My Guide to Holy Week in Antigua After Living Here for 25 Years

The first time I saw the Holy Week in Antigua was years ago and I was speechless, it was incredible. Since then I have traveled and lived in the country for more than 20 years, and got the opportunity to be there several times for holy week. Even though I’m not the most religious person, I managed to enjoy it a lot!

Holy Week or Semana Santa in Antigua, as it’s called locally is by far the most important celebration of the year, and despite being a celebration mainly for Catholics, thousands of people travel to Guatemala from all over the world to experience it.

In fact, it is such a significant event that it has been recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

NOTE: The Holy Week 2026 starts on Sun, Mar 29 until Sun, Apr 5.

How is Holy Week Celebrated in Antigua, Guatemala?

While Holy Week is celebrated all over Guatemala, is the colonial town of Antigua that steals the show, and I have had the privilege to call that place home for several years, I even raised my kids there.

This Catholic tradition is stunning, and the town completely changed during this week. Families start preparation beforehand, most of the people are on the streets and there’s this fellowship vibe in the air.

There are processions, vigils, funeral marches, and special foods but what sticks out the most are the gorgeous alfrombras or carpets made of flowers.

Here’s what you will find during Holy Week in Antigua:

Religious Processions

One of the most notable aspects of the Holy Week in Antigua and the rest of Guatemala is the incredibly elaborate processions, very impressive and shocking to some extent to many of us who have never experienced something like this before.

My favorite processions are in Antigua, but you can find them in several places like Guatemala City, and Quetzaltenango.

These processions usually have large floats (andas), with huge Jesus statues, saints, or scenes depicting the Passion of Christ, most of them are super heavy and are carried by a group of men that are known as cucuruchos. 

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Beautiful Decorations 

Holy Week feels like a party, both cities and towns are adorned with carpets made from colored sawdust, flowers, and other natural materials.

These carpets, known as alfombras, are done manually by a ton of people on the street along the procession routes. This is done as a form of devotion and artistry. They often feature religious symbols and motifs like that, truly stunning work.

Also, the streets where the processions will walk by are usually adorned with flowers, paintings, and other catholic artifacts.

Traditional Foods 

Guatemala has a great cuisine, but on holy week the local people start to prepare special dishes, most of them with fish like stews, soups, and fried fish.

Food plays a significant role during Semana Santa, in most houses the families gather to prepare these special dishes and share meals.

Also, in the week that leads up to the holy week and sometimes during the week, most towns have these “ferias” (fairs) where you will find several street food stalls selling typical stuff like tostadas, dried fish, plantains, etc.

Religious Practices

Guatemala is usually a very religious country and these practices are held regularly throughout the year. Still, during the holy week, practices like masses, reenactments of biblical events, and the processions are held uniquely.

Also, a lot more people attend these services during the holy week.

Family Gatherings

Something I love about Guatemala and the locals is how warm and welcoming they are, and during the holy week in Antigua, you’ll notice this since it’s the time for community gatherings and socializing.

Families and friends come together to participate in religious activities, share meals, and enjoy each other’s company.

What Makes Holy Week in Antigua Special? 

For many years to the present, La Semana Santa in Antigua and Guatemala in general has attracted many international believers from all over the world, and that’s because of the way the locals celebrate it here.

Each country celebrates it differently but nothing like Guatemala, from alfombras to the cucuruchos and many more cultural traditions that make this celebration particularly unique here.

Los cucuruchos and las devotas

They are the pennant devotees, taking care of carrying out the processions and the many steps of the Via Crucis. Las devotas are the female version of the devotees, also taking care of the Holy Week processions.

There are many types, from several organizations and different brotherhoods, but commonly they wear robes in white, black, or purple.

They take turns carrying the giant floats, and the reasons are personal, many of them just want to thank God for something, or redeem their sins, and for tradition.

Las Alfrombras (Carpets)

This literally means “carpets” in English, the planning of las alfrombras starts months before Holy Week, and they should be done 24 hours before the procession takes place.

The real purpose of those carpets is to be a colorful path for the profession and as an offering. It is well known that many Guatemalan families have been making alfombras for generations.

These carpets are usually made with dust of different colors, which are made from fruits, and flowers. The pattern is a bit complicated, people usually use catholic symbols and Mayan images, also many have Guatemalan icons or natural elements.

The carpets come in many sizes, from many meters to even a mile long.

The Processional Floats

Most of those structures are made of wood, they are used to carry Catholic images of Jesus Christ and different saints across the streets during Holy Week.

They are locally called “Las andas procesionales” and are decorated by the devotees according to the church and organization. Since the Good Friday processions take place in the nighttime, some of the processional floats are illuminated, giving them a different touch!

The size varies a lot, some are small and some are huge, the biggest one is located in El Calvario Church, used to carry the Cristo Yacente, with 25 meters in length and almost 2.5 tons in weight and it needs to be carried by 140 cucuruchos. 

