Semana Santa is more commonly known as the holy week, the week just before Easter. Semana Santa should not be missed in any Latin American country and thus is Costa Rica no exception. It’s the best time to behold some of the rich culture of the country as throughout the country the locals hold religious processions recreating Jesus’ last days of his life.
Semana Santa is considered to be one of the main important holidays on the Catholic calendar. Many festivities are organized in every town of the country. Imagine some bullfights, rodeos, fireworks and parades and locals wearing their cowboy hats drinking beer and you have a pretty clear picture of what the landscape looks like during Holy Week.
Most ticos, as well as expats, take a few days off at the end of the week to celebrate the festivity with the ones important to them. Banks and businesses are closed on Thursday and Friday and also public transportation time schedules can vary from the normal ‘horario.’
For the one who like the typical Costa Rican rum, unfortunately it won’t be able to get liquors from Wednesday until midnight on Friday. It’s called the Dry Law. If you do like to drink some liquors however during these days don’t feel embarrassed to get it just before the week starts as many locals do the exact same thing.
The tradition is to eat seafood during Holy Week, complying with the practice that eating meat on Good Friday is prohibited. Among popular dishes are rice and shrimp, ceviche and fried fish.
Another important aspect about Semana Santa – and Costa Rican holidays in general – is that there always is a significant rise in voilent deaths, varying from drowning to car accidents. 20,000 officials including police offers, firefighters and council officials will be working to keep the country as safe as possible. On top, an amount of 800 Red Cross workers will be dealing with the whole range of safety issues. Other precautions you could make yourself are to go to less touristy destinations, not being on the road on Thursday or Friday and always be surrounded with people you trust.
Unfortunately, for tourists, many of the hotels are fully booked months in advance due to the fact that many relatives of the Ticos are visiting the country, along with many international tourists . The best thing to do is to book your stay way in advance or maybe to couchsurf with a local to also experience the family Semana Santa experience.
One thing is guaranteed, whether you’ll be celebrating at beach off the beaten track, at a cozy Costa Rican house or at one of the major tourist destinations; Semana Santa will be an experience you won’t easy forget.
If you could not make it this year to Costa Rica for Holy Week but if you would like to celebrate it next year, consider to celebrate Semana Santa with Tropical Adventures. For more information, send an email to bram@tropadvent.org.
Written by Bram, Marketing Intern