Holy days and April showers.
We're now one day into Semana Santa in Sevilla - it's Lunes Santo, Holy Monday. Yesterday was the first official day of this most important of religious events all over Spain, but especially here in Andalucia's capital city. Granada and Malaga also hold notable celebrations - Antonio Banderas returns to his home city every year to act as pregon for his hermandad - while in certain other towns around the region, such as Puente Genil in Cordoba, there's a different twist on Holy Week processions, with hermanos donning biblical masks and outfits, and famous Bible figures walking through the streets.
Yesterday was Domingo de Ramos, Palm Sunday, the day when families traditionally take a paseo around Seville, wearing their Sunday best - you have to sport one new piece of clothing. I didn't make it, as the Metro was heaving and travelling or moving in heavy crowds with two small children isn't much fun. But I did see smartly dressed people heading towards the station entrance, including plenty of girls who seemed to have forgotten to put a skirt on.
If Semana Santa processions aren't your thing - or even if they are but you want a change of scene later in the week - on the two days this week which are national holidays, Jueves and Viernes Santo (though be aware that most shops are closed every afternoon during Semana Santa), you'll be pleased to hear that the state museums will be open. On Thursday and (Good) Friday, both of which are forecasted to have rain, you can visit the Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporaneo in La Cartuja (ideal, since it's situated well out of the fray of central Seville); the Archaeological and Popular Arts and Customs Museums in Maria Luisa Park; and the Museo de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Museum) on Calle Alfonso XII - though be careful to check the Semana Santa schedules, so you don't get stuck behind a procession while trying to get into or out of the area. Some museums in Andalucia offer kids' activities and programmes - so rather than the younger members of the family being stuck in front of the TV on a rainy day (mine? never), steer them towards something educational but fun.
In Cordoba and Granada, you can see the Museos de Bellas Artes too, while in Malaga, the Palacio Episcopal, or Bishop's Palace, is currently serving as the provisional home of the city's Fine Arts Museum.
It's a great opportunity to avoid the April showers (rain on national holidays shouldn't be allowed), and go and see some of Andalucia's finest collections of paintings, sculpture, archaeological remains, and learn about this fascinating region.
Here's a complete list of the Junta (regional government) museums in Andalucia which are open this Jueves and Viernes Santo (Holy Thursday and Friday):
- Museo de Almería
- Museo de Cádiz
- Museo de Huelva
- Museo de Jaén
- Museo de Málaga
- Museo Arqueológico de Córdoba
- Museo Arqueológico de Granada
- Museo Arqueológico de Linares
- Museo Arqueológico de Sevilla
- Museo Arqueológico de Úbeda
- Museo de Bellas Artes de Córdoba
- Museo de Bellas Artes de Granada
- Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla
- Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares del Alto Guadalquivir
- Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares de Sevilla
- Museo Casa de los Tiros de Granada
- Museo de la Alhambra