Semana Santa: Easter in Malaga

Semana Santa (Holy Week, or simply Easter Week in English) is not just a religious festival… it’s a deep-rooted tradition dating back centuries.

This week-long event brings together whole communities and has, in recent decades, become a major tourist attraction, especially in the major cities in the south of Spain, such as Malaga and Seville.

During this week, Malaga is paralysed by religious fervour. So, if you’re counting on getting around without problems or expecting restful sleep, it’s best to book a flight elsewhere!

More than 40 Easter processions

In Malaga city alone, there are more than 40 processions between Palm Sunday and Good Friday – plus one on Easter Sunday.

Processions pass through the streets each day between around 4pm and 4am – and in the morning on Palm and Easter Sundays.

In the event of rain, these can be delayed for health and safety reasons.

What happens during Semana Santa processions?

During these grandiose processions, the city’s cofradías (religious brotherhoods) parade their carved images of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and other biblical figures, mounted on enormous, ornate floats, through the streets for several hours, stopping for breaks every couple of minutes.

These floats, known as tronos, are carried on the shoulders of bearers (including Antonio Banderas every year without fail) who line up along the metal bars that run in front, behind and beneath.

Each procession is accompanied by a marching band and members of the brotherhood, dressed in robes and pointed hoods in their own individual colours.

Malaga Semana Santa procession routes

The Semana Santa processions in Malaga begin at the individual cofradías before heading to the city centre, taking in a route that passes through the Alameda, Calle Larios, Plaza de la Constitución and the Cathedral where enormous grandstands are erected.

For many, Semana Santa is the culmination of many months of preparation and the highlight of the year. And it’s hard to argue with that; it certainly is a spectacle.

And it’s fairly hard to avoid when it sounds like there’s a marching band in your bedroom at 3 o’clock in the morning!

Getting around in Malaga during Semana Santa

During Easter Week, if you’re planning to do anything, it’s best to check the itinerary for that day.

If a procession is taking place anywhere in the vicinity of your planned activity, a five-minute journey can quickly turn into an hour-long odyssey.

The streets will be completely jam-packed, roads will be closed and queues will form at designated crossing points (don’t cut across a procession in full motion – it’s very disrespectful!)

So, plan before you set off. And check that where you’re going is actually open!

2024 Semana Santa dates

Semana Santa 2024 starts on Palm Sunday, 24 March, and finishes on Easter Sunday, 31 March.

Click here for more information about the timings and the routes.

Daryl Finch

Daryl is the co-founder of Malaga Guru. He is a copywriter, editor and translator who moved to Malaga a decade ago having first fallen in love with the city on his Erasmus year. After working for many years at local expat newspaper SUR in English, Daryl gained expert knowledge in life from the perspective of foreign residents and decided to co-found this site in 2016.