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A Guide to Holy Week in Castilla y Le贸n
D.L. LE-1.291-2011
H
oly Week is one of Castilla y León’s most deeply-rooted popular and cultural celebrations and one of its greatest tourist attractions. During Holy Week, Castilla y León offers a warm welcome to all those visitors and tourists eager to gain a closer insight into one of the region’s major attractions. Art, tradition, religious fervour and popular customs all converge to form one of the greatest celebrations of the year in Castilla y León. Indeed, this autonomous community boasts the greatest number of Holy Week celebrations to have been declared of Regional, National and International Tourist Interest. Here we extend a warm invitation to discover for yourselves the ten days of Holy Week celebrations in Castilla y León – from Friday of Sorrows to Easter Sunday – through its processions and religious rites and ceremonies. Yet this is also the perfect opportunity to explore Castilla y León, a region packed with cultural, events, art and nature, which also boasts an extensive network of quality accommodation options and gastronomy that skilfully combines modern and traditional cuisine, accompanied by the fine wines of nine Designations of Origin.
Holy Week
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International Tourist Interest: León..................................................................6 Medina del Campo...........................................8 Medina de Rioseco.........................................10 Salamanca.......................................................12 Valladolid........................................................14 Zamora...........................................................16
National Tourist Interest: Astorga...........................................................18 Ávila................................................................20 Palencia...........................................................22 Peñafiel (Bajada del Ángel).............................24
Regional Tourist Interest: Ágreda (Viernes Santo)..................................26 Aranda de Duero............................................27 Bercianos de Aliste (Viernes Santo)...............28 El Burgo de Osma..........................................29 Burgos.............................................................30 Navaluenga (Procesión de los Romances).......31 Ponferrada ......................................................32 Sahagún..........................................................33 Segovia............................................................34 Soria................................................................35 Tordesillas.......................................................36 Toro................................................................37
León
Ponferrada Astorga
Sahagún
Burgos
Palencia Bercianos de Aliste
Ágreda
Medina de Rioseco
Zamora
Toro
Valladolid
Tordesillas
Soria Peñafiel
Aranda de Duero
El Burgo de Osma
Medina del Campo
Salamanca
Segovia
Ávila Navaluenga
Map
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León
Declared of International Tourist Interest
León’s Holy Week, declared an event of International Tourist Interest in 2002, is renowned for the enthusiasm with which the city’s residents take part in the various processions and the fact that it has its very own word to refer to the religious brotherhoods: papón. These deeply-rooted religious celebrations date back to the 16th century. The Procession of Los Pasos, held on Good Friday and which lasts for many hours, is one of the most familiar Holy Week sights not only in Castilla y León but also in the whole of Spain. Other key moments include the Musical Procession of El Dulce Nombre de Jesús Nazareno, which is held the previous night. Visitors to León will be able to admire numerous processions and acts of penitence that take place along the city’s historic streets from Friday of Sorrows to Easter Wednesday. www.semanasantaleon.org www.aytoleon.es
HOLY WEEK IN CASTILLA Y LEÓN
not to be missed
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he Meeting of La Dolorosa and San Juan during the Procession of Los Pasos. It takes place in the Plaza Mayor at around 9 a.m. on Good Friday morning. The Procession of El Santo Cristo del Desenclavo which takes place on the afternoon of Holy Saturday. The event reaches its climax with the public ceremony of the Desenclavo or Taking Down from the Cross opposite the Door of Pardon of the Royal Collegiate Basilica of San Isidoro.
culinary curiosities
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eón boasts a wide and varied gastronomy, partly due to the sheer size of this province and its geographical diversity. It is perhaps best-known for its smoke-cured beef known as cecina, yet other delights include trout soup, and marinated game such as partridge and hare. Chick peas served with cod and spinach is a typical Lent and Holy Week dish in this area. Whilst in the city of León, we recommend you take the time to tour the Barrio Húmedo – literally ‘the Wet District’ - and visit its famous tapas bars.
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n addition to the must-see Gothic Cathedral, Casa de Botines and the Monastery of San Marcos, we also recommend the extraordinary Romanesque paintings that can be admired in the Royal Pantheon of the Basilica of San Isidro, known as the ‘Sistine Chapel of the Romanesque’, where if you look closely, you will be able to spot an intriguing medieval farming calendar. The MUSAC, León’s Contemporary Art Museum, is also well worth a visit.
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Medina del Campo Declared of International Tourist Interest
HOLY WEEK IN CASTILLA Y LEÓN
www.semanasantamedina.com www.centrosanvicenteferrer.es www.medinadelcampo.es
Presided over by the imposing La Mota Castle, the death place of the Catholic Monarch Queen Isabella I, this is a bustling market town renowned for its intense commercial and trading activity. The celebrations are all centred around the Plaza Mayor de la Hispanidad, a setting steeped in history where the religious brotherhoods celebrate the principal events of Holy Week with magnificently carved pasos or holy images such as Nuestra Señora de las Angustias or El Nazareno de la Cruz. Medina del Campo is home to some of Spain’s oldest brotherhoods, several of which have already commemorated their sixth centenary with the opening of the San Vicente Ferrer Centre, where visitors can learn about the history of Holy Week celebrations in Spain.
not to be missed
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he large number of pasos or holy images that come together in the Plaza Mayor de la Hispanidad on the night of Maundy Thursday during the Procession of La Vera-Cruz. Nightfall on Good Friday sees the start of the General Procession of El Silencio, in which all 14 of Medina del Campo’s brotherhoods take part with their holy images and which includes one of Spain’s most outstanding collections of 16th century images of Christ.
