Semana Santa in Sevilla

Semana Santa in Seville © Michelle Chaplow
Semana Santa in Seville © Michelle Chaplow

Semana Santa in SEVILLA

Guide to Holy Week / Semana Santa in Andalucia
Semana Santa processions explained in detail

Strictly speaking this is a religious festival, but for most of the week, solemnity isn't the keynote - there's a lot of carousing and frivolity, and bars are full day and night with entire families, from grandparents to babes in arms staying up until three or four in the morning.

In essence, Semana Santa involves the marching in procession of brotherhoods of the church and penitents, followed by elaborate floats on which sit seventeenth century images of the Virgin or Christ. For months beforehand, the bands practice their short, fervent flamenco style hymns about the Passion and the Virgin's sorrows throughout the city.

 

 

Seville has various shops dedicated to the sale of Nazareno robes, including sandles and Capirote. Many of these shops can be found on the Calle Alcaiceria de la Loza. The cone shape Capirote are made to measure while you wait.

 Nazareno

Nazareno

Throughout the week, the processions leave churches all over the city from early afternoon onwards, snaking through the city and back to their resting place many hours later. Good Friday morning is the climax, when the procession leave the churches at midnight and move through the town for most of the night. The highlight is the arrival at the cathedral in the early hours of the morning. On the Thursday, the local women wear black and it's considered disrespectful for tourists to wear T-shirts and shorts.

The final lap of the official route goes from La Campana to Calle Sierpes to the cathedral and around the Giralda and the Bishop's Palace. This is a good area to watch the processions. Grandstands are erected in the main squares, you may be able to buy a back row seat as the best sell out weeks in advance.

Without doubt the local heroes of the night are the lads who carry the thrones. Always hidden away in Seville, but you might catch a glimpse when they pop out for a well earned drink.

The processions take place during the week leading up to but not including Easter Sunday.

Discover more about Semana Santa in Andalucia.

Nazarenos play and important role in the holy week processions © Michelle Chaplow Nazarenos play and important role in the holy week processions © Michelle Chaplow

Welcome to Holy Week Explained—your guide to the unforgettable Semana Santa processions in Andalucía. Like a live street theatre, these powerful displays blend art, faith, and emotion. With a… More →

Try to get a good vantage point, such as a balcony  © Michelle Chaplow Try to get a good vantage point, such as a balcony © Michelle Chaplow

Whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned traveller to Andalucia, here are some practical tips to help you make the most of this unforgettable experience:

Pasos - The actual processions that parade through the streets of towns and cities throughout the country. © Michelle Chaplow Pasos - The actual processions that parade through the streets of towns and cities throughout the country. © Michelle Chaplow

Glossary of Holy Week terms. Know your capa, capirote and capuz, from your pasos and penitentes.

Hermandad del Santisimo Cristo de los Remedios Y Nuestra Senora de Las Angustias Semana Santa Vienes Santo Holy week Processions in Andalucia. © Michelle Chaplow Hermandad del Santisimo Cristo de los Remedios Y Nuestra Senora de Las Angustias Semana Santa Vienes Santo Holy week Processions in Andalucia.

The “Nazarenos” are the members of the “cofradías” who participate in the processions. They are also known as the “penitentes” (penitent ones).

Wicks, candles, and rosary beads can all be found at Ojeda © Michelle Chaplow Wicks, candles, and rosary beads can all be found at Ojeda © Michelle Chaplow

Tucked away in the heart of Málaga’s historic centre, at No. 8 Calle San Juan, lies a truly extraordinary find for the curious traveler: a family-run shop steeped in tradition and devotion,… More →

Holy Week in Andalucia is a tradition that is an integral part of the culture and appropriately reflects the spirit of the people © Michelle Chaplow Holy Week in Andalucia is a tradition that is an integral part of the culture and appropriately reflects the spirit of the people © Michelle Chaplow

Throughout seven days, Andalucia is surrounded by a spiritual halo. Semana Santa is a tradition which is repeated year after year; a time when the devout and curious jointogether to participare in… More →

The procession of the Virgen de la Estrella, Triana, Seville © Michelle Chaplow The procession of the Virgen de la Estrella, Triana, Seville © Michelle Chaplow

