Easter is the most important Catholic holiday of the year with Holy Week a.k.a Semana Santa playing a huge role in Spanish Easter celebrations. This special week leading up to Easter brings life to towns and cities, with the most renowned celebrations taking place in Andalucía, especially its capital Sevilla.

However, this year things will be different and we won’t get to see the full passion and glory of these celebrations for the second year running.

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Easter 2021

Hundreds of catholic parades with floats and shows displaying the history and life of Jesus Christ should be passing through Spanish city streets and villages next week. Unfortunately, for the second year in a row, these celebrations have been cancelled due to Covid-19. The Spanish government wants to avoid unnecessary crowds, just as they have done with the cancelations of previous celebrations in Spain like Fallas in Valencia or Magdalena in Castellón.

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Traditions

That’s not to say we can’t enjoy some of the Easter holidays! In Valencia, Easter holidays last until April 12th this year so children, teachers, and students will be able to enjoy some well-deserved days of rest.

The most popular activity in Spain during this period is to get out of the city and meet with friends in the countryside or at a local nature reserve to have lunch together and celebrate Spring’s arrival.

There’s not a traditional dish to cook outdoors but in the region of Valencia it’s common to find people doing a “torrà”. This is the Valencian word for a kind of barbecue where people grill lamb chops, sausages, chorizo, bacon, peppers, and many other grilled vegetables.

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Typical Easter Treats

One thing we can’t miss out on at Easter time is the typical Easter treat known as the Mona de Pascua. Bakeries and supermarkets are full of these sweet pastries leading up to Easter which can best be described as a sweet sponge-like cake, molded into a funny shape, with a painted boiled egg on the top. Nowadays this traditional snack has evolved so you can find varieties with chocolate toppings and a chocolate egg instead.

It has to be said that the afternoon snack is not complete without a Longaniza de Pascua. A long dried sausage to add a salty touch to the feast. In addition to all the food, playing football, riding a bike, or flying a kite are some traditional activities to partake in while enjoying time with friends and family to complete a perfect Easter day out.

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Safety First

Of course, don’t forget to follow all health and safety regulations to keep you and your family safe! Enjoying our holidays while also abiding by sanitary restrictions means we can leave this pandemic behind as soon as possible and be able to enjoy festivities and traditions again soon!