Madrid! Holy Week, a Week of Traditions

Holy Week Procession in Madrid

Religion in Spain and Madrid

As a student I occasionally attended Catholic mass in Madrid, occasionally in the almost never sense of the word. That was in the years from 1986 through 1990. I didn't see many people my age in church. A quick google search really didn't inform me much at all. Depending on the source, the percentage of spaniards who consider themselves to be Catholic varies greatly with the highest statistic I found being 95%. Other sources were much lower and only 11% or 12% attend mass regularly. But the traditions associated with Semana Santa (Holy Week) persist.

Holy Week Traditions in Madrid

All over the country processions are held in which relics are brought out of the churches and cathedrals and carried dutifully along planned routes for hours. To say this is a labor of love would be an understatement. These artifacts they carry are enormous and quite heavy. The planning and practice that goes into this is remarkable. In Madrid alone there are something like 16 processions throughout the nine days leading up to Easter and then on Easter there is a Resurrection Drum Festival in the Plaza Mayor. The number of processions varies from year to year. To keep this short, I will just say that several of the processions pass through the Puerta del Sol and usually they pass through there sometime between 7:45 and 10:30 PM.

Click on the image to get the Essential 5‑Day Itinerary & Travel Guide — the exact plan I use to help travelers experience the city at its best.

Holy Week 2026 Dates

In 2026, Holy Week runs from March 29 to April 5, with major processions concentrated on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

• Palm Sunday: March 29, 2026

• Maundy Thursday: April 2, 2026

• Good Friday: April 3, 2026

• Holy Saturday: April 4, 2026

• Easter Sunday: April 5, 2026

Holy Week Processional Costumes

The costumes they wear are maybe a little jarring to Americans. But they are the traditional religious costumes used for this purpose throughout history. The hooded vestments, called capirotes, date back to the time of the Spanish Inquisition (which began in the late 15th century and lasted more than 350 years). The tall, conical hoods were originally worn by those being publicly punished as a mark of shame. Over centuries, the brotherhoods that organize these processions, known as cofradías, adopted the costume as a symbol of penitence and devotion, transforming its meaning entirely. Today it represents humility before God, not punishment.

Holy Week Processional Costumes

Years later my family was more than a little curious when we traveled to Spain over our children's spring break, which happened to coincide with Easter week that year. We were in Santander visiting old friends, and as we made our way through the city we came across one of the processions. We stopped to watch for a while, and I took the opportunity to explain the little I knew. Even a brief encounter with one of these processions is something that stays with you.

Spanish Foods to Look for During Semana Santa

During Easter Week, there are several foods that are eaten traditionally. These foods are eaten at other times during the year. But during this period, they are available in restaurants around Madrid and other cities.

Torrijas

Buñuelos de Bacalao (Salt Cod Fritters)

Potaje (salt cod stew with garbanzos)

Torrijas

Perhaps the most popular thing to eat is a dessert called torrijas. Think slices of day old loaves of bread soaked in a mixture of milk, eggs, and vanilla, then fried and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar or honey. Some will refer to them as Spanish French Toast. Honestly, it's more special than that; usually very rich. And they can vary a bit from place to place. Recently we had a version that was very thick, dense, and custardy, dusted with cinnamon and drizzled with honey, served with a generous portion of rich vanilla ice cream. It was absolutely delicious, like bread pudding on steroids. I read somewhere that this is traditional during Semana Santa because they needed a way to use up the left over bread from lent when people couldn't eat meat. It was tasty and filling. I'm sure there's more to it than that. No matter when you visit Spain, you're sure to find this treat on dessert menus. So, give it a try. You won't be disappointed!

Bacalao (Salt Cod)

Then there are the salt cod dishes, and they deserve more than a passing mention. Salt cod (bacalao) has been a staple of Spanish Catholic fasting traditions for centuries, eaten on Fridays and during Lent when meat was forbidden. During Semana Santa it shows up everywhere, prepared in ways that are anything but austere.

The buñuelos de bacalao are salt cod fritters, light and crispy on the outside, tender and flaky inside, with just enough salt to make you reach for another one. They are a perfect bar snack or starter, and you will find them at traditional tabernas and mercados around the city during this week. The soldaditos de pavía are similar, battered and fried strips of cod, often served with a roasted pepper; they are named, supposedly, after the yellow uniform of a 19th-century Spanish regiment. And then there is the potaje de Semana Santa, a hearty stew of salt cod, garbanzos, and spinach that is deeply comforting, especially on a cool spring evening. It is peasant food in the best possible sense.

One practical note: in Spain the main meal of the day is typically eaten around 2 PM, and restaurants serve lunch from roughly 2 to 4. If you want to fully enjoy the Semana Santa food experience, go easy on breakfast and save your appetite for a proper sit-down lunch. For a deeper look at dining customs and what to expect at the table, check out our guide to dining in Spain for first-time visitors. You won't regret it.

Practical Tips for Visiting Madrid During Holy Week

If you are planning a trip to Madrid during Semana Santa, a few things will make the experience much smoother.

Get to Puerta del Sol early. Several of the major processions pass through Sol between roughly 7:45 and 10:30 PM. The square fills up, and good viewing spots along the route go fast. Arriving 30 to 45 minutes early and finding a spot along Calle Mayor or the edges of Sol itself will put you in a great position.

Expect some streets to close. Procession routes are blocked to traffic for hours, which can make getting around central Madrid slower than usual; this is especially true on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, when the most significant processions take place. If your hotel is in the historic center, just plan to walk everywhere those evenings.

The evenings can be cool. Madrid in late March or early April is unpredictable. Daytime can be lovely and warm, but once the sun goes down and you are standing still on a stone street for an hour, you will wish you had a jacket. Bring a layer.

Many businesses close, especially on Good Friday. This is still a national holiday in Spain, and while tourist areas largely stay open, you may find smaller shops, some museums, and local restaurants closed or on reduced hours. Check ahead if there is somewhere specific you want to visit.

Download the official program. The City of Madrid publishes a full Semana Santa program each year as a free PDF. While it is in Spanish, it includes maps of every processional route with street-by-street detail, exact departure times, and the locations where traditional saetas (flamenco-style devotional songs) are sung from balconies along the routes. It is well worth downloading even if you do not read Spanish. You can find the 2026 edition here, and your hotel front desk can help you make sense of it.

Don't skip the food. I know I have said it already, but it is worth repeating: torrijas and bacalao dishes are everywhere during this week, and they are genuinely special. Even if you are not religious, the food alone is a reason to time a Madrid trip around Semana Santa.

To wrap up, Holy Week (Semana Santa) in Spain is more than just a holiday; it’s a deep-rooted tradition that blends faith, history, and community. Whether you’re watching the solemn processions in Madrid, indulging in torrijas and bacalao, or simply observing the unique cultural expressions tied to Holy Week, it’s an experience that stays with you. And while religious practice has evolved over time, these celebrations remain a powerful reflection of Spain’s past and present.

Have you ever experienced Semana Santa in Spain? What stood out to you the most? Let’s discuss in the comments!