Easter may fall on a different date every year, but it is always a busy day of activities and events in Spain. The country is famous for going all out to celebrate Easter Week, called Semana Santa in Spanish, and some of the cities with the most popular Easter traditions are also home to LALIGA football clubs. It is possible, therefore, to combine a visit to one of these hubs of Easter joy with a visit to a LALIGA EA SPORTS or LALIGA HYPERMOTION match.
Valladolid: 10 days of Easter festivities
Semana Santa is also a very important week in the cities of the region of Castile and León, such as Valladolid. The Holy Week in the city of LALIGA HYPERMOTION club Real Valladolid was actually the first one in Spain to be given the title of International Tourist Interest. There, the events begin even earlier, from 10 days before Easter Sunday with a procession on the Friday of Sorrows, which is the Friday just before Palm Sunday. There are many other processions over the 10-day span, some even featuring horses, while the Plaza Mayor of the city is always packed on Good Friday for the General Procession of the Sacred Passion of the Redeemer.
Granada: Noise and silence in one of the most famous Easter cities
The region of Andalusia is particularly famous for its traditions at this time of year and Granada is one of most popular cities to visit. That’s in large part because of the festivities held on the night of Holy Wednesday, when the streets of the city that is home to Granada CF are packed for the procession of Cristo de los Gitanos - Christ of the Gypsies, in English. A large float is carried through the district of Sacromonte, famous for its flamenco and caves, and there is a beautiful buzz in the air as songs are sung and poems recited. On the Thursday of Easter Week, however, the procession of Cristo del Silencio – Christ of Silence, in English – is quite different, held in a respectful silence as the name would suggest.
Seville: Over 50 processions throughout Easter Week
If Andalusia is the place to be for Semana Santa, then the Andalusian capital of Seville certainly stands out. The city, which is known for its LALIGA EA SPORTS clubs Real Betis and Sevilla FC, has been celebrating Semana Santa on a large scale for centuries. Nowadays, there are over 50 processions in the city during the week, beginning on Palm Sunday, with thousands of locals taking part, as well as many who come from further afield to ensure they don’t miss out. If you’re in this city for Easter Week, you’ll see multiple processions and hear many saetas, a mournful religious song which is often spontaneously sung from balconies.
Verges: The town in Girona province famous for its Dance of Death
The Catalan town of Verges may be small, with a population of just over 1,000 people, but its Maundy Thursday traditions are famous all across Spain. In the afternoon, they have a parade in which people dress up as Roman-esque soldiers called Manages. Then, at night, it’s time for the Dansa de la Mort – The Dance of Death, in English. This tradition has been in existence since the 17th century and is a unique performance featuring some dancers dressed as skeletons, others in black robes and lots of drum beats. With the town located in the province of Girona, it is possible to combine an Easter visit there with a Girona FC game at the Estadi Montilivi.
Cartagena: Easter traditions in the port city
There is a very curious Easter tradition in Cartagena in Murcia, and this is another LALIGA town as it is where FC Cartagena play in LALIGA HYPERMOTION. The port city is also famous for its relationship with the Spanish navy and the story goes that back in the 18th century some of the military personnel based in the Cartagena dockyards agreed to help with carrying some of the religious statues. This has led to an annual tradition of a statue of Saint Peter leaving the Military Arsenal of Cartagena, having been granted leave by the admiral, but since the statue arrives back so late the idea is that the statue is “arrested” again until the next year’s Semana Santa festivities.