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edina del Campo is famed for its suckling pork and lamb roasted in their own juice, spring lamb chops with vine shoots, as well as a wide range of marinated dishes. Those with a sweet tooth will love the extensive choice of cakes and pastries including the cocadas, empiñonados, cagadillas de gato, rosquillas de palo and periquillos.
sightseeing
We recommend a tour of the town’s various churches, shrines and convents, where visitors can admire the images and processional platforms which are considered to make up one of Spain’s finest collections of Renaissance processional sculptures. Also well worth a visit are Testament Palace, also known as the Royal Palace of the Catholic Monarchs, the Fair Museum, and the San Vicente Ferrer Cultural Centre.
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Medina de Rioseco Declared of International Tourist Interest
Declarada de Interés Turístico Internacional
www.semanasantaenmedinaderioseco.com www.medinaderioseco.com
HOLY WEEK IN CASTILLA Y LEÓN
In 2009 this was the first town that was not a provincial capital to be declared the site of a Festival of International Tourist Interest, in recognition of a tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation over the centuries thanks to a community that each year flocks to watch the processions led by the pardal or cornet player, one of the most characteristic sounds of the Holy Week celebrations in Medina de Rioseco. The streets lined with arches, the spectacle of the huge holy images or Pasos Grandes on Good Friday, or the hauntingly lovely voices singing the Salve in El Corro de Santiago on Maundy Thursday, are just a few of the attractions of this town known as the City of the Four Cathedrals or the Admirals of Castile.
not to be missed
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he Procession of Los Gremios on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. This is an ancient tradition in which all the brotherhoods that will be taking part in the town’s processions meet. The Pasos Grandes as they leave the Church of Santa MarĂa de Mediavilla to make their way around the town on the evening of Good Friday in the Procession of El Dolor.
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culinary curiosities
he Campos branch of the Castile Canal provides some spectacular panoramic views from the waterfront in Medina de Rioseca, once the site of the Flour Factory which has now been restored and is open to visitors. From here visitors can take a delightful boat trip along the Canal on board the Antonio de Ulloa.
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edina de Rioseco is famous not only for its magnificent monuments but also for its mouth-watering gastronomy. Local specialities include garlic soup, Castilian ratatouille and traditional braised pigeons. And when it comes to the sweets and desserts, local specialities include abisinios, cakes made with sugar and cream, oil buns, almond biscuits and creamfilled almond pastries known as Marinas.
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Salamanca Declared of International Tourist Interest
Declared a festival of International Tourist Interest in 2002, Holy Week celebrations in Salamanca take to the streets of this UNESCO World Heritage City. The wealth of historic monuments such as the university buildings, the Shell House, the city’s two cathedrals, the Church of La Clerecía and the year-round student atmosphere form the perfect setting for the processions of holy images and brotherhoods which make their way along the streets during the ten-day long celebrations. Highlights include the re-enactment of the Taking Down from the Cross at noon on Good Friday, which takes place in the Campo de San Francisco. www.semanasantasalamanca.es www.salamanca.es
HOLY WEEK IN CASTILLA Y LEÓN
not to be missed
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he Procession of the Brotherhood of El Cristo del Amor y de la Paz on Maundy Thursday, which includes prayers and penitence in the atrium of the New Cathedral.
The re-enactment of the Descent from the Cross on Good Friday in the Patio Chico, with the holy images of the Santo Sepulcro and Las imágenes del Descendimiento.
culinary curiosities
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alamanca is famed for its cured Iberian meats, fresh kid, lamb and veal, as well as its pulses, especially Armuña lentils. Visitors should also take the time to sample its delicious sweets and desserts including La Alberca nougat, maimón buns, as well as the repelaos, obleas and paciencias. Holy Week specialities include the hornazo pie and amarguillos made from eggs and sweet and bitter almonds.
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ne of Salamanca’s best-known tourist attractions is the University. Visitors can see the lecture halls where illustrious students such as Fray Luis de León, Unamuno or Francisco de Vitoria once sat, as well as the chapel, library and the cloister, around which the various rooms and halls are situated, in addition to admiring the magnificent Plateresque façade. Yet probably the best way to explore Salamanca is simply to stroll along its streets, admiring the palaces, churches and monasteries that are waiting to be discovered at every turn, or to sit and take in the atmosphere of its superb Plaza Mayor, marvel at its cathedrals or visit some of the 13 many fascinating museums.
www.jcssva.org www.valladolidturismo.com
Valladolid Declared of International Tourist Interest
An open air museum. This phrase pretty much sums up Holy Week Week in Valladolid, which was declared to be of International Tourist Interest in the early 1980s and which each year offers visitors the chance to marvel at the finest holy images carved by the Castilian School, including works by masters such as Gregorio Fernández or Juan de Juni. Highlights include the general procession on Good Friday, as well as the Proclamation and Sermon of the Seven Words which take place on the same day; images such as Las Angustias, La Vera-Cruz, La Piedad, El Atado a la Columna or El Nazareno; just a few of the multiple attractions featured in the dozens of immensely moving processions, ‘meetings’, acts of penitence and dramatic re-enactments that take place over a ten day period in the main squares and streets of Valladolid.
