Please sign in to post.
Holiday Sale! Save 20% Storewide!

Easter Week in Valladolid

Posted by (Myrtle Beach, USA) on

I was in Spain for Easter Week ten years ago. Unfortunately, I spent half the week in Barcelona where, apart from extra masses in the churches and apparently one procession, there is very little happening that is special.

Fortunately, we went to Zaragoza on Thursday and were treated to numerous amazing processions, drums, music and an incredibly festive (and non-touristy) atmosphere - one of my top travel experiences to date. We saw one much smaller procession in Pamplona on Good Friday but not much more for the week as we traveled through smaller towns north and west of Pamplona.

I'm going back this Easter Week and I'm, gasp, considering trading the Zaragoza experience for Valladolid (which I've heard is another amazing celebration). I'm traveling with three people who haven't seen any of these celebrations before. I want to experience the great processions again but also want my companions to be as amazed as I was the first time.

My question to those who have experienced these celebrations. Is Valladolid a good choice? Do the processions go all week or is there a particular day that is best (e.g. sermon of seven words and following procession)? Leon also seems to have large processions; would that be a better choice or not and why? What about Burgos or Salamanca? Is there a "best" day for each place? Would I be making a mistake to miss Zaragoza and focus on Castille y Leon?

Along the same line, is there a part of town that would be better for lodging (with an eye toward experiencing Holy Week)? Or, conversely, an area to avoid?

Thanks very much for your help

Posted by
743 posts

Zamora has probably the best known processions in the north, while Valladolid is probably second in importance, and León third. Much more solemn than those in the south of Spain, it´s something that cannot be missed if you happen to be in the area during Holy Week. Best days are normally Holy Thursday and Sunday, although there will be processions all days. https://semanasantazamora.info/programa/, https://www.valladolidcofrade.com/semana-santa-valladolid-2024/programa-de-procesiones-y-recorridos, in Spanish but Google website translator is miraculous...(not a pun!)

Posted by
7998 posts

I spent Easter week in Valladolid about 15 years ago and absolutely loved it. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. That said, I cannot compare it to any place else because that’s been my only experience. However, I can tell you that you will not be disappointed.

Posted by
7998 posts

History Traveler, not to discount Zaragoza, but I will say that Valladolid has quite a few wonderful restaurants and hotels, and other sites worth seeing. So I wouldn’t leave it off the list on the basis of that. 😊

Posted by
28082 posts

And--at least as of 2016--the train station in Zaragoza is in something of a food desert. It's a horrible area to stay in; I'm sure that's not a mistake Travel Boss would make, being familiar with the city.

Posted by
12313 posts

Thanks for the replies. Zamora is an interesting option. I loved Zamora when I visited last time because there are a ton of historical sites (that I loved). I was thinking I would skip Zamora this time because my friends aren't nearly the freaks for history that I am. If it's especially good for Easter Week, I might have to rethink that.

Any ideas how to break up the week a couple nights here and there? I'd like to also see Segovia and Toledo in that week, then spend another two weeks that includes Barcelona, Grenada and Cordoba then finish with a couple nights of April Fair in Sevilla. The entire trip is 26 days (Mar. 24 to April 17) with the first day lost to travel (in and out of Madrid).

This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity.