We'll be in this region for Semana Santa. Palm Sunday has always resonated with me and I'm especially looking forward to the processions that day. However, my husband and I are uncomfortable in massive crowds, so we're ruling out Seville and perhaps even Córdoba that day. Can anyone recommend a smaller town where we could enjoy a more intimate experience?
Malaga!!! I was there for the first few days of Semana Santa and it was a truly wonderful experience (and I'm neither religious nor Christian). The massive crowds I encountered were only in Sevilla and later in the week. There was a bit of a crush to watch the processions, but maybe 2-3 people deep, and places where there were few people at all. The processions move very slowly and they are long. You'll know when they're nearby by the music.
I got to Cordoba on Saturday evening before Easter Sunday. I went sightseeing on Sunday and never encountered any crowds at all, but I wasn't near the procession route on Sunday morning.