EXPLORING Buddhist temples is usually a staple on the tourist trail in far-eastern countries, such as China, Thailand, and Myanmar, and these splendid, colourful and intricate buildings, radiating peace inside and out,...
Easter road trip: Top locations for Semana Santa festivals
03/04/2023
NO DOUBT you will have heard about Spain's world-famous Easter parades, of which the main and most moving is on Good Friday – and perhaps you've always wanted to see one in action.
It's definitely a bucket-list entry, highly unusual and, given the noisy and colourful reputation of Spanish fiestas in general, will show you a whole new side to these: Mainly because it's totally the opposite.
You don't need to be a follower of the Christian faith – or, indeed, any faith at all – to be spellbound by the evening parades, wrecked by the tragedy of the story they pay tribute to, and gripped by the intensity of those taking part (some members are even atheists, which shows just how universal they are). But it's a good idea to find out more about them first, so you can get the best out of your spectator experience - take a look at our article here for a full guide.
If you can't get to Spain in time to watch them in person, check out some of the best televised Good Friday parades, and maybe you can plan your trip next year to one of the locations mentioned.
Why Spain's Easter parades are unusual
For those with no pre-conceived ideas at all, you might be a bit taken aback by the dramatic and somewhat terrifying costumes. Gowns covering the entire body, each troop in a different colour, with their faces totally obscured by a cloth – only eye-holes, so they can see where they're going – attached to long, narrow, pointed hats, are actually not as sinister as they appear. The wearers are depicting penitents, atoning for their sins, their faces covered to denote their shame.
To the untrained eye, they look eerily like the uniform of the US Civil War-era underground organisation known as the Ku Klux Klan, a far-right group founded in opposition to the mass freeing of slaves. But before you ask any Spaniard why their Easter parades 'copy' the KKK's dress (they actually don't), read our article here about the origins and significance of the procession outfits.
Finally, where in Spain should you go to see the Easter Week, or Semana Santa parades?
The answer is simple: Anywhere in the country. Practically all towns and even some smaller villages stage Semana Santa processions and activities, and although the southern city of Sevilla is famed for hosting the largest, it can get crowded and accommodation difficult to find – you may enjoy it more at a slightly smaller version where you can get a seat right on the pavement, almost within touching distance of the parade participants.
That said, many locations in Spain have their own, individual take on the event – and are handily placed for other sightseeing, too.
Our main tip, though, would be to check the weather forecast before setting off. When it rains, the parades are often cancelled, so you don't want to get all the way to your chosen destination and be cheated out of the chance to witness the celebrations.
San Cristóbal de la Laguna, Tenerife
One of the biggest and most splendid processions is in this Canary Island town, the whole of which is a UNESCO heritage site.
Whilst Good Friday is the main parade day anywhere in Spain, La Laguna – as it is more often called – is the place to be the day before. On Maundy Thursday every year, the image of the patron saint, Christ of La Laguna, is carried through the streets from the San Francisco church to the cathedral.
Tenerife itself, the largest island in the Canaries, is known for its stunning beaches – although it's only just April, the climate in this southern offshore region is springlike most of the year, rarely dropping below 14ºC in winter or rising above 30ºC in summer – and for its enormous, verdant Teide National Park, an active volcano where you can take a cable car to the top and walk into the crater.
La Laguna is worth a visit at any time of the year – read about its attractions here.
Pollença, Mallorca
A paradise of culture and nature, the biggest of the Balearic Islands is home to caves with underground lakes formed over millions of years, quaint and floral villages famed for being artists' colonies, stately architecture in its capital, Palma, and excellent shopping.
Don't miss a trip to Deià, long-term home to World War I veteran and famous novelist Robert Graves – his daughter, Lucía, translated prolific author Carlos Ruiz Zafón's works into English – and where cafés and bars were frequented by painters and writers for decades.
Valldemossa has an equally rich artistic history – largely thanks to French lady novelist George Sands and Polish composer Frédéric Chopin, whose winter together at the Cartuja Monastery gave rise to a new novel and collection of music.
And Pollença is perfect for your Good Friday getaway: You'll be able to see Jesus freed from the cross.
Christ is released from his final terrestrial destination, on top of the hill above the town, and carried down the 365 steps to the centre to be greeted by worshippers.
