Semana Santa

The week of Semana Santa has just passed and after hearing many people give advice on what to do and not to do during the week, I wanted to shed my own light on the subject.

Prior to the week, I heard a number of opinions from locals and foreigners on the topic of Semana Santa. For example:

• "The way we celebrate holy week in Sevilla is amazing and facinating and you don't want to miss it." -my Spanish professor
  
• "Semana Santa is fun but once you've seen one paso, they all pretty much look the same after that so you really only need to be there for one day." -A local tour group coordinator explaining why I should pay to go on his week-long trip instead of see Semana Santa.
• "Semana Santa is touristy. Only foreigners come in to see it and all the locals hate the crowds and take vacations to other places for the week." -a student at UPO.

In my opinion, first statement is most accurate however the second and third statements also hold some truth. Semana Santa is a time in Seville that you don't miss. What I like about Semana Santa is that it isn't as commercialized as many American holidays and it maintains a religious tone that keeps consistent with the real meaning of the holiday.

While it is true that many of the processions look the same, I disagree that it is enough to just see one procession. Especially on the night of Madrugada (Thursday night and into the early morning of Good Friday) the atmosphere in Sevilla is electric. Imagine the streets packed at 4 in the morning as if it were New Years Eve in New York City, but instead of a drunken mess, it is a crowd of people of all ages (7 year olds to 70 year olds) waiting eagerly to see some of the most famous processions in Sevilla pass by. Incredible.

Since the best floats and the best atmosphere of Semana Santa can be found late Thursday night and into the morning of Good Friday (Madrugada), I would recommend returning from any trips prior to this night if you want to see the processions at their best. In fact returning Wednesday so you can get a good night of sleep is even better.

It is a good idea to pick up a schedule at a local kiosk and plan out which processions you would like to see. The time each procession arrives at each street is scheduled to the minute and the schedule is followed very precisely (unlike most other things in Spain). It is best to simply ask locals which processions are the best to see on any given day. From what I have found the most famous processions to see during Madrugada are:

• El Silencio - The oldest procession which proceeds in complete silence and in complete darkness
  
• El Gran Poder
• La Macarena - One of the more lively processions and also one of the largest and longest
• Esperanza de Triana - My personal favorite with great views from the Triana bridge

Overall, Semana Santa is an incredible event that has been my favorite memory of Sevilla so far. Even if you aren't religious the event is still worth seeing. The buzz and excitement in the air is unlike any event I've ever attended. Make sure you take advantage of this incredible opportunity to see the culture of Sevilla at its finest.