Torrevieja´s Easter parades, one of the most important events of the year

Traditional cultural event set to light up the city

THE MEDITERRANEAN PORT CITY OF TORREVIEJA is already amidst the throes of a week-long religious celebration that promises to deliver a spectacle of ceremonial grandeur and stately splendour to the beachfront locale.

Easter in Spain is considered to be one of the most significant cultural events in the country, steeped in a rich history of religion that stretches back into the Middle Ages.

Known as " Semana Santa", Spain´s Holy Week marks the annual tribute to the Passion of Jesus Christ celebrated by Catholic religious brotherhoods and fraternities that perform penance processions on the streets of almost every Spanish city and town.

Torrevieja is certainly no different, and every year the city spares no expense to put on a dazzling week-long show that began on Palm Sunday.

The traditional processions take place daily during Holy Week, with many participants donning medieval penitential robes bearing the colours and religious insignia of their brotherhood or fraternity.

Easter in Torrevieja: culture and historic tradition in Spain

Many hold processionary candles or rough-hewn wooden crosses, and pallbearers process through Torrevieja´s narrow streets supporting large ornate structures depicting religious scenes that reflect the spiritual remembrance.

Processions are held every evening during Holy Week usually starting from Plaza de la Constitucion in the centre of town. Most processions take place late at night, with Thursday´s procession of silence starting at 11:00 pm.

The annual traditional event culminates with four formal street processions over the course of the Easter weekend.

The Good Friday procession takes place this Friday 19th April 2019 and represents the largest procession of Holy Week. With the participation of 15 local brotherhoods and an audience expected to reach into their tens of thousands, the parade will depart the Parroquia Arciprestal de la Inmaculada Concepción at 8:00 pm.

Saturday´s procession takes place a little earlier at 5:30 pm on 20th April. The "Sabado de Gloria" parade, or "Tamborada", celebrates Jesus Christ´s victory over death, with participants traditionally offered chocolate at the end of the procession route.

Street processions: the colour and ceremony in Spain

But you´ll need to be in Torrevieja early on Easter Sunday to catch the resurrection procession, with the parade due to depart the Parroquia Arciprestal de la Inmaculada Concepción at 8:00 am on Sunday 21st April 2019.

One of the more sombre religious celebrations, it is also the most emotionally charged and vibrant parades of Holy Week, with brotherhoods processing through the streets accompanied by the Unión Musical Torrevejense brass band.

The procession ends on a joyful note, with music, a shower of colourful petals, ringing of church bells, and thunderous fire-crackers.

The Torrevieja Easter parades are a faithful tradition with breathtaking processions that encompass and showcase the enchanting magic of Spanish culture and Catholic religious mystery.

Holy Week in Spain is not only a religious, cultural and social event, but also bears touristic value for the region, and visitors travel from both inside and outside of the country to attend the crowded parades.

Find more details about Torrevieja´s Easter processions including detailed route maps, by visiting the Torrevieja Tourist Office website.