Arcos de la Frontera, Cádiz province
This beautiful, bright-white village, which spreads up the side of a mountain and surrounds a church at the top, is ideally located for exploring this very traditional and green Andalucía province, the cradle of sherry and backing onto part of the Costa de la Luz and the Doñana National Park.
Semana Santa, or Holy Week, in Arcos holds the declaration of 'Festival of National Tourism Interest', which it would only get if it was particularly unique and exciting.
And it is, with the live open-air theatrical representation of the Passion of Christ, the final few days of the Messiah's life on earth, including the Last Supper with all 12 disciples – the ultimate repast as depicted by Leonardo da Vinci in his world-famous painting.
Although this re-enactment is performed in nearly every town, some productions are larger and more public than others, and the one in Arcos is an example of one of the more dramatic, visual and easy-to-find versions.
The Good Friday parade, where sculptures of Jesus at each stage of his last journey are carried on huge, ornate floats through the streets is key to Semana Santa anywhere in the country, but Arcos has been particularly praised for the high quality of its festival scenes.
Carmona, Sevilla province
Despite Sevilla city's global fame for being the number one place to see the Easter processions, residents from the provincial capital often head out of it and go to Carmona instead. This way, they avoid the parking restrictions and crowds in the metropolis, and can watch a smaller-scale version that's one of the most highly-acclaimed in north-western Andalucía.
As well as the huge number of brotherhoods, or hermandades – the different groups of paraders who make up each stage of the evening's event and which, for the rest of the year, are a kind of social club or festival commission – Carmona is home to the oldest Jesus sculpture in the whole of southern mainland Spain.
The Cristo de la Amargura – literally, 'Christ of Bitterness' – was created in 1512, and is brought out every Good Friday.
All towns in Spain which hold Easter events celebrate the resurrection on the Sunday, when Jesus is said to have risen from the dead – discovered by his mourning followers when they saw the rock sealing off the cave where his body had been deposited was rolled aside and the grotto itself empty.
This symbolic Easter Sunday event is a joyful one, with uplifting music, pointy hoods folded down and masks rolled up, and depicts the Virgin Mary reuniting with the son she believed she had lost for good.
In Carmona, the splendid Renaissance sculpture of her son is the figure used for the triumphant and emotional Reencuentro, or reuniting.
For those heading to the attractive, monumental town of Carmona for the parades, Sevilla city will be far less jammed with tourists after Easter weekend finishes – a great time to visit its splendid sites such as the vast, iconic Plaza de España, the Alcázar or Mediaeval royal residence, the Torre de Oro lookout tower, Spain's largest cathedral, and the nation's oldest bullring.
Priego de Córdoba, Córdoba province
Now is the time to visit this beautiful inland province in the sunshine – it's one of the hottest parts of Spain in high summer. Córdoba city bursts into colour and delectable aromas during its annual patio flower festival, and the Great Mosque, with its optical illusion of red-striped arches, is one of Spain's best-known sightseeing destinations.
In Priego – like in Carmona and Arcos – the Semana Santa events are a Festival of National Tourism Interest, immediate proof they have something about them that's different from anywhere else.
Here, the initial atmosphere of devotion, silence, solemnity and religious fervour is almost palpable, taking on a personality of its own – then, when Jesus of Nazareth appears before them, everything changes.
Cieza, Murcia
This south-eastern region, bordering the Mediterranean but mostly backing onto the inland sea known as La Manga del Mar Menor – effectively, a salt lake – has some of the mildest winters and warmest springs on the mainland, more golf courses than you can shake a five-iron at, spa resorts galore, a rich Naval history and a splendid Roman theatre.
But it's still relatively non-commercial, and much quieter in tourism terms than its northern neighbour, the Costa Blanca, as the province of Alicante coast is known.
Cieza is widely considered to be where the most spectacular of the single-province region of Murcia's Easter parades take place, and if you have access to a car, it's close enough to make a detour to Caravaca de la Cruz, one of the world's only five 'Holy Cities'.
Of these, three are in Spain; the other two are Rome and Jerusalem.
Verges, Girona province
Mainland Spain's far north-eastern corner, just south of the French border, with its attractive scenery and highly-eclectic coastline – from quaint fishing villages to bustling holiday towns – provides plenty of variety in terms of the visitor experience.
And within it, the town of Verges is an Easter festival among Catalunya's favourites, most visual and most detailed.