HOLY WEEK IN CASTILLA Y LEÓN
not to be missed
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he Meeting of the Virgin of Las Angustias (in front of the penitential church of the same name) with Jesús de la Esperanza during the Procession of La Sagrada Cena on Maundy Thursday. The General Procession on the evening of Good Friday during which thousands of members of the city’s brotherhoods walk in procession, many carrying the 32 holy images, most of which were carved during the 16th and 17th centuries by some of the finest master craftsmen of the day.
culinary curiosities
sightseeing
he reputation of Valladolid’s tapas and local gastronomy reaches far and wide. Highlights include roast spring lamb, garlic soup made with Valladolid’s famous bread, game (hare, partridge or quail) which is either prepared in a casserole or marinated, as well as the delicious cured or fresh sheep’s cheese served with quince jelly, sugar or honey. The city’s numerous convents are also famed for their delicious homemade biscuits and pastries. Traditional Holy Week pastries include hojuelas dipped in honey or eaten with sugar.
he National Museum of the Colegio de San Gregorio houses an important collection of religious paintings and images dating from the 13th to the 18th centuries. The programme known as ‘Walks around the City’ is another great way of exploring Valladolid. Particularly worthwhile is the Paso a Paso route, which takes in the penitential churches that safeguard some of the finest processional images.
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Zamora is probably one of the towns and cities of Castilla y León where the Passion of Christ is commemorated with the greatest intensity and fervour, which probably explains why it was declared to be of International Tourist Interest back in the 1980s. For centuries, the city known as the capital of Romanesque architecture has cherished the traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation, making these celebrations a focal point for the residents’ activities. There are numerous highlights during Holy Week, including the image of El Cinco de Copas in the early hours of Good Friday, accompanied on its procession by the sounds of Thalberg’s Funeral March. Other moving events include the Juramento del Silencio or the ProDeclared of International Tourist Interest cession of Las Capas Pardas during the Night of Holy Wednesday. www.ssantazamora.es www.zamora.es
Zamora
HOLY WEEK IN CASTILLA Y LEÓN
not to be missed
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he Procession of the Penitential Brotherhood of El Santísimo Cristo de la Buena Muerte which departs from the Parish Church of San Lázaro on Holy Monday, making its way along Balborraz Street whilst the brotherhood’s choir performs the motet entitled Jerusalén, Jerusalén by the Zamora-born composer Miguel Manzano. El Canto del Miserere, at midnight on Maundy Thursday in Plaza de Viriato. The brotherhoods carry blazing torches that light the way for the image of Jesús Yacente before which the canticle of piety is sung amidst a deafening silence.
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culinary curiosities
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aster Sunday simply wouldn’t be the same without a delicious dish known as Dos y Pingada (consisting of two fried eggs with slices of fried cured Serrano ham accompanied by generous servings of bread). It’s served in every bar and restaurant during the morning and at lunchtime. Traditional pastries include the cañas zamoranas.
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on’t leave the city without visiting the Castle and its magnificent grounds, which offer spectacular views. The castle has now been restored and several of its original defence structures have been rebuilt, as well as the jousting field and moat. Also well worth a visit is the Casa de los Gigantes, next to the Cathedral and the Castle and which is home to the Museum in honour of Zamora-born sculptor Baltasar Lobo (1910 - 1993) and the Holy Week Museum where many of the holy images that are used during the processions are on display.
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Astorga
Declared of National Tourist Interest
The Pilgrims’ Way to Santiago passes through the centre of the capital of the region known as La Maragatería, as it makes its way out of Castilla y León. Astorga’s Cathedral and Bishop’s Palace form the perfect backdrop for the Holy Week Celebrations, which include processions every day of the week, although the most spectacular are held on Thursday and Friday, and in particular the ones held in the early hours of Friday morning. The Descent from the Cross and the Seven Words are two other deeply intense and moving moments of Astorga’s commemoration of the Passion of Christ. HOLY WEEK IN CASTILLA Y LEÓN
www.semanasanta-astorga.com www.ayuntamientodeastorga.com
not to be missed
he Procession of El Silencio during the night of Maundy T Thursday. Good Friday morning sees the Race of San Juanín, which takes place in the Plaza Mayor and has a special place in the hearts of local residents: the ‘race’ consists of the image of Saint John hurrying to tell Our Lady of Sorrows of the death of her Son.
culinary curiosities
sightseeing
dessert. It is unusual in that it is eaten in reverse order, starting with the meat and ending with the soup and dessert. But when in Astorga, you should also taste the delicious maragata potatoes with conger eel and the city’s famous cakes, pastries and chocolate.
visitors to Astorga should also take the time to follow the Roman Itinerary which takes in several well-conserved Roman monuments including the baths, the ditches and the drains, as well as the Roman Museum.
