Over 2 billion people from all over the world follow the religion of Christianity, and Easter Sunday, which honors the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is greatly celebrated. In the grand, historic city of Barcelona, Spain, the large Catholic population believes in giving this important religious holiday the attention that it truly deserves, and the events, celebrations and activities attract millions of visitors to the city every year. If you haven’t already visited Barcelona during the Easter holiday, then this is a great time to see how another part of the world celebrates. You’ll definitely be glad that you had this experience, and you might just want to make Barcelona a part of your Easter plans every year because there’s literally so much to do and see that you don’t even have to be a Christian to enjoy the festivities.
Easter in Barcelona
You may typically attend church services on Easter Sunday before returning home to a nice ham dinner and an Easter egg hunt with the children. That’s a lovely way to spend the holiday, but you’ll see that the celebrations go much further than that in Barcelona. Easter activities are scheduled to begin on Sunday, April 9, and they’ll run straight through Monday, April 17. Those visiting the city during these dates are in for a real treat, and these are just a few of the scheduled events that you may expect to enjoy during the Easter holiday in Barcelona.
Parades and Processions
- El Paso de la Borriquita: This parade kicks off the festivities on Palm Sunday in the Ciutat Vella. It commemorates the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, and the parade is made up of a long procession of creative floats and marchers in extraordinary costumes. Vendors will also be lined up along the streets to offer the traditional bleached palm fronds to those in attendance.
- Devotional Processions: On Good Friday, the procession of the Virgin de la Macarena will be held in the Raval district, and it will begin at the Sant Agusti Esglesia and end at the Barcelona Cathedral. Other popular devotional processions take place throughout the week in various areas of the city that include La Rambla and the Gothic Quarter.
Religious Services
Palm Sunday Mass, Easter Sunday services and many other special religious services will be held throughout the week at churches all over the city. You’ll find information boards in front of most churches that detail planned events, and the larger churches and the main cathedral will host large choir performances. Visitors are always welcome at any church, and it’s also a wonderful time to visit the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia. This stunning Roman Catholic Church is an international center for spirituality that welcomes those of all faiths, and the structure itself is a masterpiece designed by Antoni Gaudi.
Fun for the Children
While the Easter bunny may not be much of a part of Easter in Spain, this doesn’t mean that your children won’t enjoy the holiday in Barcelona. Every attraction in the city offers special Easter activities for the children in your group, and the pastry shops are filled with the fresh Easter cakes that are traditionally given to Spain’s children as an Easter gift.
This is also a wonderful time to take your children to Barcelona’s wonderful Chocolate Museum in the El Born area because it goes all out for Easter. This city is famous for its production of quality chocolate, and each visitor to the museum is given a bar of chocolate to eat as they enjoy the displays. You’ll see how the chocolate is made and dozens of elaborate chocolate sculptures. Some of these are life-size sculptures of famous people, and others perfectly depict some of the exceptional local architecture.
Make Your Barcelona Vacation Plans Today
Here at Exceptional Stays, we’ve spoken with many people who want to experience these Easter festivities, and our luxury villas are filling up fast. Make your reservations with us today while accommodations are still available, and our professional and friendly staff members will be happy to assist you with your Easter plans in the city.