The intricate and dazzling illuminations along the C/ Caragols are sure to lift your spirits a notch, and the full seasonal atmosphere of emotion, drama, tragedy and devotion is felt – with a haunting twist. Along with the typical Good Friday parade, the Danza de la Muerte ('Dance of Death') performed as part of the Passion of Christ show will give you goosebumps.
Jávea, Alicante province
In truth, any town, large or small, in the Comunidad Valenciana – the three-province region occupying about half Spain's Mediterranean coast – will deliver for you if you want to see a superb Semana Santa parade. Both the Good Friday mourning procession remembering Christ's crucifixion, and the happy Reencuentro between Jesus and Mary on Easter Sunday morning, are superb wherever you are in the provinces of Alicante, Castellón or Valencia – so, just take your pick from whichever area you most want to explore for other reasons.
Some, though, cater for the more modern-day and secular side of Easter with additional activities, such as fêtes, open-air musical performances, and al fresco lunches – these are more likely to be found in cosmopolitan areas popular with tourists or with multiple nationalities among their residents.
The reason we've singled out Jávea, in the north of the province and about 30 kilometres from the Valencia border, is its craft fair, on-street entertainment including music and dance, local produce market, and drinks and tapas for everyone, right in the historic heart of the town.
Held every year over the main four days of Easter for more than four decades now, the Jávea fayre is one of the most widely-acclaimed in northern Alicante, and gives you a chance to sample some of the huge variety of very local produce this region is home to. Around 65 stalls selling everything from handcrafted decorative items, ornaments, jewellery, handbags, soap, candles, and textiles, as well as home-produced honey, jam and cheese, wine from local family-run merchants', and freshly-harvested fruit and vegetables will be spread out between the Placeta del Convent and the C/ Mayor.
Children's workshops, marching bands, street theatre, live rock and pop music, and a thrilling display by the Portitxol Dance Group, as well as drinks and tapas with the Easter parade members outside the Sant Bartolomé church on Sunday morning, promise a lively, cheering and welcoming atmosphere in this modern, attractive beach town home to over 100 different nationalities and holiday destination of choice for numerous Spanish celebrities.
If you're heading for the south, east or islands...
Depending upon the length of your stay, you might have time to visit some of the key attractions in your chosen area and, as well as trying out the local cuisine, may want to plan at least one special evening's dining out. After all, you're on holiday, so why not?
Top eateries of celebrity standard, at under €35 a head for three courses including drinks, and the most-acclaimed and best-loved visitor sights closest to them, can be found in our Budget Michelin tour for Spain's south, east and islands article, a handy 'bookmark and keep' piece that will come in useful to you wherever and whenever you are travelling in these parts of the country.
Villaviciosa, Asturias
Spain's northern coastal strip is very green, very central-European looking, and although it is generally wetter – hence the bright emerald of its lush landscape – heavy rain is less frequent than very fine drizzle, which is mainly in autumn and winter. This part of the country is perfect for summer if you want warm weather, sunshine and beautiful beaches, but are not keen on excessive, sweltering heat and humidity, since the climate is much milder than farther south.
And the single-province region of Asturias is home to a village that boasts one of the country's oldest Semana Santa festivals.
The Wednesday before Easter, and also Good Friday, are when Villaviciosa stages its Encuentro, or 'meeting', and then the Desenclavo – literally, the 'unnailing' – where Christ is removed from the Cross.
Both events have been taking place almost non-stop since the year 1668 – in fact, the only times they have been cancelled in peacetime for reasons not relating to the weather were during the pandemic.
Asturias is bordered, to its east, by another one-province region, Cantabria, with which it shares the Altamira caves and the majestic Picos de Europa mountains National Park.
Cantabria, as well as being home to the vast, prehistoric-looking open-air Cabárceno safari park – where animals have so much outdoor space that they do not realise they are in captivity – is where another of the world's 'Holy Cities' can be found.
As you'll see if you click on the link above to our 'Holy Cities' article (in the section on Cieza, Murcia), this is exactly the right month and year to visit Santo Toribio de Liébana – its Holy Jubilee Year, granted in 1512 by Pope Julius II, is only ever celebrated when the anniversary of this declaration, April 16, falls on a Sunday, which it does in 2023.
The Jubilee is the only time when the Gateway to Pardon in the 'city' is opened and visitors are allowed through.
