Easter in Barcelona – Traditions And Activities In The City

Fiestas, Traditions on March 2, 2010 3:36 pm

Easter is here! The holidays have finally arrived and spring is here – a great time to enjoy yourself in Barcelona. So here are our tips about what to do this holiday weekend including information regarding the city’s processions, the typical food of Semana Santa, cultural activities, activities in the city and excursions out of the city.

The traditions and typical food of Semana Santa

As the Christian tradition dictates, people tend to avoid eating meat on Good Friday, and Barcelona is one of the main cities where this duty is converted in to a treat for the palate: different forms of cod are the most traditional dish, including cod with chickpeas , cod with potatoes , and salted cod . La Mona de Pascua (Easter cake) is very representative of Semana Santa, as well as chocolate eggs. In truth, the real protagonists of this week are sweet things: ‘buñuelos’, ‘torrijas’, ‘pestiños’ and ‘rosca de Pascua’.

Processions

In Catalonia, like the rest of the country this festival is celebrated, Spain being a nation with a significant Catholic tradition; however it must also be said that the most spectacular ceremonies take place in Andalucia, especially in Seville. Nevertheless, Barcelona also has its celebrations– on Easter Friday there are usually two processions:

• Nuestra Señora de las Angustias (‘Our Lady of anguish’), which leaves the church of Sant Jaume in the evening and takes the following route at 18:30:

• Nuestro Padre Jesús del Gran Poder y María Santísima de la Esperanza Macarena (‘Our almighty Lord Jesus and the blessed Mary of hope’) leaves from Sant Agusti church in the Raval and takes the following route:

The procesión de la Virgen de los Dolores (‘procession of the Virgin of pain’) which takes place at 17:00, is also very characteristic and is organised by ‘la Cofradia Laica 15+1’. This peculiar procession, which has a lot in common with Seville’s procession, started in 1977 in the neighbourhood of L’Hospitalet. With the passing of time, the quality of the procession has evolved, but the spirit of it has stayed the same. It leaves from the Plaça de la Bóbila.

Opening Times

During these festival days, it will not be easy to find many shops and museums that are open.

As far as shops are concerned, they are generally closed on the Friday, Sunday and Monday of Easter.

Activities around the city

A stay in Barcelona is a good option to celebrate Easter, there are many activities to do during the easter period. Due to the pleasant temperatures around Easter and the anticipated hours of sunshine, there are plenty of recommended activities. Here are some ideas:

Activities for children: Abacus bookshops, in Plaza Urquinaona and l’Illa Diagonal shopping centre, offer you the possibility of decorating Easter eggs. This is for children between the ages of 3 and 12.

• Zoology courses are offered to children during Semana Santa at Barcelona Zoo.
• Visit ‘El Bosque Urbà’ (‘the urban jungle’), the city’s first Adventure park. You will find it in Barcelona’s Forum.
• Have a stroll around the city, discovering its many wonderful secrets and choosing your route with Play and Tour’s MP3 audio-guides
• Enjoy classical concerts at the Palau de la música

Alternative activities on the outskirts of Barcelona

If you have already been to most of the attractions listed, and you want to know what else you could still visit this Easter holiday, here are some tips on alternative activities to do, on the outskirts of Barcelona.
The Easter and Holy Week are exciting not only in Barcelona but also in the cities of Girona and Tarragona which hold many events with spectacular activities. Here is a list of some activities that you can enjoy:

Figueres with its ‘Museo de Dalí’ (Dali Museum) is well worth a visit (however on Easter Monday it will be closed). To get to Figueres from Barcelona by train you need to take the Barcelona-Port Bou line and alight at Figueres; by Bus with the company Sarfa; or by car taking the AP 7 Barcelona – La Jonquera road, exit Figueres.

• If you would prefer a relaxing week in the countryside we would recommend the Delta del Ebro country park. If you would like to make a booking for an excursion have a look at what Delta Turístic has to offer.
• If you want a day of adventure, the theme park ‘El bosc Animat’ offers you fun, adventure and natural beauty.
• A wine route, perhaps, around one of Europe’s oldest grape and wine growing regions- ‘el Penedès’.
• Another enjoyable activity, making the most of the nice spring weather would be horse riding. With Panorama Trails you can check which dates are available and book online.
• Visit the Monasterio de Montserrat and the Montserrat Mountain. There is also the chance to do coach excursions with Julia Travel.
• It is worth going to the representation of ‘La Passió de Olesa de Montserrat’ (‘the Passion of Olesa of Montserrat’). This tradition has its roots in the medieval epoch. For more information, consult the official website.
• Processions are organized not only in Barcelona during Semana Santa: Girona has spectacular Semana Santa celebrations, and it also gives you the chance to visit the city.
• Other processions that deserve a special mention are the Esparreguera, near to Olesa de Montserrat, La Pasión de Jesús on Good Friday. It is a tradition with a medieval origin and has been in existence since the XV century. It is a living representation of the Passion of the Christ, performed by inhabitants of the town. The most curious thing is that roles are passed from father to son.

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