Holy Week in Seville is a passionate week, full of religiosity and an authentic demonstration of the art that Seville has; It is therefore a celebration of spiritual and cultural emotions that must be experienced at least once in a lifetime.
Since between its traditions that perish unchanged over time, and the fine carvings made by the hands of the most formidable and solid sculptors of the Baroque to the present day that are paraded in the processions; You will not be able to shake the feeling of being on a journey of faith and history through the centuries.
There are so many scenes to contemplate in the streets of the Andalusian capital during these religious festivals, that we have decided to show you 4 activities to do in Seville during Holy Week. Take note!
1. Enjoy the processions
Although many believers take it for granted, it is always important to remember the processions; It is where residents and visitors begin their solemn march through the beautiful streets of the city. In addition, every day there will be a different procession in honor of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ and whose final destination will always be the Sacred Cathedral of Santa María de Sevilla.
Wherever you go you can find brotherhoods that seek to integrate the entire town in the different processions; And Seville stands out for being the city with the most brotherhoods in Spain. To which we can add the brotherhoods, who carry out works of charity or piety to imitate the pains of Christ through acts of penance.
It will be important to obtain an official program of the processions to be able to organize yourself between the agreed street closures and crowds. At the same time, you must have the afternoon and evening hours free where most processions are carried out. With the exception of the well-known “early morning” celebrated on the night of Thursday to Good Friday and which lasts until the end of the afternoon.
On the other hand, it is common to see believers from their balconies singing saetas and traditional songs in honor of Jesus or his mother Mary, and they are a charismatic and symbolic experience during these acts of faith.
Which makes the processions a must on your itinerary, and which turns out to be a true wonder whether you are religious or not; so we recommend them with our eyes closed.
2. Visit the churches that Seville has
Seville has a large number of temples and churches that dress up and are decorated in a special way for Holy Week, so visiting them and taking a tour of them is another plan that you should not miss if you visit Seville during Holy Week.
Now, it is normal that you will find queues to enter during these dates, however it is worth it. Especially in the Sevillian cathedral where not only is the tomb of Christopher Columbus located, but you can also enjoy one of the most iconic monuments in the city, the Giralda; And don't fear, the climb is not as hard as you imagine since it is through ramps, and the views from its highest part are undoubtedly impressive.
And although the Cathedral is by far one of the most beautiful temples in the entire city and represents the largest church in Spain, there are other quite famous religious sites such as the sailors' chapel, the church of El Salvador, or the basilica of Jesús del Great Power that also houses one of the most venerated Christs in all of Seville.
3. Enjoy musical bands
Semana Mayor in Seville also brings with it an endless number of sounds that captivate every corner of the city, and it is easy for you to feel attracted to its harmonious melodies. Since to the sound of trumpets, drums and many other instruments; You will be able to enjoy the rhythms of this famous religious ceremony.
4. Visit the San Marco Santa Cruz restaurant
A few meters from the Giralda and located on Mesón del Moro street n° 6 –10, 41002 is the San Marco Santa Cruz restaurant; an alternative of Italian Mediterranean cuisine which is ideal during Holy Week in the busy center of Seville.
To guarantee an exquisite meal in one of the most iconic restaurants in the entire city, we recommend making a reservation in advance; If possible, in the lower part, since this is where the 12th century Arab baths on which the San Marco Santa Cruz is built will make your evening something unique and that you cannot miss.
Also for a day like Good Friday where eating red meat is prohibited, it becomes an excellent solution; since its menu not only includes a lot of vegetarian options, but also a menu of fish, pasta, spaghetti, pizzas, appetizers and desserts of the highest Mediterranean cuisine with Italian character.
Where incredible dishes stand out such as: Salmon on spinach and mushroom cream, confit cod loin with baked potatoes and piquillo peppers, ricotta ravioli and San Marco sauce, spaghetti with anchovies, parsley, garlic and extra virgin oil. Or delicious 4 cheese pizzas or bianca pizzas with smoked salmon, mozzarella, cream, oregano and capers, to name just a few of them.
Good location, great food in a historic space, great service and affordable prices; They make the San Marco Santa Cruz restaurant a must-see during Holy Week in Seville.