Viveiro, Lugo province
Although the Easter festival in Villaviciosa, Asturias is one of the oldest, it is a long way from being the oldest in Spain. The celebrations in Viveiro pre-date Villaviciosa's by around 400 years, and even these may not be the first of their kind.
As well as eight centuries of history – Viveiro's Good Friday parades started some time in the 1200s – the events here re said to be one of the best in northern Spain and the most magnificent in the country's most north-westerly region, Galicia.
Whilst smaller than the fiestas in other towns we've mentioned here, the brotherhood members or 'performers' work much harder: With only eight hermandades, each one of them marches in anything up to 15 parades on the Friday evening.
When in Viveiro, which has a beach on the doorstep, you're in the most convenient location for exploring Galicia's internationally-renowned river deltas, or Rías, with full-day coastal safaris via catamaran being widely available as organised trips.
Accommodation in Viveiro is, for many, the number one reason for travelling there: Mi Tesoro, a family-run holiday park with just three lodges, is Spain's answer to the New Zealand-based Hobbit village where the films based on Tolkien's novels were set.
Whilst not 'officially' known as 'The Hobbit village' – as this involves licences, royalties and other costly legal measures – the holiday huts are designed in exactly the same way as the real Hobbiton and attract visitors from all over Spain.
Calanda, Teruel province
One of Spain's most sparsely-populated provinces at the south of one of the country's most beautiful regions – Aragón – this land-locked north-eastern territory, mountainous and striking, centuries behind the rest of Europe in terms of architecture, tradition and lifestyle, is nevertheless delightfully welcoming. Nobody is a tourist beyond their first five minutes; one short visit is enough for residents to remember you and your name for the rest of your life; you can 'find' a conversation whenever you want to chat, because anyone you bump into will indulge you; and it's not uncommon to go and pay for your bar drinks and find out the tab has already been settled – but you'll never know who did it.
With almost two-thirds of Teruel's municipalities having fewer than 200 residents – and about one-sixth of the total having fewer than 50 inhabitants – and the provincial capital of the same name being little larger than a market town, at 36,000 or so, it's the most rural province in eastern Spain; curiously, though, it's one of the most popular for tourism among Mediterranean dwellers.
The ski resorts are shut now, as they only typically open from just before Christmas until around mid-March, but during their short season, Javalambre and Valdelinares are packed. Both are excellent for beginners, novices or nervous skiers, and Javalambre only really caters for those up to intermediate level – it has just one, very short, red slope – meaning they are ideal for boosting confidence and building up skills. Plus, they're not at all expensive.
Easter, coming just after the end of the ski season in Teruel, attracts another influx of visitors – particularly to the village of Calanda, and especially those who want to immerse themselves deep into the sensation of humbleness and redemption that runs through the crucifixion story.
Nowhere else in Spain will give you such a tangible feeling of guilt and cleansing, sinning and forgiveness, shame and penitence as Calanda. And the haunting, captivating tattoo of Good Friday parade drums, whilst dark and emotive anywhere, are particularly chilling and moving here.
Otherwise, you might need a strong stomach to witness what goes on in Calanda – or, preferably, a thirst for gore: Self-flagellation is a standard feature of Easter parades, with marchers swatting themselves with birch twigs, but is generally only symbolic. They tend to just tap themselves repeatedly on each shoulder whilst marching barefoot. In Calanda, though, they actually beat themselves raw, leaving blood blisters that they have to slice open with shards of glass to release the pressure.
And that's not all. The famous drums, whacked with the full force of the players' bodies, make music at a painful price: Percussionists bash their instruments until their knuckles burst open. Hands with torn skin from the friction and open wounds are a source of real pride, like war wounds, and a visible sign of the passion and energy they throw into their performance.
Wherever you are in Spain...
Seeing Semana Santa in all its anguish and joy, the sorrows of Friday, the silence of Saturday as everyone guards vigil awaiting the revival of Christ, and the bright delight of Sunday when it is revealed that the Messiah lives on, does not have to mean travelling too far.
If you already live or spend a lot of time in Spain, or have a particular destination you make for every summer, or have earmarked a given location in the country for other sightseeing purposes – perhaps a major city, a coastal town, or a mountain retreat – the drums, torchlight and pointy hats hailing the start of spring and reviving the ancient tale of the end of Christ's mission on earth will be taking place near you on April 7.
