Do’s and Don’ts During Semana Santa (Easter) in Barcelona

One of the greatest holidays in Barcelona, Semana Santa is right around the corner and is usually a perfect excuse for most Catalans to take off for at least a week. Plenty of people maximize the four day weekend, taking an extra day from work at either end. However, the influx of tourists makes up for the lack of locals. If you don’t want to get caught in too many tourist traps or swallowed in large crowds of parading people, check out a few of the ‘Easter Do’s and Don’ts’:

Do:

Plan ahead! Restaurants get busy (if they’re even open) so make reservations!

Don’t:

Roam the streets during the specific holy days, unless you want to be bombarded by men and women in costume, followed by hoards of children.

Do:

Take an extended vacation if you can. One or two days on either side will give you almost an entire week off.

Parading Through the Streets

Do:

Stock up on food, water, alcohol as store opening hours are sporadic and you can’t depend on them.

Don’t:

Miss the cake shops scattered throughout the city. They sport the most delicious food during Easter.

Do:

Head to the Cathedral during Palm Sunday, where Easter begins with a procession around the Cathedral. See the people holding palms to commemorate those who laid palms in front of Jesus as he was riding into Jerusalem on a donkey.