Words and photos by Maria Brizon, who studied abroad with ASA in Sevilla during the spring semester of 2025.
I am sure you have heard of Semana Santa. If you haven’t, well, I am about to tell you all about it!
Semana Santa, also known as Holy Week, takes place the week leading up to Easter. In 2026, it ran from March 29 through April 5. It is one of the most important religious celebrations in Spain, and it is especially famous in southern Spain, where the traditions have been practiced for centuries.
During Semana Santa, cities across Spain hold religious processions both day and night. The streets fill with music, candles, incense, and enormous floats known as pasos. These floats carry detailed statues of Jesus Christ or the Virgin Mary that depict scenes from the final days of Christ’s life.
The floats are carried by people called costaleros. Being a costalero is considered an honor because they are chosen to carry these sacred images through the streets. And they are heavy, really heavy! The costaleros walk underneath the float and carry the entire weight on their shoulders and necks for hours at a time. The physical effort and pain they endure is meant to reflect the suffering that Jesus experienced. Watching them move slowly through the streets in perfect rhythm is honestly incredible.
Another important group you will see in the processions are the Nazarenos. They wear long robes and tall pointed hoods called capirotes, a tradition that dates back to the 17th century. These participants belong to religious brotherhoods known as cofradías. Their outfits are meant to symbolize repentance and anonymity before God. One thing that surprises many visitors is that the hoods look somewhat similar to those worn by the Ku Klux Klan. However, it’s important to know that there is no connection at all between the two. The Spanish tradition existed centuries earlier and is rooted purely in Catholic religious symbolism.
Since I studied abroad in Seville in spring 2025, I had the chance to experience this celebration firsthand. In Sevilla, the most anticipated night of the week is called La Madrugá. This is when several of the most famous brotherhoods process through the city throughout the entire night, from late Thursday into early Friday morning. The atmosphere is unforgettable. Thousands of people line the streets in silence as the floats pass by, illuminated only by candles and accompanied by slow, emotional music.
One of the best things my friends and I did was find a rooftop bar overlooking one of the main streets. We ordered sodas and watched the processions from above. It was honestly the perfect way to experience the event because we could see the entire float and procession without being stuck in the middle of a packed crowd. The view gave us a completely different appreciation for the scale and beauty of the tradition.
Although Sevilla’s Semana Santa is the most famous in Andalucía, the celebration happens throughout Spain, and every city adds its own style and personality. In Málaga, for example, the celebration has a more open and festive atmosphere. The floats there are called tronos, and they are enormous and much larger than those in Sevilla. Instead of dozens of carriers, these floats sometimes require hundreds of people to carry them. Málaga also features military participation, including the famous involvement of the Spanish Legion, which brings a unique energy and sense of ceremony to the processions.
In Córdoba, the experience is quieter and more intimate. The processions wind through narrow, whitewashed streets, creating a more reflective and peaceful atmosphere. The crowds are smaller, and the pasos pass incredibly close to spectators, making the experience feel more personal.
Meanwhile, Granada offers one of the most visually dramatic versions of Semana Santa. The processions move through the historic Albaicín neighborhood and often pass beneath the stunning backdrop of the Alhambra. Because of the steep, winding streets and the candlelight illuminating the floats, the entire scene feels almost cinematic and mystical.
Overall, if you ever find yourself in Spain during Semana Santa, I highly encourage you to experience it for yourself. Whether you are religious or simply interested in culture and history, it is an unforgettable tradition filled with emotion, artistry, and centuries of devotion. Watching the processions, hearing the music echo through the streets, and seeing entire communities come together makes it clear why this celebration remains such an important part of Spanish culture.
Thanks, Maria!