This will, of course, depend upon the weather. If rain is forecast for wherever you live or are staying, it is best to plan a quick trip to another part of the country where it's definitely going to be dry, to guarantee you'll be able to witness one of the most profound and heart-wrenching pageants in Europe.
Related Topics
NO DOUBT you will have heard about Spain's world-famous Easter parades, of which the main and most moving is on Good Friday – and perhaps you've always wanted to see one in action.
It's definitely a bucket-list entry, highly unusual and, given the noisy and colourful reputation of Spanish fiestas in general, will show you a whole new side to these: Mainly because it's totally the opposite.
You don't need to be a follower of the Christian faith – or, indeed, any faith at all – to be spellbound by the evening parades, wrecked by the tragedy of the story they pay tribute to, and gripped by the intensity of those taking part (some members are even atheists, which shows just how universal they are). But it's a good idea to find out more about them first, so you can get the best out of your spectator experience - take a look at our article here for a full guide.
If you can't get to Spain in time to watch them in person, check out some of the best televised Good Friday parades, and maybe you can plan your trip next year to one of the locations mentioned.
Why Spain's Easter parades are unusual
For those with no pre-conceived ideas at all, you might be a bit taken aback by the dramatic and somewhat terrifying costumes. Gowns covering the entire body, each troop in a different colour, with their faces totally obscured by a cloth – only eye-holes, so they can see where they're going – attached to long, narrow, pointed hats, are actually not as sinister as they appear. The wearers are depicting penitents, atoning for their sins, their faces covered to denote their shame.
To the untrained eye, they look eerily like the uniform of the US Civil War-era underground organisation known as the Ku Klux Klan, a far-right group founded in opposition to the mass freeing of slaves. But before you ask any Spaniard why their Easter parades 'copy' the KKK's dress (they actually don't), read our article here about the origins and significance of the procession outfits.
Finally, where in Spain should you go to see the Easter Week, or Semana Santa parades?
The answer is simple: Anywhere in the country. Practically all towns and even some smaller villages stage Semana Santa processions and activities, and although the southern city of Sevilla is famed for hosting the largest, it can get crowded and accommodation difficult to find – you may enjoy it more at a slightly smaller version where you can get a seat right on the pavement, almost within touching distance of the parade participants.
That said, many locations in Spain have their own, individual take on the event – and are handily placed for other sightseeing, too.
Our main tip, though, would be to check the weather forecast before setting off. When it rains, the parades are often cancelled, so you don't want to get all the way to your chosen destination and be cheated out of the chance to witness the celebrations.
San Cristóbal de la Laguna, Tenerife
One of the biggest and most splendid processions is in this Canary Island town, the whole of which is a UNESCO heritage site.
Whilst Good Friday is the main parade day anywhere in Spain, La Laguna – as it is more often called – is the place to be the day before. On Maundy Thursday every year, the image of the patron saint, Christ of La Laguna, is carried through the streets from the San Francisco church to the cathedral.
Tenerife itself, the largest island in the Canaries, is known for its stunning beaches – although it's only just April, the climate in this southern offshore region is springlike most of the year, rarely dropping below 14ºC in winter or rising above 30ºC in summer – and for its enormous, verdant Teide National Park, an active volcano where you can take a cable car to the top and walk into the crater.
La Laguna is worth a visit at any time of the year – read about its attractions here.
Pollença, Mallorca
A paradise of culture and nature, the biggest of the Balearic Islands is home to caves with underground lakes formed over millions of years, quaint and floral villages famed for being artists' colonies, stately architecture in its capital, Palma, and excellent shopping.
Don't miss a trip to Deià, long-term home to World War I veteran and famous novelist Robert Graves – his daughter, Lucía, translated prolific author Carlos Ruiz Zafón's works into English – and where cafés and bars were frequented by painters and writers for decades.
Valldemossa has an equally rich artistic history – largely thanks to French lady novelist George Sands and Polish composer Frédéric Chopin, whose winter together at the Cartuja Monastery gave rise to a new novel and collection of music.
And Pollença is perfect for your Good Friday getaway: You'll be able to see Jesus freed from the cross.
Christ is released from his final terrestrial destination, on top of the hill above the town, and carried down the 365 steps to the centre to be greeted by worshippers.
Arcos de la Frontera, Cádiz province
This beautiful, bright-white village, which spreads up the side of a mountain and surrounds a church at the top, is ideally located for exploring this very traditional and green Andalucía province, the cradle of sherry and backing onto part of the Costa de la Luz and the Doñana National Park.
