# Holy Week from San Sebastián: getaways from Maundy Thursday to Easter Monday Five days from Maundy Thursday to Easter Monday: processions and Atapuerca in Burgos, Gregorian chant in Silos, Lapurdi in spring and plans near home for rainy days. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/basque-country/san-sebastian/getaways/easter-holy-week · Revisado: 2026-11-13 Origen: San Sebastián - [A weekend in Burgos and Atapuerca, an hour and a half from Valladolid](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/castile-and-leon/burgos/itineraries/night-with-atapuerca-from-valladolid.md) (1 night, Burgos): In Holy Week Burgos has processions through the historic centre, around the cathedral, and the Atapuerca sites open with guided visits. Book the visit and meals by phone. Easter Monday is not a holiday in Castilla y León: Las Huelgas and many museums close that day. - [A weekend in Covarrubias and Silos, an hour from Burgos](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/castile-and-leon/covarrubias-and-silos/itineraries/covarrubias-silos-gregorian-chant-weekend.md) (1 night, Covarrubias and Santo Domingo de Silos): The monks of Silos sing vespers every afternoon, and in Holy Week the monastery church fills: arrive in good time. Half an hour away, Covarrubias and its olla podrida. April opens the good season in the Arlanza valley, with the juniper woods green. - [A weekend on the French Basque Coast, 30 minutes from San Sebastián](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/nouvelle-aquitaine/french-basque-coast/itineraries/weekend-from-san-sebastian.md) (2 nights, French Basque Coast): Holy Week coincides with the return of the La Rhune train, which reopens at the end of March, and the cliff boat, which starts in April. In France Easter Monday is also a holiday: that day Saint-Jean-de-Luz fills, so go up La Rhune on Thursday or Friday. - [Saint-Jean-de-Luz: harbour and a fish restaurant](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/nouvelle-aquitaine/french-basque-coast/itineraries/saint-jean-de-luz-harbour-chipirones-and-corniche.md) (Day itinerary, French Basque Coast): It works in any weather, because the old town and the harbour do not close. From April the Maison Louis XIV, where the king stayed for his wedding, also opens inside. Half an hour from home, it is the plan for a Holy Week day that dawns with rain. - [Biarritz with children: seals and a calm beach](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/nouvelle-aquitaine/french-basque-coast/itineraries/biarritz-with-kids-aquarium.md) (Day itinerary, French Basque Coast): If Holy Week turns wet, the Biarritz aquarium is the refuge: it opens almost every day and has seals, sharks and a pushchair-friendly route. Easter Monday is a holiday in France and there are more families: go first thing and buy the ticket online. - [Getaria: museum, the Ratón and grill](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/basque-country/getaria-and-zarautz/itineraries/balenciaga-raton-and-harbour-grill.md) (Day itinerary, Getaria and Zarautz): The Balenciaga museum, under cover, is half the plan and works just the same with rain; with sun, the Ratón de Getaria and the walk to Zarautz. Outside July and August the museum is closed on Mondays: do not leave it for Easter Monday. Kaia Kaipe is closed on Tuesdays. - [Laguardia: tower, calado and Riscal](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/basque-country/laguardia-and-rioja-alavesa/itineraries/wine-cellars-tower-and-marques-de-riscal.md) (Day itinerary, Laguardia and the Rioja Alavesa): In spring the Rioja Alavesa vineyard sprouts and the countryside is green around the wall. An hour and three quarters by car and back for dinner. Amelibia is closed Tuesday and Wednesday; on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, with half of Spain on holiday, book lunch. ## Thursday, Friday and Easter Monday The Basque calendar includes Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Monday, so in San Sebastián Holy Week is five days in a row, Thursday to Monday. It is the longest long weekend of spring, and the one that moves the most people, because it coincides with school holidays across almost all of Spain. With five days there are two ways of doing it. One long getaway, of two nights, and two quiet days at home with a short plan. Or two one-night getaways, one to Castile and one to Lapurdi, with a night at home in between to change the suitcase. ## Castilian Holy Week, two and a half hours away To see processions, the nearest place with a strong tradition is Burgos. The processions go through the historic centre, around the cathedral. Between processions, the cathedral, the castle and wood-fired lamb; on the other day, the Trinchera de Atapuerca with a guide and the Museum of Human Evolution. Something that is forgotten: Easter Monday is not a holiday in Castilla y León. That day Burgos operates like any Monday, with Las Huelgas and many museums closed. Leave Burgos for Thursday, Friday or Saturday, and come home on Monday. About forty minutes south of Burgos, Silos is the opposite of a procession: a Benedictine monastery where the monks sing Gregorian chant at vespers every afternoon. ## Lapurdi in spring On the French Basque coast, Holy Week opens the season. The La Rhune rack train has returned at the end of March, the cliff boat sails from April and the Maison Louis XIV in Saint-Jean-de-Luz shows its interior. Watch out for Monday: in France Easter Monday is also a holiday, and that day the coast fills as on a summer Sunday. For La Rhune, Thursday or Friday is better. ## If it rains Holy Week on the Basque coast has a high probability of rain, and it is wise to have plans under cover. The Biarritz aquarium, the Balenciaga museum in Getaria and the old town of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, with its arcades, save a wet day half an hour from home. If the forecast gives rain for all five days, the interior is usually drier: Laguardia and Burgos have more sunny days than the coast in spring. ## Seals, a wooden train and the Trinchera The Biarritz aquarium, with seals and sharks, works from age three. The La Rhune train, with its wooden carriages from 1924, appeals at any age. And the visit to the Trinchera de Atapuerca, with the museum afterwards, is one of those children talk about at school. ## Silos beds, La Rhune tickets At Easter everything is booked earlier: the beds in Burgos and Silos, which are few, the Atapuerca visit, the La Rhune train and meals in Covarrubias and Getaria. In Saint-Jean-de-Luz the hotels fill for Easter weekend. ## The road The Maundy Thursday exit towards Burgos on the A-1 and via Vitoria gets heavy from midday; leave early or late. The Easter Monday return from Castile is calmer than Sunday's, because there Monday is a working day. From France, the other way round: Monday is a holiday and the AP-8 at Biriatou gets heavy in the afternoon. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### Which days are holidays in the Basque Country at Easter? Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Monday. With Saturday and Sunday, that is five days in a row. ### Where can you see processions near San Sebastián? In Burgos, about two and a half hours away, with processions through the historic centre. ### Is France open on Easter Monday? It is a holiday there too, so the coast fills. Tourist trains and boats operate, but many shops close. ### What do I do if it rains all five days? Alternate the coast's indoor plans, such as the Biarritz aquarium and the Balenciaga museum, with a getaway inland, which is drier.