastically priced trip to Spain during my Spring Break in 2016 which happened to coincide with Semana Santa I knew I had to go back! Holy Week leading to Easter Sunday is basically a time of “vacaciones” for Spaniards…or in other words 10 days of shut down where people will spend time with family, go to mass, and celebrate Easter. It is an especially religious time for this primarily Catholic country where you can see processions of religious brotherhoods and fraternities (some which date back to the Middle Ages) several times a day. These daily processions each represent different points of the story of the passion of Christ and each have their particular meaning and significance. To see one of these procesiones de Semana Santa for the first time can be an interesting experience for those not use to it. The austere look of the of the robes and hoods may take a minute to get past to see the ancient symbolism behind it.
You’ll find that most processions are quite somber and people gather in silence and reverence to watch them. Many come together to carry large, heavy relics through the street, usually of the Virgin Mary and Jesus. The music is On the find day of Easter it is more joyful, and women will wear the white mantillas instead of black, celebrating the resurrection. I was able to travel to Salamanca and Valladolid to experience Semana Santa there and see the historic sites. People line the streets about 1/2 hr. before the procession begins to get a good view. The video gives a taste of what these are like.
Salamanca is in northwest Spain, in the Castile and León region. Its deep roots go back to Celtic and Roman times. Of course, there are lots of historic sites to see in Salamanca, including the Universidad de Salamanca and Cathedral. Travelers Warning: Shops and many restaurants really DO close down for a siesta, or descansa (break), in the middle of the day. I even found a museum that did this. Plan accordingly.
I was in Valladolid on Holy Thursday, which pays homage to the Washing of the Feet as well as Jesus’ Last Supper with the Apostles. The procession focused on the stations of the cross. Notice the narration as the procession continues, telling the story of the passion.
While in Valladolid, I got to visit Casa de Cervantes or Cervantes House. Cervantes stayed here between 1604 and 1606, which coincided with the publication of his most famous work, Don Quixote. in 1605.
It was great being back in Spain during this special time, seeing my favorite sites and friends I hadn’t seen since coming back in 2012. Walking down Gran Via and looking at all the shops, and Plaza Cibeles. Of course I had to hit up some tapas at the Mercado de San Miguel and walk around Plaza Mayor.
You simply must try one of the special treats that one can only enjoy during Semana Santa, such as torrijas (Spanish french toast!). It’s available year round, but you have to get a hot chocolate and churro at the famed Chocolatería San Ginés, which is located near Plaza Mayor.
I didn’t really even get an opportunity to enjoy any of the museums this trip, which I have been to a number of times, but one can just spend days captured by the sights, sounds and smells of the streets of Madrid. I ended my trip with a walk around the Palacio Real in Madrid and a trip with my friend out to the Palacio Real de Aranjuez.
Should you have the opportunity to get to Spain during Semana Santa, definitely make the effort to get outside of Madrid to say Seville, Granada, Valladolid or Salamanca to see the processions. The processions in Madrid can be very crowded, more so than normal, and overwhelming. I recommend staying at the Hotel Rincon in Madrid, which is the perfect location along Gran Via. In Salamanca, I stayed at the Eurostars Las Claras, which again had a nice location in between the train station and the center of town where everything was. My favorite hotel was the Hotel Felipe IV in Valladolid, which had a lovely breakfast buffet and great location to town again.
Buen viajes, gnomies!
Ever been to Spain during Semana Santa? Let the gnome know!
P.S. Have a sandwich mixto while in Spain! It’s basically an egg in a basket twist on a hot ham and cheese sandwich, and it’s delicious!