Semana Santa

Easter, Semana Santa is the most famous festivals in Dominican Republic religious calendar. It’s even bigger than Christmas, and more solemnly celebrated. This makes sense, since Easter remembers the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for all mankind, his death on a cross and resurrection. While the resurrection is cause for celebration and joy, the week leading up to Easter Sunday is a more serious reminder of the suffering of Jesus’ last days on Earth before he died.

For this reason, you may find you notice a shift in the general mood during Holy Week in the Dominican Republic. The dates for Semana Santa are April 5th to 11th 2020. The DR is a Roman Catholic country, with the latest census showing that over 85% of Dominicans who identify as religious are Catholic. Many Dominicans choose to travel home over the weekend to be with family, much like the annual Thanksgiving home visit in North America. In Cabarete, the Semana Santa weekend means our beaches are full to capacity with Dominicans from all over the country who have come to party!

Where: Cabral, Dominican Republic

When: April