Parades in Marbella

Easter

The biggest and most important parades of the year are held during Semana Santa, or Holy Week, and are very powerful. In Málaga, these parades involve stunning “tronos” (thrones or floats) with beautifully painted sculptures depicting important moments or people from the Easter story being brought out of their chapel or church and paraded through the streets.

These thrones are accompanied by religious orders and believers who are trying to atone for their sins. There is music from the town marching band, incense, pomp, and ceremony. Check out the hooded figures which have been in use since the medieval period for the most religious participants to show their penitence.

There are parades every day throughout the Easter week, some joyous, but most very sombre. If you have kids with you or want the cheerful parades, then head to the daytime parades on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, which are lovely and very happy. Palm Sunday is particularly nice for the kids.

If you want power, passion, and devotion, then the candlelit, night processions from Monday to Friday are for you. One of the most powerful is held on Holy Thursday, evening processions normally start at 8 pm or 9 pm, with some taking place at midnight.

Malaga is the most famous place in the region to watch the Easter parades with tens of thousands of people taking to the streets for dramatic parades with enormous floats and wonderful works of art, plus bursts of sorrowful flamenco. However, you need to be prepared for the crowds! Look for a holiday rental nearby so you can reach the city by train and not worry about parking. We’d recommend a Torremolinos holiday rental if you want to experience this spectacle.

Marbella is another great place to see the Easter parades, with plenty of atmosphere and a good turnout of people, but without the enormous crowds. The chapels and churches in the Old Town are stunning and during Easter they are normally open so you can view the thrones before they join the procession. This is a lovely way to explore the Old Town. View the Marbella Easter programme here and check out our selection of Marbella vacation rentals on our website.

Another lovely place to see the parades and explore the pretty Old Town is Estepona, which is slightly quieter than Marbella, but full of charm and tradition. Find out more about Easter in Estepona on their tourism website or browse our Estepona vacation rentals here.

As we’ve said, these parades take place in almost all towns and cities along the Costa del Sol, but they vary in size and quality. Marbella is a good choice to see the parades, as it’s a large enough town to put on a good show, without the huge crowds and transport issues that a city like Malaga can experience.