Holy Week in Andalusia is a deeply rooted celebration in the region, where the religiosity, history and traditions of a people are mixed. During this time of year, which changes its dates from year to year, the streets are filled with fervour and devotion, with impressive processions through Andalusian towns and villages. Here we are going to give you some of the most outstanding traditions of the Semana Santa in Andalusia:

• Nazarenes and brotherhoods: One of the most iconic images of the Andalusian Holy Week are the Nazarenes, who wear colourful tunics and hoods. These nazarenos form part of the cofradías, religious associations in charge of organising the processions and keeping traditions alive. In Andalusia there are more than 2,000 cofradías, and the cofradía de la Hermandad de la Macarena in Seville stands out with more than 4,000 nazarenos.
• Processional floats: During the processions, impressive processional floats are carried on the shoulders in different forms in the different cities and towns, such as cargadores, costaleros or throne bearers. They represent scenes from the Passion of Christ. These works of art depict scenes from the Passion of Christ that are carefully designed and decorated, and are the centre of attention in the processions.
• Saetas: Holy Week in Andalusia is also known for the singing of saetas, an a capella flamenco song that is sung improvised and with great feeling. The saetas are usually dedicated to the images in procession, in an act of deep devotion.
• Gastronomy: During Holy Week, Andalusian gastronomy is full of traditional dishes such as potaje de vigilia, buñuelos de bacalao, torrijas, pestiños and other sweets typical of this time of year. It is an occasion to enjoy the rich Andalusian cuisine and share special moments with your family and group of friends.
• Silence and meditation: Despite the crowds of people who gather to watch the processions, there is often a respectful silence that contributes to create an atmosphere of meditation and reflection, one that stands out for this is the Cofradía del Silencio de Granada, which takes place in the early hours of Holy Thursday to Good Friday.

Holy Week is a celebration that combines faith, tradition and culture, creating a special atmosphere and exciting moment of introspection and spiritual connection between believers that attracts travellers from all over the world to the unique destination of Andalusia.