Europe & Beyond

Experience Semana Santa in Malaga

Spain is world-famous for its lively fiestas, and Easter Week or Semana Santa celebrations are amongst the biggest, particularly in Malaga and other towns and cities in the southern region of Andalucia.

Previously in the  we looked at ideas for family holidays on the  Costa del Sol Car Hire Spain series of 2009. Thanks to its position on the hectic Spanish south coast, a package tour mecca, Malaga is often unfairly overlooked by cultural travellers – yet it packs in some very interesting sights.

Easter Week Malaga

This year’s Easter week runs from 26 March to 4 April 2010, and with cheap flights available from the UK to Malaga, and the Spring sun already shining, it’s a great excuse for a trip abroad.

Although Semana Santa is a religious festival, the splendour of the fiesta’s processional floats can be appreciated by anyone.

Whereas in many Andalucian towns and cities the festival can take on a quiet, subdued tone, in Malaga the festivities are far more upbeat and happy, with spontaneous bursts of Flamenco songs and cheering when the best floats pass by. Read more about Malaga Flamenco.

From Palm Sunday through to Easter Sunday there are daily processions through the city, featuring elaborately-decorated pasos (religious floats) that sway along the streets, accompanied by bands playing distinctive religious music.

The pasos, some of them weighing a considerable 5,000 kilos, are painstakingly carried along the streets by bearers. Some of the older floats were carved in the 16th and 17th centuries, and all of them are beautifully decorated and carry life-sized figures depicting scenes from the bible.

Thousands of robed penitents light the way with their candles, and the air is filled with the aroma of incense and flowers.

Semana Santa is very important to the Andalucians, but also draws tourists from all over the world. Whether or not you’re religious, it’s hard not to find yourself swept up by the spectacle of these atmospheric candlelit processions, and the evocative sounds, scents and ceremony involved.

Other Malaga attractions

The city’s Moorish history can be seen in the old Alcazaba fortress, which dates back to 1065 and houses an Archaeological Museum. The pleasant seafront promenade, Paseo del Parque, leads to the harbour and ends at Calle Larios, the city’s main commercial thoroughfare. You can admire Baroque architecture at the city’s cathedral, known as La Manquita (‘One Armed Woman’) because of its missing East bell tower. And for art-lovers there’s the famous Picasso Museum, and the Centro de Arte Contemporáneo.

Once you’ve had your fill of culture and history, Malaga also has plenty of good clothes and souvenir shops, bars, and restaurants with outdoor seating where you can recharge your batteries ready for some more Semana Santa celebrations.

Malaga Airport Flights to Malaga

Málaga Airport is the third largest international airport in Spain, with excellent links to UK regional airports. A number of low-cost airlines offer flights to Malaga from many regional airports, and you can hire a car from the airport if you’re planning to explore beyond the city.

Car Hire Malaga

If you hire a car in Malaga, you can explore the smaller traditional towns and villages found inland from the busy coast, to get a taste of more local Semana Santa festivities.

If you’re planning a trip to Andalucia during this busy festival period, make sure you book accommodation, car hire and any other crucial travel services well in advance because demand is high.

Spain > Costa del Sol

The best way to explore the Costa del Sol is by car, as this allows you the freedom to visit the different towns and villages as and when you want, without needing to rely on public transport. Car hire in Spain is cheap and available at all the airports.

Here is a guide to just some of the cultural and historical attractions surrounding Costa del Sol that you can visit during your holiday:

The city of Malaga should be the first stop for any culture lover on a holiday on the Costa del Sol. Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga in 1881 and you can visit the house in which he was born, the Casa Natal de Picasso, which is situated in the Plaza del Merced. The three-storey building contains personal items belonging to the Picasso family together with examples of Picasso’s prints, ceramics and graphic art. There is also a large collection of works by other contemporary artists.

A few minutes walk from the Casa Natal de Picasso is the Picasso Museum (Museo Picasso Málaga), which opened in 2003. It is housed in the 16th century Palacio de Buenavista and has twelve permanent exhibition halls where you can see paintings, drawings, sculptures and ceramics by Picasso. The museum also holds regular temporary exhibitions. If you’re a history buff, you’ll also be in for a treat on the lower ground floor, as you’ll be able to see the preserved Roman and Phoenician ruins discovered when the museum was in construction.

Other Costa del Sol attractions that you can see if you stop off in Malaga during your Costa del Sol holiday include the Alcazaba, Malaga’s historic fortress, and the 14th century Gibralfaro Castle.

If you are interested in architecture, make sure that you make time to visit Fuengirola. Getting around Costa del sol is easy -  Fuengirola and is about 30 minutes’ drive from Malaga and has a rich history and of course the excellent family attraction Fuengirola Zoo

Having been settled in by the Romans, Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Arabs over the centuries, its architecture displays many influences and archaeologists have discovered some fascinating ruins and artefacts there. The most famous artefact to have been discovered in Fuengirola is a Roman sculpture known as the “Venus of Fuengirola”. You can see this, along with many other artefacts, in the town’s Museum of History (Museo de Historia).

You can also drive to the Castillo de Sohail, on the edge of the town. This now restored castle dates back to the 11th century and is now open to the public. It is also used as a location for theatrical performances and festivals.