Holy Week is a period of profound reflection. For believers like me (and for practicing and non-practicing Catholics) we make good use of the Holy Week break to reflect on the Paschal Mysteries, the passion, death and resurrection of our dear Savior, Lord Jesus and to take the much needed time off from our busy schedule.
Holy 2025 was very special. A good friend of mine based in Singapore came to Spain for a visit and we decided to spend our Holy Week in Andalucia!
Andalucia is known for its deeply ingrained Holy Week traditions. Many tourists, including domestic tourism, flock to Andalucia to witness the Holy Weeks mostly made up of Church visits and the heart pounding, emotional processions. If you are in for fully packed processions, then Andalucia is your place to go for the Holy Week!
Sharing with you the itinerary that my friend and I made. We did a little bit of everything: church visits, good food and tourism, but best of all, we spent a great deal of our time together!
Duration and Itinerary: 5D and 4N; Sevilla: 3D, 2N/Cordoba: Day Trip and Granada: 2D, 2N
Important Logistics:
1. Accommodations: You have the option to stay either in a hotel (from budget friendly to high end hotels) and AirBnbs. This depends on your budget and we were in mid-budget range. Thanks so much to my friend for the accommodation. :)
2. Transport: You have the option to travel by bus Alsa (more economical but can be longer the travelling time) or opt for high speed trains which are also economical and more time efficient Oigo Iryo Renfe
3. Secure Entrance tickets in advance, especially if you intend to visit the crowning jewel of Granada, La Alhambra
Basically, Europe is very much a walking country. As we are in the spring, Holy Week 2025 was April 13-April 20, we were blessed with very good weather. There was some drizzle of rain, overcast clouds but it was definitely an outdoor, springy weather. But, we were prepared with our fleece jackets and umbrellas just in case it rain.
Our Itinerary and Activities:
1. Seville: We only took taxis/cabs from and to the train station. During our visit and to fulfill our itinerary, we just walked and walked!! So please make sure that you bring with you very comfortable pair of shoes to take you to these beautiful places.
- Real Alcazar de Sevilla: We spent approximately 2.5 hours in this beautiful, tranquil. scenic, picturesque and lush gardens!! Who would have thought that these lushy and greeny gardens exist in the heart of Seville? It is advisable to reserve online to avoid long queues.
- La Giralda: This the Cathedral of Seville, known for its tower where you will get a beautiful panoramic view of the city and its known for its prominent Gothic structure. My friend and I had a great time going up the topmost part to witness the bells and the panoramic view of the city. It was a great walk, may not be a walk in the park but our user experience was smooth! Kudos to the management and maintenance of the Seville Cathedral who removed the flight of stairs and instead installed ramps which are more user friendly and easier to walk on. If my memory serves me right there are 34 ramps and approximately 20 steps to go to the topmost part of the Cathedral. There are also benches in between to allow the visitors to rest and catch some breath!
- Plaza de España de Sevilla: This is a must see and best of all, access is free! This is a breathtaking open space with well groomed trees and plants and well maintained lagoon. The Plaza de España is a spacious square with benches representing the different cities in Spain and organized in alphabetical order!
- Torre de Oro and Rio (River) de Gualdalquivir: Walking in the city proper of Seville, enjoying its cobblestones will lead you to the scenic and serene Guadalquivir River and a few meters, is the Torre de Oro. If you want a quiet get away in the city proper, just search for a quiet nook with a view of the Gualdalquivir River. My friend and I even had our lunch in the riverside! Just wow!!
- Processions in downtown: Seville is the core of Holy Week events. You need not worry about the processions schedules as they are major, much awaited, much anticipated and must see events during the Holy Week. You just have to be extra careful because the streets are filled, but filled of people, and without any exaggeration, you can´t drop a pin because of the crowd. So be extra careful of your belongings, of anxiety and panic attacks. There are paths intended for people who do not wish to participate in the procession and just need to pass by but you will need to wait for the procession, the images, the prayers and the march/songs to be completed before you can pass. But this was a whole new experience! Even if I had some anxiety bouts, it was all worth it!
- Church visits to Basilica de Magdalena y Capilla de Montserrat
2. Cordoba: As we had a day trip in Cordoba, upon arrival, our first order of business was safeguarding our luggages in the Cordoba Bus Station locker so we were able to freely move around in the city. Just like Seville, Cordoba is beautiful, covered by cobble stones and with lush greenery in its gardens. As the downtown proper is very much touristic, there are a lot of reliable and go to coffee shops, bar and restaurants which will satisfy your cravings and can be budget friendly as well.
- La Mezquita: The crown jewel of Cordoba. This is a mosque with church and it boasts of its beautiful, intricate architecture. Reservation is a must to be able to enjoy this treasure.
- Roman Bridge/Puente Romano and Torre de la Calahorra/Museo Vivo Al Andalus: This is just walking distance from the Mezquita. It provides a view of the Guadalquivir River and access to the Tower of Calahorra/Museo Vivo Al Andalus.
- Jewish Quarters
- Cordobese Gastronomic Experience in the Michelin Star Restaurant Casa Pepe de La Judería Food must try include their Oxtail, Risotto, Salmorejo and Aubergines/Eggplants
3. Granada: I enjoyed Granada the most because it is the smallest of the 3 cities that we visited, is the least croweded despite having the processions in place and is the holiday where my husband my son joined us!! Our small family was finally complete!! We were billeted in the city center where we had access to the best restos. It can get noisy at night time but it was controllable.
- La Alhambra: A must see and so is the ticket reservation. Walk ins are not allowed and be prepared to walk! We spent the whole day walking on the different gardens until we reached the palace and fortress part which is a testament of the rich Islamic culture and Moorish architecture that once prevailed in the city. La Alhambra also boasts of the Spanish Renaissance architecture.
- Cathedral of Granada
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