Semana Santa in Seville. Annual festival held during Easter.

Semana Santa, or Holy Week is the equivalent to Easter celebrations held by Christians throughout the world with annual traditions in Europe that back as far the the 16^th Century. In Spain, and particularly in Seville, it's one of the most important festivals held during the year.  Generally, the celebrations last for the week that runs from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. At it's core, the festival is a religious commemoration of the last week of Christ's life and his resurrection from the dead, but many people who aren't religious often enjoy the atmosphere of the festival and the beauty of the floats that participate in the processions throughout the week. The processions are held from midday onwards and run late into the night, climaxing with a candlelit dawn procession in the early hours of the morning on Good Friday. Local press often publish the procession schedule in the papers leading up to Semana Santa.  

Each float in the procession, or paso in Spanish, represents a brotherhood (Cofradiza) in one of the districts of the city, and is adorned with religious figures decorated in rich fabrics, gold guilt, candles and flowers.  In Seville there are 52 Cofridias. Each float leaves from it's church and marches towards the city along a designated route, to the main Cathedral in Seville and then back again. The journey can take as long as 8 to 10 hours.  Each float is accompanied by members of the brotherhood, called Nazarenas, wearing a hood, cloak and sandals or sometimes walking barefoot. The colours and design of the outfits are different between brotherhoods. After the Nazarenas come the Penientes who will march carrying a cross, candles or banner, depending on their level of seniority within the group.  

The men who carry the actual float are called Costaleros. They bear the weight of their float for hours at a time, but their participation in the event is a great honour for them.  Although some are held in silence, the processions may be accompanied by a marching band who perform hymns or marchas. Some are also accompanied by a cantante, or signer, who performs a saeta, from a balcony above the parade in honour of the passing float. A Saeta is a traditional Sevillian style flamenco song that's deep, mournful and very moving, even for visitors who can't follow the words. For Semana Santa the lyrics will often tell the story of Christs suffering and the people's lament at his crucifixion.  

Thousands of tourists will travel to Seville for Santa Semana, so booking your accommodation well in advance is highly recommended. Be prepared to que for hours before the processions in order to get a good vantage point on the streets of the city. The best places, closest to the cathedral will be packed with pre-paid seating that locals will have booked as early as the year before.  Two weeks after Semana Santa, the city's second biggest festival, La Feria is held. La Feria is a giant carnival that also lasts a week. All the local businesses will close and schools have a weeks holiday to participate in the festival. Its colourful, vibrant and full of drinking and dancing as part of the celebration.If you can, it's well worth combining these two important but contrasting events.

La Feria de Abril, Seville. Annual festival in April

La Feria de Abril is one of the biggest annual festivals held in Seville. This festival is more than 150 years old. It began as a cattle trade fair in 1847. Gradually the event started to incorporates some traditional Spanish style festivities and over the years the event has evolved into one of the biggest cultural spectaculars you could hope to see in Spain.  

Normally held only 2 weeks after the end of the Semana Santa festival, La Feria is a week long folk festival extravaganza that incorporates singing, dancing, flamenco, music, horses, bull fighting and agricultural shows.  

Schools close, business shut up shop and thousands of travellers come from all over the world for a slice of the action. Local men and women get dressed up in traditional Andalusian costumes, making the event a colourful spectacle.  

La Feria is held in the Real de la Feria, a huge outdoor fairground located just outside the city centre, opposite Maria Luisa park. In the fairground, thousands of large, brightly coloured marquee style ‘casetas' (tents) are set up and decorated with brightly coloured lanterns and flowers.  

There is a range of public and private casetas hosted by various organisations, councils, groups, and local families. You won't have access to all of them- some of them are by invitation only, but you're sure to find plenty of places to eat, drink, dance and party like the locals.  

The festival officially begins with ‘El Alumbrado'- the lighting of the lanterns, and ends the following Sunday night with a fireworks display. The day's events normally begin around noon with a grand parade. The ‘Paseo de Caballos'  features horses pulling brightly decorated carriages. Local Spanish girls are part of the parade, dressed in colourful gypsy style dresses.  

After the parade, in the afternoon, the bullfighting begins in the Plaza del Torros; Real Maestranza. The best Matadores from all over Spain travel to Seville to compete in a colourful display of strength and showmanship.  

But it is after dark when the party really gets into full swing. Music, dancing and drinking wont stop until the early hours of the morning. The traditional alcoholic ‘manzanilla' wine (sherry) will be flowing, but if you'd prefer something softer, try a ‘Rebujito'- a weaker version mixed with Sprite lemonade. As well as the alcohol, La Feria is a great opportunity to sample some traditional Andalucian tapas.  

Visitors come to enjoy La Feria for more than just the festivities and the food and wine. It's a chance to witness first hand a traditional Spanish festival that brings out the best of the locals who come together and celebrate their culture. Don't miss it!

You can learn more about the spanish culture sharing with people, a good way to do that is getting a Seville rental.