he most famous dish in the region of La Maragatería is undoubtedly its tanding at the crossroads between the French Way and the T stew, or cocido. This hearty dish, made with nine different types of meat, also SSilver Route, Astorga’s principal monuments include the includes chickpeas, greens and stock, and is followed by a sponge and custard Cathedral, the Town Hall and the Bishop’s Palace. However,
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Ávila
Declared of National Tourist Interest
Ávila, a UNESCO World Heritage City, not only upholds the traditions of Holy Week but in recent years it has also incorporated new events which have earned it National Tourist Interest status. In addition to the traditional ‘Via Crucis’ around the city walls early on Good Friday morning, visitors can now admire a number of more recent processions such as La Estrella, which features deeply revered traditional images such as El Cristo de Medinaceli or El Cristo de las Batallas that are taken out on Holy Wednesday, as well as El Miserere which can be heard during the night of Holy Tuesday.
HOLY WEEK IN CASTILLA Y LEÓN
www.juntasemanasanta-avila.com www.avilaturismo.com
not to be missed
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he Procession of El Encuentro held on Holy Monday. Plaza del Mercado Grande is the setting for the meeting between the Virgin Mary and her crucified Son. The image of El Santísimo Cristo de la Ilusión leaves from the Church of Nuestra Señora de las Vacas, whilst the image of Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza leaves from the Cathedral.
culinary curiosities
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n addition to the famous El Barco beans, meneas potatoes, Tiétar cheeses and Ávila’s superb veal, the city’s culinary delights include sweets such as the Yemas de Santa Teresa. During Holy Week look out for the flores – pastries that are sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. Hornazo is another traditional Easter Sunday dessert.
The ‘Via Crucis’ around the wall. Starting in the early hours of Good Friday, it makes its way around the wall to the Cathedral, with the popular image of El Cristo de los Ajusticiados in procession.
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oly Week is the only time of the year that visitors can explore the Shrine of El Resucitado, which stands next to La Viña Park. On Easter Sunday there is a popular procession around the shrine, including an auction followed by a picnic when locals sit down in the field around the shrine to eat the traditional hornazo pie if the weather is fine. Visitors to Ávila should also take the time to stroll along the city’s streets and walk around the walls – at ground level and from the walkway around the top.
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Palencia
Declared of National Tourist Interest La Vestición, El Prendimiento, Los Tres Toques de Gallardete or El Tararú are just a few of the names given to the numerous events that take place during Holy Week in Palencia, a beautiful city that boasts a growing number of admirers. These intriguing events each symbolise an episode in the Passion of Christ, and compete in beauty with the triple reverence of Jesus before his Mother on Good Friday, or the Procession of La Soledad de la Virgen on Easter Saturday, when all the images of Maria with their various dedications are taken out in procession. Other highlights include the re-enactments of the Descent from the Cross or the acts of penitence represented by the city’s most senior residents. www.semanasantapalencia.com www.palencia-turismo.com
HOLY WEEK IN CASTILLA Y LEÓN
not to be missed
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l Acto de Vestición on Holy Monday in the Plaza Mayor, when a priest describes the various items of clothing worn by the members of the brotherhood. El Acto del Prendimiento, which takes place in Plaza de la Inmaculada during the procession of the same name, late on Holy Tuesday night.
culinary curiosities
sightseeing
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alencia boasts a host of culinary delights including its mixed vegetables dishes, veal, crabs, trout and cheeses. Without forgetting the wide selection of delicious sweets and pastries including amarguillos, almendrados, ciegas, socorritos, leche frita and tocinillos de cielo, as well as its delicious biscuits and sponge cakes.
he city of Palencia offers visitors a fascinating mix of tradition and modernity, with avant-garde landmarks such as El Cristo del Otero, the work of sculptor Victorio Macho, which stands at the entrance to a museum dedicated to his life and work, or ancient monuments such as the Crypt of San Antolín, a Visigoth and Romanesque construction that forms part of the Cathedral nicknamed the ‘Unknown Beauty’.
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Peñafiel Descent of the Angel. Declared of National Tourist Interest
Declared to be of National Tourist Interest thanks to the re-enactment of the Descent of the Angel on Easter Sunday, Peñafiel is renowned for its castle, gastronomy, wines, museums and spectacular natural setting, marked by the convergence of the rivers Duero and Duratón.
HOLY WEEK IN CASTILLA Y LEÓN
www.semanasanta.turismopenafiel.com www.turismopenafiel.com
culinary curiosities
he town of Peñafiel forms part of the area known as Ribera del T Duero, famous throughout the world for its superb wines that form the perfect accompaniment for any dish. Local specialities include spring
lamb roasted in a wood oven, as well as braised and marinated game, wild mushroom and the typical Peñafiel hornazo pie. And for dessert, visitors will love the rosquillas de palo pastries and torrijas – a kind of French toast.
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part from a visit to the Castle and the Wine Museum housed A inside, visitors to Peñafiel should take the time to tour the Church of San Pablo, el Coso or the Casa de la Ribera. If you’re in the town on Good Friday, don’t miss the chance to tour the brotherhood monuments in the various parishes.
not to be missed he re-enactment of the Descent of the Angel at noon on Easter T Sunday in the emblematic Plaza del Viejo Coso, where a child dressed as an angel descends to remove the black veil covering the Virgin Mary.
