Semana Santa in Málaga 2027: dates, processions, where to watch

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Dates in 2027

Semana Santa in Málaga runs from Palm Sunday 21 March to Easter Sunday 28 March 2027. Maundy Thursday (25 March) and Good Friday (26 March) are public holidays in Andalusia.

The brotherhoods confirm their exact times only a few weeks before. The times below are from 2026, so use them as a guide to what happens and roughly when, and check the final timetable nearer the date.

What it is

Holy Week is Málaga’s biggest religious event, and a Festival of International Tourist Interest. More than 40 brotherhoods (cofradías) carry their sculptures through the centre, usually one of Christ and one of the Virgin, followed by robed nazarenos, bands and huge crowds.

What sets Málaga apart is the size of its floats. They are called tronos (thrones) here, not pasos as in Seville, and they are much bigger. The bearers, men and women, carry them on long outer poles on their shoulders, in plain view. Watching hundreds of people lift and sway one of these thrones through a narrow street is the moment to come for.

The mood is also different from Seville’s. It tends to be more open and festive, with applause and singing in the street on the big days, although Good Friday is much more solemn.

Schedule and key days

• Palm Sunday: the week opens with La Pollinica, about 9:50 in 2026, with children and palm branches. It is a good choice for families. In the afternoon, Lágrimas y Favores, linked with the actor Antonio Banderas, left at 15:00 in 2026.
• Holy Monday: El Cautivo, known as “the Lord of Málaga”, left from the Trinidad district at about 17:30 in 2026. A very large crowd follows it, and one local guide calls this one of the most moving sights of the week.
• Holy Tuesday: a good day to see several in a row, including El Rocío, La Nueva Esperanza, with one of the longest routes, and La Sentencia.
• Holy Wednesday: at El Rico, a prisoner is released by tradition, in front of the Plaza del Obispo, at about 19:45 in 2026. Also look for La Expiración and La Sangre.
• Maundy Thursday: the busiest day. In the morning, the Spanish Legion lands at the port, at about 10:00 according to one local guide, and carries the Cristo de la Buena Muerte to its throne at the church of Santo Domingo. In the evening, the Cristo de Mena procession passes along the official route, with the Legion as its escort. La Esperanza is one of the great processions of the night.
• Good Friday: the most solemn day, with El Descendimiento, which left at about 16:30 in 2026, and El Sepulcro at the end of the day.
• Easter Sunday: El Resucitado closes the week, from about 10:00, leaving the church of San Julián according to one local guide.

Where to watch / how to take part

On the official route

All the brotherhoods pass along a fixed official route through the centre. According to one local guide, it runs from the Plaza de la Constitución along Calle Larios, Martínez, Atarazanas, Torregorda, the Alameda Principal and the Plaza de la Marina, then along Molina Lario to the cathedral. The Alameda and the Plaza de la Marina are wider, so you see the thrones with more space around them.

The Tribuna de los Pobres (free)

The “Paupers’ Stand” on Calle Carretería is the place most people recommend if you don’t have a seat. The street runs next to a raised bank of steps, so you watch from very close, for free, in a very local atmosphere. It gets full, so arrive early.

Paid seats

Chairs and stands on the official route are sold by the Agrupación de Cofradías, mostly as season tickets for the whole week. They usually aren’t sold day by day, and most places go to existing subscribers, so they are hard to get as a visitor.

As a guide, in 2026 chairs cost about €83–164 for the week, stands about €103–152, and six-seat boxes up to about €980. Prices are rising by about €5–10 per seat in 2027, according to local press.

Near the churches

We’d also try to see a procession leaving or returning to its church or brotherhood house, in the surrounding neighbourhoods. It is often the most moving part. Look for the departure times in the timetable.

Getting the timetable

Download the official timetable and map from the Agrupación de Cofradías or a local newspaper a few weeks before. Many routes cross, so it helps to plan your walk across the centre in advance.

Where to stay and when to book

Hotels in the centre fill up and prices rise sharply this week, so we’d book months ahead, with free cancellation if you can.

• To be in the middle of it: Catalonia Molina Lario is next to the cathedral, with a rooftop terrace, and Hotel del Pintor is a small, modern hotel near the Roman theatre. Expect crowds and noise day and night, and some streets will be hard to cross.
• For a little distance: Room Mate Valeria is a design hotel near the port, and Hotel MS Maestranza is a large, practical hotel between the beach and the centre.

See where to stay in Málaga.

Etiquette and tips

• Don’t cross through a procession. Wait for a gap between sections, or go around.
• Plan your route. Streets close, and thrones can take a long time to pass. Allow plenty of time to reach a train, a restaurant or your hotel.
• Book your dinner. Restaurants in the centre fill up. See where to eat in Málaga.
• Watch your bag. Pickpockets work in dense crowds.
• Check the weather. A procession may be cancelled or cut short if it rains. Late March averages about 20 °C by day and 10 °C at night. See Málaga weather by month.
• Check the sights. Opening times change during the week, above all at the cathedral.
• Try the sweets. Torrijas, fried bread soaked in wine or milk and honey, are a classic of the season.

Want to compare? See Semana Santa in Seville. For the rest of your trip, see things to do in Málaga.

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