The Holy Week is a religious festivity that commemorates Jesus Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection through faith manifestations or processions that have previously been arranged by a brotherhood, or guild. Each of them may carry around a paso, that usually illustrates religious images from the Passion of Christ. It is a very celebrated holiday in Spain, so much in fact that 16 celebrations in 13 different Spanish provinces have been considered Fiestas of International Tourist Interest. The peculiarity of Valencia’s Maritime Holy Week comes from its close relationship to the sea and because it was originated by fishermen and sailor men when, on these dates they celebrate even today a tight schedule of events year after year in Valencia’s Maritime District, comprising the neighbourhoods of El Grao, el Cabañal and Cañamelar, among others, where the city embraces the sea.
Although its exact origin is unknown, there are some proofs that indicate that it existed already on the 15th Century, but it won’t start developing into what we know today until the 20th century, when some of the guilds introduced groups of sculptures, imitated in the following years by many other guilds. After stopping during the Civil War, it was resumed in 1941, with the birth of several new guilds.
Valencia’s Maritime Holy Week maintains traditions that are linked to its sea-related origin and that differentiate it from other Spanish celebrations, such as the Resurrection Parade (where all the seriousness from the Passion is gone, resulting in an explosion of joy and colours throughout the official itinerary), the best andas in the World (referring to Martín Dominguez’s article in which he points out the fact that the images are carried on their chests) or the touch of Glory (at 12 am on Holy Saturday, Jesus Christ’s resurrection is loudly celebrated, as it is often the case in the city of Valencia).
It is for all these reasons that the Holy Week is an excellent time to discover some of the eldest traditions in the Valencian Community, beginning on Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday), which will take place on April 1st this year, and lasts for 8 days. Apart from Valencia’s Maritime Holy Week, Sagunto’s Holy Week, with a live representation of the Passion, as well as Azira’s, where the celebration is quite intense, are both considered fiestas of National Tourist Interest.
Best priced hostels in the heart of Valencia
Both vintage hostels that Hôme Hostels has in Valencia, Hôme Backpackers and Hôme Youth Hostel, are low cost hostels in the heart of Valencia’s historic city centre, in the Barrio de El Carmen, just a few minutes walk to the city’s most emblematic monuments and well connected by means of public transport to the City of Arts and Sciences as well as to enjoy during Valencia’s Maritime Holy Week in the Maritime district, or the beaches in the city.
Enjoy a budget accommodation inValencia in an unbeatable location and do not miss a thing of what’s going on in the city during Easter or any other time.
Ask in reception in any of the Hôme Hostels about all the events that take place inValencia’s Maritime Holy Week.