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Ágreda
The Good Friday processions of El Sermón de las Siete Palabras and El Santo Entierro held in this town in the province of Soria have been declared of Regional Tourist Interest. The members of the brotherhoods wear a special costume known as ‘felipecuarto’ – or Philip IV – inspired by the clothes worn by the nobility in the 17th century. The torch bearers are children dressed as pages, whilst the women dress in black and wear the traditional Spanish mantilla and a purple cape.
Good Friday. Declared of Regional Tourist Interest www.veracruzagreda.com www.agreda.es
not to be missed
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n Good Friday, the Procession of El Sermón de las Siete Palabras with the banners of the Apostles and the Procession of El Santo Entierro with the twelve images of the Passion of Christ.
culinary curiosities
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traditional Holy Week beverage is the town’s special lemonade, made by heating wine with sugar before adding the juice of several lemons and cinnamon sticks and leaving it to stand for a while.
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greda’s architecture is the result of a fascinating mix of three cultures (Muslim, Jewish and Christian). We recommend taking any of the five routes on foot around the town: a tour of the Moorish Quarter and a visit to the City’s Interpretation Centre; La Peña and a visit to the former synagogue; the San Miguel and San Juan routes, which take in several of the principal churches and convents, and finally the Garden Route, which includes a number of interesting historical parks.
The Church of Santa María lies at the heart of the town’s Holy Week celebrations. In addition to the processions featuring numerous superb holy images, events also include musical activities and sermons and meditation sessions in keeping with the time of year and which are followed with great devotion by the local residents. The ten day programme includes processions and other acts of penitence, although the major events are held on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. www.cofradiasdearanda.org • www.arandadeduero.es
Aranda de Duero
Declared of Regional Tourist Interest
not to be missed
On Good Friday the Sermon and Descent from the Cross, followed by the Procession of El Santo Entierro de Cristo which features eleven holy images. Another highlight is the Descent of the Angel on Easter Sunday, which takes place outside the Church of Santa María, which is followed by the procession and Mass of Resurrection.
culinary curiosities
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ypical fare at this time of year includes conger eel prepared in traditional Aranda de Duero style, in a saffron-flavoured sauce. Other delicacies include spring lamb roasted in a wood oven, accompanied by one of the Ribera del Duero’s many outstanding wines.
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hilst in the Ribera del Duero region, visitors should find the time to visit some of the traditional wineries. There are several in Aranda de Duero itself, as well as the CIAVIN Wine Architecture Interpretation Centre. Those interested in visiting this Centre should contact the Aranda de Duero Tourism Office.
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not to be missed
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Bercianos de Aliste
he re-enactment of the Taking Down of Christ from the Cross takes place at half past four on Good Friday afternoon on the forecourt of the Church of San Mamés in the presence of the image of his mother, La Virgen Dolorosa. The members of the brotherhood place the articulated body of Christ in the coffin and the procession makes its way to Calvary, symbolised by three crosses placed at the entrance to the cemetery. The procession moves in single file as the Miserere is chanted.
culinary curiosities
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lthough Bercianos de Aliste is a long way from the sea, two of the town’s most traditional dishes, and indeed throughout most of the province of Zamora, are octopus and cod fillets.
Every Good Friday for more than 500 years, the small town of Bercianos de Aliste has continued with the tradition of the Procession of El Santo Entierro. The members of the Brotherhood of El Santo Entierro, dressed in their white tunics, which will be used as their shroud when they pass away, accompany the coffin containing the remains of their most Senior Member, Jesus, on its way to Calvary. Elderly men or widowers walk in procession behind the brotherhood, dressed in the town’s typical brownish-grey cape. Good Friday. Declared of Regional Tourist Interest
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ercianos de Aliste is a fine example of the area’s traditional architecture, dotted with small stone houses with slate roofs. The most outstanding monument is the Church of San Mamés which stands on the hillside, although visitors will also enjoy visiting the watermills.
Burgo de Osma not to be missed
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he penitential ‘Vía Crucis’, held on Holy Tuesday night around the streets of the town from the Seminary to the first of the churches and the XIV Stations of the Cross. During the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night the Gloria in Excelsis Deo when the Veil of Passion covering the Cathedral’s main altarpiece is removed.
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Presided over by a magnificent Cathedral, Holy Week celebrations in El Burgo de Osma unfold along its typical narrow streets, the perfect setting in which to re-enact the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ. Events such as the Procession of El Santo Entierro, Good Friday, the Services in the Cathedral or the music that accompanies several of the acts of penitence, make this town an attractive destination at this time of year. Declared of Regional Tourist Interest
l Burgo de Osma is famous for its gastronomy festival which coincides with the traditional pig slaughter, another event of regional tourist interest. Yet it also produces a rich harvest of fruits, vegetables and pulses, as well as cardoons, milk cap and wild cardoon mushrooms, game, poultry and lamb. Traditional sweets include flaky pastries known as sobadillos, aniseed cakes, the famous harinados pastries and during Holy Week fritters known as buñuelos de viento.
www.burgosma.es
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t’s well worth spending a day strolling round this town in the province of Soria, stopping off at its principal monuments such as the porticoed Plaza Mayor, the Gate of San Miguel, the Convent of El Carmen and of course the Gothic Cathedral and its diocesan museum.