Semana Santa, or Holy Week, in Arcos holds the declaration of 'Festival of National Tourism Interest', which it would only get if it was particularly unique and exciting.
And it is, with the live open-air theatrical representation of the Passion of Christ, the final few days of the Messiah's life on earth, including the Last Supper with all 12 disciples – the ultimate repast as depicted by Leonardo da Vinci in his world-famous painting.
Although this re-enactment is performed in nearly every town, some productions are larger and more public than others, and the one in Arcos is an example of one of the more dramatic, visual and easy-to-find versions.
The Good Friday parade, where sculptures of Jesus at each stage of his last journey are carried on huge, ornate floats through the streets is key to Semana Santa anywhere in the country, but Arcos has been particularly praised for the high quality of its festival scenes.
Carmona, Sevilla province
Despite Sevilla city's global fame for being the number one place to see the Easter processions, residents from the provincial capital often head out of it and go to Carmona instead. This way, they avoid the parking restrictions and crowds in the metropolis, and can watch a smaller-scale version that's one of the most highly-acclaimed in north-western Andalucía.
As well as the huge number of brotherhoods, or hermandades – the different groups of paraders who make up each stage of the evening's event and which, for the rest of the year, are a kind of social club or festival commission – Carmona is home to the oldest Jesus sculpture in the whole of southern mainland Spain.
The Cristo de la Amargura – literally, 'Christ of Bitterness' – was created in 1512, and is brought out every Good Friday.
All towns in Spain which hold Easter events celebrate the resurrection on the Sunday, when Jesus is said to have risen from the dead – discovered by his mourning followers when they saw the rock sealing off the cave where his body had been deposited was rolled aside and the grotto itself empty.
This symbolic Easter Sunday event is a joyful one, with uplifting music, pointy hoods folded down and masks rolled up, and depicts the Virgin Mary reuniting with the son she believed she had lost for good.
In Carmona, the splendid Renaissance sculpture of her son is the figure used for the triumphant and emotional Reencuentro, or reuniting.
For those heading to the attractive, monumental town of Carmona for the parades, Sevilla city will be far less jammed with tourists after Easter weekend finishes – a great time to visit its splendid sites such as the vast, iconic Plaza de España, the Alcázar or Mediaeval royal residence, the Torre de Oro lookout tower, Spain's largest cathedral, and the nation's oldest bullring.
Priego de Córdoba, Córdoba province
Now is the time to visit this beautiful inland province in the sunshine – it's one of the hottest parts of Spain in high summer. Córdoba city bursts into colour and delectable aromas during its annual patio flower festival, and the Great Mosque, with its optical illusion of red-striped arches, is one of Spain's best-known sightseeing destinations.
In Priego – like in Carmona and Arcos – the Semana Santa events are a Festival of National Tourism Interest, immediate proof they have something about them that's different from anywhere else.
Here, the initial atmosphere of devotion, silence, solemnity and religious fervour is almost palpable, taking on a personality of its own – then, when Jesus of Nazareth appears before them, everything changes.
Cieza, Murcia
This south-eastern region, bordering the Mediterranean but mostly backing onto the inland sea known as La Manga del Mar Menor – effectively, a salt lake – has some of the mildest winters and warmest springs on the mainland, more golf courses than you can shake a five-iron at, spa resorts galore, a rich Naval history and a splendid Roman theatre.
But it's still relatively non-commercial, and much quieter in tourism terms than its northern neighbour, the Costa Blanca, as the province of Alicante coast is known.
Cieza is widely considered to be where the most spectacular of the single-province region of Murcia's Easter parades take place, and if you have access to a car, it's close enough to make a detour to Caravaca de la Cruz, one of the world's only five 'Holy Cities'.
Of these, three are in Spain; the other two are Rome and Jerusalem.
Verges, Girona province
Mainland Spain's far north-eastern corner, just south of the French border, with its attractive scenery and highly-eclectic coastline – from quaint fishing villages to bustling holiday towns – provides plenty of variety in terms of the visitor experience.
And within it, the town of Verges is an Easter festival among Catalunya's favourites, most visual and most detailed.
The intricate and dazzling illuminations along the C/ Caragols are sure to lift your spirits a notch, and the full seasonal atmosphere of emotion, drama, tragedy and devotion is felt – with a haunting twist. Along with the typical Good Friday parade, the Danza de la Muerte ('Dance of Death') performed as part of the Passion of Christ show will give you goosebumps.
