Easter week, the most traditional celebration in Spain

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Easter week, the most traditional celebration in Spain

In Spain, Easter week is celebrated with a great deal of emotion. This year Holy Week Semana Santa runs from March 20 to 28. People take an active role in its events and traditions. Easter week is celebrated in all the cities, towns and villages of Spain. Nevertheless, there are some "fiestas" that are especially well known for their unique beauty, and have recieved the International Tourist Interest designation. In Andalusia especially the celebrations are very impressive.

For example, during Easter week in Seville you will see how the Easter brotherhoods manage to support the immense weight of elaborately decorated statues of the Virgin Mary as they parade through the narrow streets of the old town. Easter week in Malaga includes the ritual privilege of the freeing of a prisoner. This is one of the most emotive moments, when the figure of Jesus Christ blesses the inmate.

But other traditions are worth mentioning as well, including:

The 'empalados' de Badajoz. An 'empalao' is a person who carries approximately a 60 kg (about a 130 pound) wooden post plus 60 m of a thick rope (covering the upper body and binding the arms to the wood to support the weight and ankle chains on their feet. 12 people carry that weight for 2 hours through the town barefoot in a complete and respectful silence where the only noise is the clanking of the ankle chains against the ground.
La Tamborrada, also in Badajoz, when the sound of up to 20,000 drums invades the town.

Each one of these celebrations is special, unique and different. OtherEaster week events that have the International Tourist Interest designation are on display on the following cities: Granada, in Andalusia; Zaragoza, in Aragon; Crevillent and Orihuela, in the Valencia Region; Medina de Rioseco, Medina del Campo, Ávila and Palencia, in Castile-León; Toledo, in Castile-La Mancha; and Viveiro and Ferrol, in Galicia.

Once you have discovered them, you'll want to return to Spain for Easter week.