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Declared of Regional Tourist Interest
Burgos not to be missed
www.semanasantaburgos.com • www.aytoburgos.es
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he torch lit ‘Via Crucis’ Procession held on Holy Monday, which includes a Cross with a Shroud. The Meeting of Jesus con la Cruz a Cuestas and Nuestra Señora de los Dolores takes place during late evening on Maundy Thursday in Plaza del Rey San Fernando.
culinary curiosities
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urgos’ is famous for its morcilla black pudding and delicious roast lamb, although other culinary delights include the marinated dishes and its famous olla podrida – literally ‘rotten pot’ – a delicious pork and bean stew. Holy Week delicacies include cod-based dishes, whilst for dessert visitors will love the city’s famous fresh cheese, served on its own or drizzled with honey and sugar or served with nuts.
The first city on the Pilgrims’ Way to Santiago as it makes its way through Castilla y León is home to one of the most magnificent cathedrals to be seen on the pilgrimage route and the only one to be individually declared a World Heritage Site. The ‘Vía Crucis’ and Rosaries on Holy Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday form a fascinating prelude to the intense days of celebrations that follow in which the Passion of Christ is re-enacted through the traditional processions and the masses and services held in the Cathedral.
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or a fascinating day out, visit the Museum of Human Evolution, housed in a new building designed by Juan Navarro Baldeweg. The museum is a showcase for the principal discoveries made in the Atapuerca Mountains.
Procession of Los Romances. Declared of Regional Tourist Interest This town in the province of Ávila is known for the popular Procession of Los Romances, which takes place in the evening of Maundy Thursday and during which verses by Golden Age playwright Lope de Vega are recited before various images around the town. It is the highlight of the town’s Holy Week celebrations and the event that has earned it Regional Tourist Interest status, although several other events are also organised during Holy Week in Navaluenga. www.navaluenga.es
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l Pique held at the end of the Procession of Los Romances, when two ‘gangs’ of reciters compete to see which one best interprets the more than three hundred verses written by Lope de Vega.
Navaluenga
culinary curiosities
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veryone visiting the town is invited to sample the town’s sweet buns known as bollitos and its lemonade. Yet visitors are also strongly recommended to tuck into a succulent Álvila T-bone steak, followed by Alberche peaches in syrup.
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isitors should stop to admire the magnificent scenery that surrounds this town as well as taking in the medieval cemetery, the Romanesque bridge, the
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Declared of Regional Tourist Interest The Basilica of La Encina, the Clock Tower or the Castle of the Knights Templar are just a few of the principal landmarks to be seen in the capital of El Bierzo region, where the Easter processions feature a number of deeplyrevered holy images such as Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, El Nazareno and Ecce Homo, as well as the moving San Juanín, which is typically found in the acts to commemorate the Passion of Christ throughout the province. www.ponferrada.org
not to be missed
he Salve to the Virgen de la Soledad which takes T place on after dark on Easter Saturday in front of the Church of San Andrés. The image is revered by the
Ponferrada
culinary curiosities
E
l Bierzo boasts various products holding quality designations (including its roasted peppers, reinette apples and conference pears). Its best-known brotherhoods, who accompany the Virgin on the way back dishes include the large meat sausage known as botillo, from burying her Son with lighted candles. which is served with potatoes and vegetables. Other On Easter Sunday, the central figures in the Procession of specialities include El Bierzo pie and stew, whilst its La Resurrección are the Blessed Sacrament protected by a sweets as pastries such as fisuelos, sequillos, roscas ciegas, canopy and accompanied by penitents wearing white tunics cream cakes and milk-soaked sponges are also well and the Patron Saint of Ponferrada, Nuestra Señora de la worth tasting. Encina, who is accompanied by the women of the town.
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sightseeing
W
e recommend a tour of the Castle of the Knights Templar, the Basilica of La Encina, the Clock Tower, the Town Hall and the Royal Prison as well as a visit to some of Ponferrada’s many museums such as El Bierzo Museum, the Radio Museum, the Holy Week Museum, the Railway Museum and the National Energy Museum.
Declared of Regional Tourist Interest Another major point of interest along the Pilgrims’ Route to Santiago as it makes its way through Castilla y León, the town of Sahagún has a packed programme of Holy Week events that are unique to this area, including an auction of the holy images (held a week before Palm Sunday), La Isa, La Ronda Poética, La Adoración de la Cruz and reenactments such as the Taking Down from the Cross and the Entombment of Christ, without forgetting the distribution of the Pan de Jesús or ‘Bread of Jesus’ (bread with eau-de-vie)
Sahagún
www.sahagun.org
not to be missed
La Isa. Before the Procession of Los Pasos, which begins on the morning of Holy Saturday, visitors are carried shoulder high to the door of the chapel where the images are kept and made to knock on the door. Friday afternoon sees the departure of the Procession of El Santo Entierro, with images such as El Cristo de la Urna, Cristo de los Entierros and La Virgen de la Soledad whilst in Plaza Mayor Sahagún’s Symphony Band plays a series of marches.
culinary curiosities
L
eeks grown on the plots watered by the River Cea are the town’s most famous local produce. Other specialities include its pulses, especially the pardina lentils and Sahagún beans. Traditional desserts include sheep’s cheese with honey and sweets such as amarguillos and galletas de hierro, biscuits made with iron moulds heated on a coal fire and cream horns baked in the local convent.
sightseeing
S
ahagún boasts some of the finest examples of Mudejar architecture in Castilla y León and is a major stopping point on the French Way to Santiago. Highly recommended is a visit to the 12th century of the Church of San Tirso, the Holy Week Museum housed in an annex of the 12th century Church of San Lorenzo, the 13th century Nuestra Señora La Peregrina or the Shrine of the Virgen del Puente, which dates back to the 12th century.
