IT'S NO SECRET THAT EASTER in Spain is held in significantly high regard. Each year the country hosts spectacular parades in every village, town, and city spanning the Iberian peninsular.
Our neighbouring Mediterranean coastal city of Torrevieja is no exception. This year, the Costa Blanca's southern capital is pulling out all the stops to provide a religious and cultural spectacle that will dazzle the crowds.
The Torrevieja Easter parades and the accompanying fiestas are a faithful tradition, with spectacular processions that encompass and showcase the enchanting magic of Spanish culture and Catholic religious mystery.
The processions are accompanied by religious music and chants, adding to the solemn and reflective atmosphere.
Easter Holy week parades to take place in Torrevieja
The celebrations last one whole week, starting on Palm Sunday, 2nd April 2023, and culminating with some genuinely sensational parades throughout the city the following weekend.
The Easter processions that wind their way through the bustling streets of Torrevieja's metropolis have their roots firmly in Middle Age Spain, with the adoption of widespread religious rituals popularised during the Baroque Period.
The processions are typified by solemn brotherhoods and religious fraternities of both men and women that dress in traditional robes known as the “Nazareno”.
The ancient penitential garment consists of a tunic, a cloak, and a foreboding hood with a conical tip used to conceal the face of the wearer.
The type of garment worn depends on the particular procession, and the religious colours and crest of the brotherhood or fraternity determines the exact colour and form of the Nazareno.
Semana Santa in Torrevieja city during April 2023
Two parades occur on Sunday 2nd April at 10:30 and 21:00, departing from the Plaza de la Constitución in the city centre.
Additional parades take place on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evening, with two further processions scheduled for the evening of Thursday 6th April. The first occurs at 22:30, with another following at midnight.
The largest procession of Holy Week takes place on Good Friday, 7th April 2023. The “Procesión Viernes Santo” involves 15 local brotherhoods and an audience of tens of thousands, who will watch the parade depart the Parroquia Arciprestal de la Inmaculada Concepción at 19:30.
You'll need to be an early riser to catch Easter Sunday's procession, with the “Domingo de Resurreccion” starting at 08:00 on Sunday 9th April.
The parade begins at the Parroquia Arciprestal de la Inmaculada Concepción and winds through Torrevieja's small streets surrounding the square.
Torrevieja's colourful Easter processions
Starting as a solemn march through the city's streets, the procession ends on an upbeat note, with rousing music, a shower of flower petals, ringing church bells, and fire-crackers thrown in the street.
Despite the early hour, the procession is well attended, with people coming to enjoy the infectious emotion that emerges from the passionate style in which Torrevieja celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
A smaller parade takes place on Easter Monday, April 17th, at 08:30 in the Plaza de la Constitución. The “Lunes de San Vicente Ferrer” parade concludes the Easter fiestas and celebrates the rising of Jesus Christ.
You can find full details of the Easter processions in Torrevieja, including detailed route maps, by visiting the official Torrevieja Tourist Office website.
Are you looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.
Photo credit: LaZenia.com
