Fernwayer Unveils Exclusive Holy Week Tours in Spain and Sardinia

Experience Good Friday in Cuglieri, one of Fernwayer's Holy Week Experiences. ©massimiliano marraffa /OraBluLab

Discover the sacred traditions of Holy Week in Spain and Sardinia through Fernwayer’s exclusive curated experiences available for April 2025.

Semana Santa is one of Seville’s most defining weeks, alongside the Feria de Sevilla. A time of deep devotion, sacred rituals, and tradition”

— María Reyes García

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, UNITED STATES, February 21, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Every year on the final week of Lent, just before Easter, devout countries like Spain and Italy celebrate Holy Week with a series of processions and rituals. Local communities pour their heart and soul into building elaborate floats,

spend days practicing songs, and adorning their streets with banners in preparation for the arrival of pilgrims. All are welcome to join the festivities and experience these profound celebrations up close.

Fernwayer, an innovative travel marketplace, is offering travelers a behind-the-scenes look into the 2025 Easter festivities in Spain and Sardinia. Running throughout April, these Holy Week experiences are designed to connect visitors with local communities, giving them a glimpse of the processions but also a chance to meet the individuals behind the brotherhoods, dress up for the occasion, and capture snapshots of those involved in preserving these rituals.

SEMANA SANTA IN SPAIN
The capital of Andalusia, Seville, is among the main Spanish cities to celebrate Holy Week. “Semana Santa is one of Seville’s most defining weeks, alongside the Feria de Sevilla. A time of deep devotion, sacred rituals, and tradition, it is set apart by the artistry and emotion each religious fraternity brings to the city’s historic streets," says María Reyes García, a passionate Sevillana who offers several private tours in Seville with Fernwayer. "Everyone experiences Semana Santa in their own way—some in quiet reflection, others through the grandeur of the processions. From dawn to midnight, pasos (floats) depicting the Passion of Christ move through Seville’s narrow streets, accompanied by solemn drumbeats and haunting saetas—spontaneous flamenco-style prayers sung from balconies. Seville comes alive with faith, art, and tradition, inviting all to witness its soul,” she adds.

From April 13 to 19, 2025, travelers can access a front-row seat to Seville’s Semana Santa by witnessing the grand brotherhood processions from a private balcony. During the 90-minute spectacle, a local ambassador will share insights into the traditions and history of Semana Santa in Seville, including how local families honor this occasion.

On Holy Thursday, which this year falls on April 17, you’ll see local women proudly donning their mantillas, an ornate headpiece combining a high comb and black Spanish lace that is draped over their heads and shoulders. Traditionally, women wore mantillas as a form of mourning attire while accompanying the Virgin in the Holy Week processions. This iconic garment has been featured in the works of renowned artists like Francisco de Goya and influenced the likes of fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga. Fernwayer has curated a special experience for this day in collaboration with a local stylist who will come to your hotel to dress you up in your own mantilla, making you feel like a true participant in Spain’s Semana Santa.

Down the coast in Málaga, you can also partake in the Holy Week celebrations with Fernwayer from April 13 to 19, 2025. Here, visitors can observe the striking Málaga processions from a private balcony alongside a knowledgeable local ambassador. You’ll see devoted costaleros bearing the immense weight of the floats on their shoulders, and nazarenos dressed in colorful robes and hoods, a tradition born from the desire to repent for their sins while concealing their identities.

If you miss the festivities, you can still join Fernwayer’s year-round Seville experience, “Arte Sacro in Three Acts,” which highlights the artisans of Semana Santa. Led by writer Fiona Flores Watson, you’ll visit workshops where experts restore embroidery vestments, meet master silversmiths crafting decorative panels, and observe sculptors creating lifelike statues that will feature in the religious floats.

HOLY WEEK IN SARDINIA
Holy Week in Sardinia, particularly in the towns of Cuglieri and Bosa, is marked by rich, centuries-old traditions. Ceremonies rooted in the Middle Ages and influenced by Spanish liturgy showcase the rich cultural heritage of this Italian island. Fernwayer’s Sardinia private tours offer a glimpse of these beloved festivities.

On April 14, six travelers will have the chance to join local photographer and choir member Gianmario Pedroni along the evocative Lunissanti procession in Castelsardo, where torchlit streets and ancient choral chants create a deeply spiritual atmosphere in this medieval town.

On April 18, eight participants can take part in the Good Friday ritual in Cuglieri, listening to the liturgical songs performed by the choir a cuncordu. Meanwhile, on April 20, Bosa will mark Easter Sunday with a striking dawn procession. Clad in traditional attire, participants will carry candles through the village streets, casting a warm glow over the town and showcasing its beauty. The Good Friday and Easter Sunday experiences are led by renowned photographer Massimiliano Marraffa, who will help you capture the deep sense of community that thrives in these small Sardinian towns.

ABOUT FERNWAYER
Fernwayer is a curated travel marketplace connecting thoughtful travelers with authentic, locally-sourced experiences in Italy, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, and Croatia. As a counterpoint to bundled travel packages and uncurated platforms, Fernwayer offers meaningful alternatives for those seeking immersive, deeper connections. Inspired by the German word “fernweh” (an aching for distant places), Fernwayer’s mission is to craft transformative travel experiences that enrich travelers and the communities they visit. Founded by entrepreneurs passionate about reshaping tourism, Fernwayer champions cultural discovery that is personal, authentic, and enduring.