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Declared of Regional Tourist Interest This World Heritage City is renowned for its Holy Week Processions and ‘Via Crucis’ which takes in the newer districts as well as the streets of the historic quarter. A number of parishes and brotherhoods have their own processions that compete in beauty and splendour with the larger processions and events that take place in and around the Cathedral and the city’s other monuments. www.semanasantasegovia.com www.turismodesegovia.com
not to be missed
T
Segovia culinary curiosities
S
he Penitential Via Crucis featuring the image of El egovia’s most famous dish is undoubtedly its tender roast Cristo de la Buena Muerte which takes place on Holy suckling pork, but it also produces delicious cured meats Wednesday in the grounds of the Monastery of the Car- – its chorizo sausages in particular -, as well as vegetables such melite Fathers, a place of prayer and retreat for Saint John as leeks, carrots, garlic, endives, potatoes and the magnificent of the Cross. La Granja butter beans. Typical desserts include the delicious The Procession of El Santo Cristo de los Gascones held on marzipan sponge known as ponche segoviano and pastries like the night of Maundy Thursday and which features one of roscos and soplillos. Torrijas – French toasts – served with sugar, cinnamon and honey, are traditionally eaten during Holy Week. the oldest and most deeply-revered images in the city.
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sightseeing
S
egovia was once a melting pot for the Jewish, Moorish and Christian cultures and boasts a number of magnificent monuments including the Roman aqueduct, a number of interesting Romanesque churches such as La Vera Cruz, San Juan de los Caballeros, San Esteban and San Martín; a beautiful Gothic Cathedral, the Fortress and numerous monasteries, palaces and noble houses. Also well worth a visit is the Esteban Vicente Museum of Contemporary Art.
not to be missed
The city of Soria celebrates the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ in strict chronological order, from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. Indeed, each brotherhood interprets a different passage from the gospels, providing the city’s Holy Week celebrations with a unique narrative character www.semanasantadesoria.com www.soria.es
Soria
Declared of Regional Tourist Interest
culinary curiosities
S
oria is renowned for its dishes made with wild mushrooms, migas pastoriles – the fried bread and bacon that was originally the food of shepherds-, marinated meat, game and all types of pork products and dishes. It is also known for a wide selection of traditional cakes and pastries such as rosquillas, mantecadas, roscos, sobados and sobadillos, anisados, empiñonados and tartas costradas as well as its lemon and almond biscuits. Soria is also famous for its excellent butter.
The ‘Vía Crucis’ along San Saturio Way during the evening of Holy Wednesday is one of the highlights of the Holy Week celebrations in Soria due to the spectacular beauty of the natural backdrop on the banks of the River Duero, and the air of spirituality that pervades the atmosphere. The General Procession of El Santo Entierro that departs from the Concathedral during the night of Good Friday is a spectacular sight, where thousands of members of the brotherhoods light the way for some ten holy images.
sightseeing
I
n order to get the most out of your visit to this city, don’t miss the Shrine of San Saturio, the Romanesque Cloister of Los Arcos de San Juan de Duero, the Church of Santo Domingo and the Concathedral of San Pedro, which is the finishing point of all the Holy Week processions.
Declared of Regional Tourist Interest The Castilian School, and Gregorio Fernández in particular, made their mark on this town that stands on the banks of the River Duero. The churches and convents that line its streets form the perfect backdrop for the re-enactments and processions that abound at this time of year. www.semanasantatordesillas.es www.tordesillas.net
not to be missed
T
he Procession of El Encuentro Doloroso that takes place on Holy Wednesday in the Plaza Mayor. The Procession of La Pasión de Cristo during the night of Good Friday, which features all the images used in the town’s Holy Week celebrations.
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Tordesillas culinary curiosities
R
ooster prepared in traditional Tordesillas style is one of the specialities of this town situated in the province of Valladolid that can be enjoyed at any time of year. Tordesillas also boasts a wide range of cakes and pastries, especially its amarguillos, hojaldres, polvorones del Toro de la Vega, cheesecakes and biscuits and sweets made by the nuns in the Convent of Santa Clara.
sightseeing
I
n addition to visiting the Royal Convent of Santa Clara, the Treaty House and some of the town’s fascinating museums, Holy Week is the ideal time to admire the processional images on display in the Church of Santa María from Holy Tuesday to Easter Sunday.