Jávea, Alicante province
In truth, any town, large or small, in the Comunidad Valenciana – the three-province region occupying about half Spain's Mediterranean coast – will deliver for you if you want to see a superb Semana Santa parade. Both the Good Friday mourning procession remembering Christ's crucifixion, and the happy Reencuentro between Jesus and Mary on Easter Sunday morning, are superb wherever you are in the provinces of Alicante, Castellón or Valencia – so, just take your pick from whichever area you most want to explore for other reasons.
Some, though, cater for the more modern-day and secular side of Easter with additional activities, such as fêtes, open-air musical performances, and al fresco lunches – these are more likely to be found in cosmopolitan areas popular with tourists or with multiple nationalities among their residents.
The reason we've singled out Jávea, in the north of the province and about 30 kilometres from the Valencia border, is its craft fair, on-street entertainment including music and dance, local produce market, and drinks and tapas for everyone, right in the historic heart of the town.
Held every year over the main four days of Easter for more than four decades now, the Jávea fayre is one of the most widely-acclaimed in northern Alicante, and gives you a chance to sample some of the huge variety of very local produce this region is home to. Around 65 stalls selling everything from handcrafted decorative items, ornaments, jewellery, handbags, soap, candles, and textiles, as well as home-produced honey, jam and cheese, wine from local family-run merchants', and freshly-harvested fruit and vegetables will be spread out between the Placeta del Convent and the C/ Mayor.
Children's workshops, marching bands, street theatre, live rock and pop music, and a thrilling display by the Portitxol Dance Group, as well as drinks and tapas with the Easter parade members outside the Sant Bartolomé church on Sunday morning, promise a lively, cheering and welcoming atmosphere in this modern, attractive beach town home to over 100 different nationalities and holiday destination of choice for numerous Spanish celebrities.
If you're heading for the south, east or islands...
Depending upon the length of your stay, you might have time to visit some of the key attractions in your chosen area and, as well as trying out the local cuisine, may want to plan at least one special evening's dining out. After all, you're on holiday, so why not?
Top eateries of celebrity standard, at under €35 a head for three courses including drinks, and the most-acclaimed and best-loved visitor sights closest to them, can be found in our Budget Michelin tour for Spain's south, east and islands article, a handy 'bookmark and keep' piece that will come in useful to you wherever and whenever you are travelling in these parts of the country.
Villaviciosa, Asturias
Spain's northern coastal strip is very green, very central-European looking, and although it is generally wetter – hence the bright emerald of its lush landscape – heavy rain is less frequent than very fine drizzle, which is mainly in autumn and winter. This part of the country is perfect for summer if you want warm weather, sunshine and beautiful beaches, but are not keen on excessive, sweltering heat and humidity, since the climate is much milder than farther south.
And the single-province region of Asturias is home to a village that boasts one of the country's oldest Semana Santa festivals.
The Wednesday before Easter, and also Good Friday, are when Villaviciosa stages its Encuentro, or 'meeting', and then the Desenclavo – literally, the 'unnailing' – where Christ is removed from the Cross.
Both events have been taking place almost non-stop since the year 1668 – in fact, the only times they have been cancelled in peacetime for reasons not relating to the weather were during the pandemic.
Asturias is bordered, to its east, by another one-province region, Cantabria, with which it shares the Altamira caves and the majestic Picos de Europa mountains National Park.
Cantabria, as well as being home to the vast, prehistoric-looking open-air Cabárceno safari park – where animals have so much outdoor space that they do not realise they are in captivity – is where another of the world's 'Holy Cities' can be found.
As you'll see if you click on the link above to our 'Holy Cities' article (in the section on Cieza, Murcia), this is exactly the right month and year to visit Santo Toribio de Liébana – its Holy Jubilee Year, granted in 1512 by Pope Julius II, is only ever celebrated when the anniversary of this declaration, April 16, falls on a Sunday, which it does in 2023.
The Jubilee is the only time when the Gateway to Pardon in the 'city' is opened and visitors are allowed through.
Viveiro, Lugo province
Although the Easter festival in Villaviciosa, Asturias is one of the oldest, it is a long way from being the oldest in Spain. The celebrations in Viveiro pre-date Villaviciosa's by around 400 years, and even these may not be the first of their kind.
