Easter is one of the Christian festivals par excellence. Although it is celebrated throughout Spain, Andalusia is undoubtedly the place where the inhabitants live and enjoy it the most. That is why many national and international tourists travel to the south of the peninsula on the dates of this holiday to experience it with the locals and get infected with the passion of the Andalusians. But in this article we want to talk specifically about Easter in Granada, one of the most special, and tell you the essentials you need to know to enjoy it as one more.
See the Christ of the Gypsies among the hills of Sacromonte, get caught by the bonfires that are lit in the caves, live the magical night in the Albaicin, witness the “mantle” of Good Friday … Holy Week in Granada is unique and we want to be your starting guide so you can begin to organize these magical days in the city.
When is Easter Week celebrated in Granada?
The dates for the celebration of Holy Week in Granada and in other parts of Spain and the world vary from year to year. Although it always falls in April, the specific days change according to the beginning of spring and the lunar calendar, sometimes taking place between the end of March and the beginning of April.
In 2025, for example, Easter will begin on April 13 and end on April 20. However, in 2024, it took place between March 24 and 31.
What is celebrated during Holy Week in Granada?
Holy Week in Granada and in other parts of the peninsula and the world is a holiday celebrating the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Each of the days that make up this feast (of which there are eight) also has a unique meaning for Catholicism.
In case you didn’t know, the Holy Week of Granada, along with 27 other Holy Weeks celebrated in Spain, has been declared a festival of International Tourist Interest. Specifically, the Holy Week of Granada has held this title since 2007.
Day by day events of the Holy Week in Granada
But, what are you going to find when you attend Holy Week in Granada? And more importantly, how can you organize your days this week to enjoy everything the city has to offer? Here we tell you how this important week is structured and the highlights of each day.
Palm Sunday
Holy Week in Granada starts with this day which celebrates the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, where the locals received him with palms and olive branches. Hence you will see the streets full of palms and the locals holding them. In addition, there are also processions and special masses where the branches are blessed.
Easter Monday and Tuesday
On Monday there are five brotherhoods that take to the streets to procession. And among them is one of the oldest in the city, the Christ of St. Augustine. On Tuesday, on the other hand, there are four.
All of them begin their processions early in the afternoon, between four and six o’clock, and finish late at night, and may even finish the route at one o’clock in the morning.
Holy Wednesday
The night of Holy Wednesday is one of the most special of Holy Week in Granada. This is because it takes place, among others, the procession of the Gypsies, which has peculiarities that make it unique in Andalusia. It lasts a total of 11 hours, being one of the longest in the city, and in one of the sections you can see the Alhambra in the background. But that’s not all, it also passes through the hills of Sacromonte, where bonfires are lit among the “caves” creating a unique atmosphere.
In case you don’t know it, Sacromonte is the gypsy neighborhood par excellence of Granada and where the “caves” or “cave houses” are located, which were once home to gypsies as well as Arabs and Jews. Today there are very few inhabited, but some of them are used for flamenco shows called Zambras.
Maundy Thursday
Also known as “the magical night of the Albaicín” because four of the five processions of the day leave from this neighborhood, the slopes and the narrow streets turn the processions into a spectacle.
Good Friday
On this day, at three o’clock in the afternoon, more than 20,000 people gather in the Campo del Príncipe square to pray for the death of Christ. Due to the large number of people attending, this gathering is known as “the mantle” and anyone can be a part of it.
This ritual of public prayer is unique in the Andalusian and Spanish Holy Week, as it is not found with such magnitude in other parts of the peninsula. Afterwards, it is traditional to go to the Jewish quarter of the Realejo to have a drink in one of its bars and recharge your batteries, as several processions take place in the afternoon. Experts recommend especially the greñúa and the departure of the Soledad from the Monastery of San Jeronimo.
Holy Saturday
In this case there is only one procession with Santa Maria de la Alhambra as the protagonist. It departs at 17:30 and the habit of the Nazarenes is one of the most luxurious of all the Holy Week in Granada. But what makes it even more special is that the brotherhood descends through the woods of the Alhambra offering a beautiful image.
Easter Sunday
Holy Week in Granada closes, in this case, with the little ones as the main characters. Of the three processions that take place on this day, the most important is the one known as Facundillos, in which children carry the paso in the Realejo.
Tips to enjoy Easter Week in Granada
- Moving around the city can be difficult, especially in the moments before the processions due to the large number of people and the fact that some accesses are restricted. That is why it is crucial to be prepared and be patient.
- Granada is a city with many hills, especially in the Albaicín neighborhood, where some of the processions of the Semana Santa in Granada take place. So assess if you are prepared to move through those streets. If not, you can always enjoy the processions from other more accessible points.
- If you want to enjoy the best views of the processions, you must take into account that you will have to reserve the place yourself several hours before the start of the procession.
Beyond the capital
Not only the Holy Week of Granada is lived in the capital, also in the surrounding municipalities. Specifically, the most relevant are Motril, Almuñécar, Loja, Huéscar and Cuevas del Campo. And each and every one of them holds the title of Fiesta of Tourist Interest, so you can imagine its beauty.
