Semana Santa

Semana Santa parades 200 life-sized floats through Seville and Málaga, each carried by 40 costaleros under velvet canopies, over 10 days of solemn processions. Unlike La Tomatina's tomato pulp, the scent here comes from incense: 500 kilograms burned per procession, a fragrance intensity 3 times higher than typical church rituals. Saetas, flamenco-style hymns, are sung from balconies at 2 a.m., a tradition unbroken for 400 years and 15% more ancient than the Running of the Bulls. The festival’s 30 million euros spent on floral arrangements alone exceeds the total budget of many smaller festivals.