Staff Reporter
IN normal years it would be true to say there is nothing quite like Easter in Sevilla. The heavy scent of incense wafted from burners mixes with the aroma of orange blossom.
The crowds heave as people line the cobbled streets jostling to get a look at the solemn processions as those in cloaks and pointy hats walk solemnly to the beat of the drums.
Huge floats carrying the statues of saints and Jesus on the cross are hoisted on the shoulders of penitents who shuffle shoulder to shoulder baring the heavy weight on circular routes across the city.
Tourists from across Spain and abroad usually fill the city to mix with locals watching from balconies in a spectacle that brings in millions of euros to the local economy.
But for the second year running due to the coronavirus pandemic, all such celebrations are cancelled throughout Holy Week.
Instead the streets are empty of all but those who live here.
There is little else to do but enjoy long lunches and late afternoon drinks on terraces across the city.
That and get dressed up in one’s Easter finery to enjoy a leisurely stroll without fighting through the crowds, something that would be impossible with the usual Easter hordes.
But for those who are lucky enough to live in the province of Sevilla, there’s no better time to explore the Andalucian capital.
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