Declared of Regional Tourist Interest Following the course of the River Duero, we cross into the province of Zamora and eventually come to Toro, whose Holy Week celebrations are the perfect opportunity to admire the town’s magnificent holy images. Holy Week in Toro is also inextricably linked to its characteristic sounds such as the canticles of piety, and sites such as the Collegiate church, as well as the devotion the town expresses for La Virgen de la Soledad. www.toroayto.es
not to be missed
Toro
The Blessing of the Conqueros or Cagalentejas during the morning of Maundy Thursday, who raise money for the Brotherhood of Jesús y Ánimas de la Campanilla, which holds its procession in the early hours of Good Friday. The Procession of Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno which is held first thing in the morning of Good Friday. It begins with the Mandate Sermon and includes ‘El Almuerzo del Bacalao’ – a meal of cod eaten during the procession, before ending in Plaza de Santa Catalina with the ‘Baile de los Pasos’ where the images appear to be dancing.
culinary curiosities
T
oro is probably best-known for its Designation of Origin wine, the perfect accompaniment for any dish and an essential ingredient for the delicious pears in wine. Zamora cheese, which also holds a special designation, is also an excellent aperitif or dessert. Traditional Holy Week dishes include cod in moje arriero sauce, which is normally eaten on Good Friday morning.
sightseeing
oro boasts a rich heritage including its Romanesque T Collegiate Church dating back to the 12th century, the Fortress, the town’s walls and several gates, as well as a number of fascinating museums such as the one situated in the Church of San Sebastián de los Caballeros. Its streets are also lined with a large number of palaces that were once the homes of noble families such as Las Leyes, Valparaíso or the Counts of Bustamante, as well as Mudejar churches including San Lorenzo and El Santo Sepulcro and numerous monasteries, the finest of which are Santa Sofia, Santa Clara and Sancti Spiritus.
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Other unusual traditions
I
n addition to those towns whose Holy Week celebrations have been declared of Tourist Interest, the entire region is rich in towns and villages with their own unique traditions and customs that are well worth discovering. Examples include the re-enactments of the Passion of Christ in La Alberca, Candelario and Serradilla de Arroyo (Salamanca), Covarrubias, Lerma or La Molina de Ubierna (Burgos), and Carri贸n de los Condes (Palencia), or the Taking Down from the Cross in Cuenca de Campos and Villavicencio de los Caballeros (Valladolid).
S
ome towns continue to celebrate pagan rituals such as the Festival of La Charrada in Ciudad Rodrigo (Salamanca), El Santo Potajero in La Ba帽eza (Le贸n) or the Procession of La Titera in Astudillo (Palencia).
PHOTOGRAPHY León: Junta de Cofradías de Semana Santa de León, Gustavo Hernandez, Archivo Sotur S.A. Medina de Rioseco: Fernando Fradejas, Junta local de Semana Santa, Archivo Sotur S.A, Diputación Provincial de Valladolid Salamanca: Ángel González López, Archivo Sotur, S.A. Valladolid: Concellón, Miguel A. Hernández, Fit Imagen, Gustavo Hernández Villanueva, Harman Zamora: Sociedad de Turismo de Zamora, Archivo Sotur, S.A. Ávila: Junta de Semana Santa de Ávila, Archivo Sotur S.A Medina del Campo: Fran Jiménez, Thragg, Archivo Sotur S.A Palencia: Junta Pro Semana Santa de Palencia, Gustavo Hernández Villanueva , Archivo Sotur S.A Ágreda: Cofradía de la Santa Vera Cruz, Patronato Turismo de Soria Aranda de Duero: Coordinadora de Cofradía y Hemandades de la Semana Santa de Aranda de Duero, Archivo Sotur S.A Astorga: Imagen Mas, Junta de Cofradías de Semana Santa, Alsaleila, Archivo Sotur S.A Bercianos de Aliste: @javivalia, Tamorlan, Ignacio Sáiz de la Hoya. El Burgo de Osma: Cofradía de los Misterios y Santo Entierro de Cristo, Gustavo Hernandez, Archivo Sotur S.A, Patronato Turismo de Soria Burgos: José Antonio Monje Martín, Roberto Delgado González, Archivo Sotur S.A, Museo Evolución Humana. Navaluenga: Hermandad de los Romanceros, Ayuntamiento de Navaluenga, Archivo Sotur S.A Peñafiel: Ayuntamiento de Peñafiel, Rafaela Bompiani, Archivo Sotur S.A Ponferrada: Hermandad de Jesús Nazareno de Ponferrada, Archivo Sotur S.A Sahagún: Mª José Fernández, Alejandro Conde Espeso, Archivo Sotur, S.A Segovia: Juan Esteban Martín Misis, Antonio Gómez Pecharromán, Soledad Rubio Jiménez., Mario Antón Lobo, Mesón Cándido, Archivo Sotur S.A Soria: Junta General de Cofradías, Chon, Archivo Sotur S.A Tordesillas: Junta Local de Semana Santa de Tordesillas, Contacto-2, Archivo Sotur S.A, Toro: Junta pro Semana Santa, Fit Imagen, Archivo Sotur S.A Other photographs: Miguel A. Hernández, Ángel González López, Mariano Romero Pérez, Diputación Provincial de Valladolid, Contacto-2, Sanserif, Archivo Sotur, S.A. Design: Capitán Quimera - Comunicación Creativa Edited by: Sotur - VA-147-2012
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