There are still a few weeks left before Semana Santa (Holy Week) 2020 officially kicks off. However, it’s a good idea to plan ahead for this holiday. In Barcelona, as in many cities throughout Spain, Semana Santa is an intense festival experience that occurs, above all, in the streets. We invite you to enjoy your stay at our central boutique hotel in Barcelona, a stupendous place to stay located in the perfect place to get a deeper understanding of the traditions connected to this celebration.
In 2020, Semana Santa will take place from April 5th to 13th. The streets of Barcelona will be decorated for the occasion. If you like processions and similar religious events, this city is an ideal place to enjoy them.
If there’s one day that stands out during Semana Santa in Barcelona, its Domingo de Ramos, or Palm Sunday, which this year will fall on April 5th. The Burreta or Borriquita procession is the starting shot for Semana Santa. It commemorates Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem on a donkey, while attendees fan Him with palm fronds. It’s also traditional for residents to hang olive branches in their houses to protect them.
But beyond Palm Sunday, the other major day during Semana Santa in Barcelona is Viernes Santo, or Good Friday (April 10th). On Good Friday you can see the most iconic processions, like Nuestro Padre Jesús del Gran Poder and Nuestra Señora de las Angustias. An interesting fact about this last is that it’s the only parade that goes to the water.
If you don’t want to miss anything, you should know that these processions are concentrated in las Ramblas and around the Catedral de Barcelona.
There’s another big star during Barcelona’s Semana Santa: the sweets. According to Catholic tradition, on Good Friday you aren’t allowed to eat meat. However, there’s an exceptional substitute: bacalao. That’s the classic dish for this time of year, but not the only one.
If you’ve got a sweet tooth you can enjoy the traditional chocolate eggs. In Catalonia there are also other ways to mark the occasion. We’re talking about the Mona de Pascua. This is a delicious cake that has traditionally been decorated with boiled eggs. However, with time the Monas have turned into true works of art. Just take a look at the displays of a few bakeries to see how true this is.
One classic place to buy a Mona is Escribá, in the El Raval neighborhood. In Poble Sec, don’t miss hundred-year-old bakery Forn de Santa Madrona, just a 5-minute walk from our boutique hotel in Poble Sec.
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