To get an idea of the sights and sounds of Semana Santa in Seville, watch this video. Under the blue cloth, which acts as a skirt for the paso (float), are 36 men called costaleros, all bent… More →

El Faro de Triana in Sevilla © Michelle Chaplow El Faro de Triana in Sevilla, not only serves up delicious prawns, it has a great Semana Santa vantage point to watch the processions. © Michelle Chaplow

Semana Santa, like any other festival, has its own special flavours and this is especially during this week because traditionally Catholics are not supposed to eat meat. A great time for seafood… More →

 Final touches to the elaborate Semana Santa flowers © Michelle Chaplow Adding the final touches to the elaborate Semana Santa flower decorations in Velez-Malaga © Michelle Chaplow

Semana Santa in Andalucia is not only a religious event, it is also a tourist event. Thousands of visitors descend upon this region either to enjoy the Holy Week festivities in Andalucia or to… More →

Semana Santa in Andalucia © Michelle Chaplow Semana Santa in Andalucia

If you really want to understand Semana Santa in Andalucia, then you need to learn about the groups of people who are at the heart of it all - the cofrades or members of cofradías, the religious… More →

In Renaissance gem Ubeda, in Jaen province, the processions come in chronological order (Passion - Sunday, Detention – Wednesday, Death – Friday, and Resurrection – Sunday - of Christ) © Michelle Chaplow In Renaissance gem Ubeda, in Jaen province, the processions come in chronological order (Passion - Sunday, Detention – Wednesday, Death – Friday, and Resurrection – Sunday - of Christ)

In most towns and cities throughout Andalucia, during Semana Santa (Holy Week), groups of penitentes, also called nazarenos, accompany their statues of Jesús and Mary as they’re carried out of… More →

Imagine cleaning up the wax from thousands of candles that have dripped over pavement and seeped into brick, tile and cobblestone cracks! © Michelle Chaplow Imagine cleaning up the wax from thousands of candles that have dripped over pavement and seeped into brick, tile and cobblestone cracks!

The aftermath of Holy Week in Andalucia is something most tourists never see. Many locals are also able to avoid actually experiencing the devastation left behind as crowds and procession bearers… More →

Semana Santa in the towns of Andalucia

Málaga's Holy Week celebrations were declared to be of interest to International Tourism in 1965 and they have also obtained the regional stamp of approval "Fiesta of National Interest". Thousands… More →

Each procession has a short name and an official long ecclesiastical name representing a part of the Easter story. the processions are organised by the brotherhood associations. The processions… More →

There are six days of processions in Estepona during Semana Santa. These days are Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramas), Easter Wednesday (Miércoles Santo), Easter Thursday (Jueves Santo), Good Friday (… More →

Málaga's Holy Week celebrations were declared to be of interest to International Tourism in 1965 and they have also obtained the regional stamp of approval "Fiesta of National Interest". Thousands… More →

Jaen capital is yet another Andalusian city that has a certified "Fiesta of National Touristic Interest" and as in every other corner of the province, jinienses (residents of Jaen) believe their… More →

Like so many others, the Holy Week processions in Huelva are certified as "Fiesta of National Touristic Interest" and thus touted as one of the best in Spain (we'll leave that to each visitor to… More →

Processions take place throughout the province along with Passion Plays as well. There is one more special claim to fame by the provincial capital in that no where else in Andalucia can you… More →

Semana Santa is celebrated in Córdoba capital and throughout the province with numerous villages having obtained the government stamp of approval "Fiesta of National Touristic Andalucia".

Semana Santa in Cádiz province is celebrated with great fervour and passion. The provincial capital, Cádiz, holds tremendous, extravagant processions - on par with those of all the other… More →

We hear a lot about Holy Week in Seville and a few other provincial capitals like Huelva and Málaga, but very little about Almería. You might be surprised then to learn that Almería deserves more… More →

Strictly speaking this is a religious festival, but for most of the week, solemnity isn't the keynote - there's a lot of carousing and frivolity, and bars are full day and night with entire… More →

In 1993, a young woman from the village of Luque in Cordoba had the idea of creating an hermandad (church brotherhood which goes out in a procession in Holy Week) specifically for women. The… More →

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Semana Santa future dates are found in the info box on our Semana Santa home page

 

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