The Catholic Images

What makes Semana Santa in Guatemala amazing are the catholic images, some of the ones used for the processions are 600 years old or even more. Most of them arrived in Guatemala from Spain and other countries in Europe, back in the day during colonization times, they were very antique and had a lot of history with them.

The cofradias, brotherhoods, or organizations must dress the images in expensive clothing, also, they take care of the restoration and cleaning.

How to Celebrate Holy Week?

The celebrations start 40 days before the day when the resurrection of Jesus is celebrated. This period is called Lent, and on each Friday, there will be an altar in different churches (Velaciones), and on Sundays, there will be a procession, each representing a different passage of the bible.

Also, make sure to check out the carpets, they are done FOR the processions, and take hours and lots of work, just to get destroyed in seconds as the procession passes by.

The Itinerary for the Holy Week in Antigua:

1. It all starts on Palm Sunday: Everywhere you look you’ll find beautiful bouquets of palms and flowers. Then during the afternoon, there is a procession from the famous La Merced Church.

2. Monday: Go for a visit to La Merced church again. There will be a huge exposition of an image on the altar, each year is different. You can also find tons of Guatemalan street food stands outside the church.

3. Tuesday: Visit the San Francisco church, you will find another of these artistic representations featuring an image of Christ carrying a cross.

4. Wednesday: This is a busy day! First, there is a procession from one of the nearby towns. Then visit Escuela de Cristo Church. You will have another velacion, but this time the image being featured is the one of the dead Christ.

5. Thursday: You get two different processions. Try to catch them as they go through the cathedral. They do a short dramatization in colorful outfits and even horses, with the full moon as the background.

6. Friday: This is the busiest day of the whole week and where you see the largest processions. Thousands of people come to Antigua to see or carry on their shoulders one of the four processions.

One leaves La Merced church at 6 am. At 3 pm, the city changes from purple to black. This is when three more processions leave the Cathedral, Escuela de Cristo and San Felipe. This time they all represent the dead Christ, they are huge and solemn.

7. Saturday – During the afternoon you will find two more processions on the streets of Antigua, this time featuring only the images of the Virgin Mary wearing black, representing her loneliness after Jesus Christ died.

8. Sunday – It all ends with a modest yet popular procession announcing the resurrection has happened. This is a day of celebration among Catholics.

Tip: Locals don’t sleep the night of Thursday, they spend the night looking at Thursday’s processions, partying, or making carpets for Friday’s processions. Then spend the whole day walking, eating, and chasing the processions.

This is when the best carpets are made so it is a good idea to start the day walking the streets at 5 am looking at the finished carpets, just 30 minutes before the morning procession destroys them.

📖 Recommended Reading: If you’re looking for more useful information, check out 21 Best Festivals and Celebrations in Central America

Food During Holy Week

There are tons and tons of restaurants in Antigua, but during this time of the year, the best option to eat is the “ferias” that take place in different areas of the town.

During Semana Santa in Guatemala, the tradition of food is highly significant. It’s a time when families come together to prepare and enjoy special dishes that hold cultural and religious significance, like fish dishes, “subanik” (a fish stew) or “molletes” (a fish-based soup), as well as sweet treats like “torrejas” (similar to French toast) and “huevos de leche” (milk candy). 

These foods are often shared with friends and neighbors, and there’s a sense of community as people gather to eat and celebrate together.

Semana Santa is one of the best times to sample the wonderful and diverse types of foods that Guatemala has. 

What to Avoid During the Holy Week?

Antigua is a pretty safe place, but avoid the streets if it is too late, also avoid the areas close to the market, and the ones on the outer edges of the town. It can be dangerous since thieves go crazy during this season.

Also, during this week you will find people on the streets all night, especially close to the churches that are open for a velacion, remember to be respectful at all times.

How to Get Around

Antigua is not that big, depending on where you’re staying you can get to most places by walking, and don’t worry, strolling around the town with volcanoes in the background is amazing!

But, you can always call a taxi or ride a tuk-tuk, which is a popular way of getting around in the town.

Where to Stay?

There are many places to stay in Antigua, it’s packed with hotels of all kinds and for all budgets, but here are some of my favorites:

Hotel Casa Santo Domingo

When it comes to staying in Antigua during Semana Santa, there’s no better option than the Hotel Casa Santo Domingo, since it used to be an old monastery that was repurposed as a hotel, and the best part of it is it has a museum that you can check out, as well as the ruins.

It’s a bit expensive and more on the luxury side but it’s worth checking out.

Hotel Selina

Hotel Selina is a combination of a hostel and an actual hotel, it has shared dorms and private rooms too, and is super popular among backpackers and digital nomads.

Its prices are a lot more affordable than other hotels located in the city, it has a restaurant and a working space, gardens and is super close to La Merced Church and the town’s center.

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Last Updated on January 13, 2026