Easter in Benidorm (Semana Santa)
Easter 2027 is early: Holy Week in Benidorm runs from Palm Sunday 21 March to Easter Sunday 28 March, with Good Friday (26 March) and Easter Monday (29 March) both public holidays in the Valencian region. The highlight is the Good Friday night procession, when all of the town's brotherhoods carry their images through the Old Town and the centre.
Semana Santa in Benidorm is smaller and more local than the famous processions of Seville or Málaga, but it is genuine and moving to watch: hooded penitents, women in mantillas, brass bands and floats carried on the shoulders of the brotherhoods. Most of it happens in the evening, so you can spend the day on the beach and still catch a procession.
It is also one of the busiest weeks of the spring. Spanish families travel for the long weekend alongside the usual British, Irish, Dutch and Belgian visitors, and by Easter most of the British bars that close for part of the winter have reopened.
Dates
| Year | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 29 March 2026 – 6 April 2026 — Palm Sunday 29 March to Easter Monday 6 April 2026; processions reported by the Ayuntamiento de Benidorm. | Confirmed |
| 2027 | 21 March 2027 – 29 March 2027 — Holy Week runs from Palm Sunday 21 March to Easter Sunday 28 March 2027. Good Friday (26 March) and Easter Monday (29 March) are on the published Valencian holiday calendar. Benidorm's 2027 procession times are usually announced shortly before Holy Week. | Confirmed |
What happens, day by day
Palm Sunday, 21 March
Palm blessings are held in every parish in the morning. In 2026 the biggest crowd gathered at Sant Jaume i Santa Anna in the Old Town, followed by a procession with children and a donkey through the historic centre. An evening procession left El Buen Pastor church at 20:00 for the streets around Avenida de los Almendros.
Holy Wednesday, 24 March
The Brotherhood of Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno, the oldest in the town, processes from Sant Jaume i Santa Anna through the Old Town and the El Calvari neighbourhood. In 2025 the procession took nearly two hours.
Maundy Thursday, 25 March
Two neighbourhood processions at 21:00 in recent years: the Procession of Silence from La Almudena church in Foietes-Colonia Madrid, with the Christ of Forgiveness and Good Death escorted by legionnaires, and a procession from San Juan Bautista in La Cala. Later that night there is a Holy Hour and Stations of the Cross around Sant Jaume i Santa Anna.
Good Friday, 26 March
The main event: the General Procession and Holy Burial, which has left Sant Jaume i Santa Anna at 20:30 in each of the last three years. All the brotherhoods take part, with several bands, and the procession winds through the Alameda, Calle Los Ángeles, Pintor Lozano, Martínez Alejos and Paseo de la Carretera before returning to Plaza de Sant Jaume late in the evening. Earlier that morning, a Way of the Cross has climbed to the Calvary at 07:00.
Easter Sunday and Monday, 28–29 March
At 08:00 on Easter Sunday the Encuentro procession leaves Sant Jaume i Santa Anna, followed by the traditional Ambaixà de l'Àngel on the Alameda. Easter Monday is a regional holiday, so Spanish shops and offices are closed but bars, restaurants and the beach are busy.
Where
The Good Friday procession and most Easter Sunday events start from the church of Sant Jaume i Santa Anna in the Old Town and follow the streets between the Alameda, Calle Los Ángeles and Paseo de la Carretera. The Alameda and the bottom of Martínez Alejos are easy to reach on foot from Levante and Poniente. Maundy Thursday processions are in the Foietes-Colonia Madrid neighbourhood and in La Cala, near Poniente.
Old Town and parishes across Benidorm — Church of Sant Jaume i Santa Anna, Plaza de Sant Jaume, Benidorm
Cost
All processions and church events are free. There is no seating, so arrive 20–30 minutes early for a kerbside spot on the Good Friday route.
Where to stay nearby
The Old Town and the Levante end of the seafront put you within a short walk of the Good Friday route. Easter is a peak week for Spanish visitors, so book hotels early.
What's on in the bars that week
Shows listed for 21 March 2027 – 29 March 2027:
Bar line-ups for these dates haven't been published yet. They appear here automatically as venues list them.
Easter in Benidorm (Semana Santa) — FAQs
When is Easter in Benidorm in 2027?
Holy Week runs from Palm Sunday 21 March to Easter Sunday 28 March 2027. Good Friday is 26 March and Easter Monday is 29 March, and both are public holidays in the Valencian region, which includes Benidorm. Maundy Thursday (25 March) is not a holiday here, unlike in much of Spain.
What time is the Good Friday procession in Benidorm?
In 2024, 2025 and 2026 the General Procession and Holy Burial left the church of Sant Jaume i Santa Anna at 20:30 on Good Friday and lasted well into the night. All the town's brotherhoods take part. The council publishes the 2027 times shortly before Holy Week, so check the programme when you arrive.
Are bars and restaurants open at Easter in Benidorm?
Yes. Bars, restaurants and show venues open as normal over Easter, and most of the British bars that close for a few weeks in winter have reopened by then. Banks, public offices and many Spanish-run shops close on Good Friday and Easter Monday.
Is Terra Mítica open at Easter?
Probably not in 2027. In 2026 Terra Mítica did not open until 15 May and Aqualandia until 23 May, and Easter 2027 falls in late March. Mundomar and Terra Natura are better bets: ticket sellers list Mundomar from early January and Terra Natura daily from mid-March. The parks had not published 2027 dates when we checked.
How busy is Benidorm at Easter?
Very. Easter is one of the busiest weeks of the spring because Spanish families travel for the long weekend as well as international visitors. In 2022 the hotel association Hosbec expected Benidorm hotels to reach close to 80% occupancy, with Spanish guests making up around 65%. Book rooms and Easter Sunday lunches ahead.
What is the weather like in Benidorm at Easter 2027?
Late March is mild rather than hot: long-term averages give daytime highs of about 19–20°C and lows of around 10°C, with roughly seven hours of sun a day. The sea is still cold, around 14–15°C. Bring a jacket for evening processions, which can be cool by the time they finish.
Are the beaches staffed at Easter?
Yes. Benidorm keeps lifeguard and cleaning services on its beaches all year, and the council reinforces them for Easter, with lifeguards on duty from 10:00 to 19:00 at Easter 2023. Sunbed and parasol hire may be limited this early in the season.
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Last updated 20 October 2026 by the onbenidorm team.