You’ve heard about Holy Week in southern Spain. You’re curious to experience its processions and the emotion you’ve so often seen on television. We’ve put together a route through four cities, with a few pointers to guide you along the way:

Its reputation precedes it. More than 70 religious brotherhoods take to the streets during the run-up to and throughout Holy Week in Seville. More than 50,000 penitents fill the city, while the majesty of the religious floats carried by teams of costaleros leaves onlookers in awe.

We’re particularly captivated by La Madrugá. As well as the daytime processions, during the night between Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, the six brotherhoods of La Madrugá make their way through the city with their floats. After nightfall, the atmosphere becomes even more solemn.

Our expert tip: book your hotel now, as the city welcomes thousands of visitors. Sercotel hotels in Seville offer options both for those who want to stay in the city centre and for those who would rather be a little further away from the crowds.

During Holy Week, Málaga is taken over by processions. You’ll smell incense, hear processional marches and be swept up in the atmosphere. It’s worth knowing that the cofradías — religious brotherhoods made up of groups of worshippers — are responsible for carrying the sacred images they venerate through the streets. The spirit of each brotherhood can be felt in the neighbourhood it calls home.

You can see representatives from these brotherhoods in the final procession of Holy Week, held on Easter Sunday, when the thrones of the Risen Christ and Our Lady Queen of Heaven are carried through the city. Seeing them make their way along Calle Larios is truly impressive.

Plan your trip: choose which processions you want to see, get hold of a map and plot their routes. You’ll be pleased to discover that some follow the same streets on the same day. And if you’re looking for somewhere to stay, some of the Sercotel hotels in Málaga are located very close to these routes.

Holy Week in Córdoba has an unbeatable setting: a Mosque-Cathedral and a historic centre, both declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Every procession makes its way to the former, while every religious float passes through the latter.

Add to this the fact that the celebration, declared a festival of National Tourist Interest, features 38 religious brotherhoods carrying their sacred images in procession. Their routes vary depending on where each brotherhood is based, but they all converge on the official route through the historic streets mentioned above. Find a spot near its entrance or exit so you don’t miss a thing.

If you need some help finding somewhere to stay, Sercotel hotels in Córdoba enjoy a strategic location: close to the city centre, but far enough away to avoid feeling overwhelmed by the crowds.

A trip to Granada during Holy Week offers the chance to see the city from a completely different perspective, marvelling at the contrast between the silhouette of the Alhambra and the passing processions. It also reveals a very different side to the city’s atmosphere.

Combine such a vibrant city with the solemnity of a procession such as El Silencio, held on the night of Maundy Thursday, and the wow factor is guaranteed. Walking through the streets of the Albaicín amid an atmosphere of profound reflection is a moving experience. The only sound you’ll hear is the beat of a drum.

Our recommendation is to set aside everything you thought you knew about Granada. One thing that doesn’t change, however, is its popularity among travellers, so book your hotel well in advance. Sercotel hotels in Granada have everything you need to become your home away from home in the city.