As well as eight centuries of history – Viveiro's Good Friday parades started some time in the 1200s – the events here re said to be one of the best in northern Spain and the most magnificent in the country's most north-westerly region, Galicia.
Whilst smaller than the fiestas in other towns we've mentioned here, the brotherhood members or 'performers' work much harder: With only eight hermandades, each one of them marches in anything up to 15 parades on the Friday evening.
When in Viveiro, which has a beach on the doorstep, you're in the most convenient location for exploring Galicia's internationally-renowned river deltas, or Rías, with full-day coastal safaris via catamaran being widely available as organised trips.
Accommodation in Viveiro is, for many, the number one reason for travelling there: Mi Tesoro, a family-run holiday park with just three lodges, is Spain's answer to the New Zealand-based Hobbit village where the films based on Tolkien's novels were set.
Whilst not 'officially' known as 'The Hobbit village' – as this involves licences, royalties and other costly legal measures – the holiday huts are designed in exactly the same way as the real Hobbiton and attract visitors from all over Spain.
Calanda, Teruel province
One of Spain's most sparsely-populated provinces at the south of one of the country's most beautiful regions – Aragón – this land-locked north-eastern territory, mountainous and striking, centuries behind the rest of Europe in terms of architecture, tradition and lifestyle, is nevertheless delightfully welcoming. Nobody is a tourist beyond their first five minutes; one short visit is enough for residents to remember you and your name for the rest of your life; you can 'find' a conversation whenever you want to chat, because anyone you bump into will indulge you; and it's not uncommon to go and pay for your bar drinks and find out the tab has already been settled – but you'll never know who did it.
With almost two-thirds of Teruel's municipalities having fewer than 200 residents – and about one-sixth of the total having fewer than 50 inhabitants – and the provincial capital of the same name being little larger than a market town, at 36,000 or so, it's the most rural province in eastern Spain; curiously, though, it's one of the most popular for tourism among Mediterranean dwellers.
The ski resorts are shut now, as they only typically open from just before Christmas until around mid-March, but during their short season, Javalambre and Valdelinares are packed. Both are excellent for beginners, novices or nervous skiers, and Javalambre only really caters for those up to intermediate level – it has just one, very short, red slope – meaning they are ideal for boosting confidence and building up skills. Plus, they're not at all expensive.
Easter, coming just after the end of the ski season in Teruel, attracts another influx of visitors – particularly to the village of Calanda, and especially those who want to immerse themselves deep into the sensation of humbleness and redemption that runs through the crucifixion story.
Nowhere else in Spain will give you such a tangible feeling of guilt and cleansing, sinning and forgiveness, shame and penitence as Calanda. And the haunting, captivating tattoo of Good Friday parade drums, whilst dark and emotive anywhere, are particularly chilling and moving here.
Otherwise, you might need a strong stomach to witness what goes on in Calanda – or, preferably, a thirst for gore: Self-flagellation is a standard feature of Easter parades, with marchers swatting themselves with birch twigs, but is generally only symbolic. They tend to just tap themselves repeatedly on each shoulder whilst marching barefoot. In Calanda, though, they actually beat themselves raw, leaving blood blisters that they have to slice open with shards of glass to release the pressure.
And that's not all. The famous drums, whacked with the full force of the players' bodies, make music at a painful price: Percussionists bash their instruments until their knuckles burst open. Hands with torn skin from the friction and open wounds are a source of real pride, like war wounds, and a visible sign of the passion and energy they throw into their performance.
Wherever you are in Spain...
Seeing Semana Santa in all its anguish and joy, the sorrows of Friday, the silence of Saturday as everyone guards vigil awaiting the revival of Christ, and the bright delight of Sunday when it is revealed that the Messiah lives on, does not have to mean travelling too far.
If you already live or spend a lot of time in Spain, or have a particular destination you make for every summer, or have earmarked a given location in the country for other sightseeing purposes – perhaps a major city, a coastal town, or a mountain retreat – the drums, torchlight and pointy hats hailing the start of spring and reviving the ancient tale of the end of Christ's mission on earth will be taking place near you on April 7.
This will, of course, depend upon the weather. If rain is forecast for wherever you live or are staying, it is best to plan a quick trip to another part of the country where it's definitely going to be dry, to guarantee you'll be able to witness one of the most profound and heart-wrenching pageants in Europe.
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