Easter in South America: A Semana Santa Travel Guide (2026 Update)

Easter in South America (Semana Santa, or Holy Week) is a week of colour, music, candles, food and big community energy, from mountaintop pilgrimages to candlelit street art made of flowers and sawdust. And while you’re planning your South America adventure, don’t forget to prepare with Insure&Go Travel insurance.

South America is still one of the world’s major Catholic regions: Vatican statistics for 2024 noted that 27.4% of the world’s Catholics live in South America, with Brazil the largest single-country population.  That history shows up in Semana Santa in a very local way, every country (and often every town) puts its own twist on processions, music, markets, special dishes and street décor.

Below is a country‑by‑country guide to Easter in South America, showing what Semana Santa looks like across Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Paraguay and Argentina. Plus extra places to visit before or after Easter week, from markets and day trips to iconic local dishes.

Semana Santa in Brazil: Ouro Preto tapetes + São Paulo Liberdade

Brazil’s Holy Week can be quietly reflective or full-on spectacular depending on where you are, and one of the most photogenic traditions happens in the historic mining towns of Minas Gerais.

Ouro Preto (Minas Gerais): the famous tapetes devocionais

In the Historic Town of Ouro Preto (Black Gold), a UNESCO World Heritage site, locals and visitors spend Saturday night creating huge temporary “carpets” (tapetes) in the streets using coloured sawdust (serragem), sand, flowers and other natural materials. The designs often feature religious symbols and bold geometric patterns, and the carpets form the route for Easter processions the next morning.

This tradition is documented as dating back to 1733 in connection with a major religious celebration in the city.

Make it a mini itinerary

• Night before Easter: join the street‑side atmosphere as the carpets take shape (it feels like an all‑night community art project).
• Easter Sunday morning: watch the procession pass over the carpets (the moment the street art becomes part of the ritual).
• Between events: browse Ouro Preto’s craft shops for soapstone (pedra‑sabão) pieces and look for small galleries tucked into colonial lanes.

Rio de Janeiro: an English-language service option (plus classic city highlights)

If you’re in Rio and want an English‑friendly church service during Easter season, Christ Church Rio is an Anglican church that meets weekly with services mainly in English, with Portuguese translation available.

Then, spend the rest of the day doing Rio like Rio:

• Sunrise at Sugarloaf or Mirante Dona Marta
• Late lunch in Santa Teresa (think relaxed bistros and arty streets)
• Golden hour on Ipanema or Arpoador

More places to explore in Brazil before or after Easter week

If you’ve got a few extra days in your Brazil itinerary either side of Semana Santa, these easy add‑ons cover some of the most-loved things to do in Brazil, from waterfalls and rainforest trails to city neighbourhoods and food.

• Iguazú Falls (Foz do Iguaçu): rainforest boardwalks, thundering viewpoints and one of South America’s biggest natural highlights.
• Salvador (Bahia): wander the colourful streets of Pelourinho, soak up Afro‑Brazilian culture, and try local favourites like moqueca and acarajé.
• More Minas Gerais towns: if you loved Ouro Preto, extend the historic vibe with nearby Mariana or Tiradentes for baroque churches, cafés and slower-paced small‑town days.
• São Paulo city break: a great add‑on for São Paulo things to do, parks, galleries, markets, and a neighbourhood‑by‑neighbourhood food scene.
• Rio beyond the postcards: trade crowds for green views in Tijuca National Park, then finish the day with classic Rio beach time and a relaxed dinner.

São Paulo: Liberdade for food, culture and neon nights

If your Easter route includes São Paulo, Liberdade (the city’s Japanese‑Brazilian hub) is packed with lantern‑lit streets, Asian grocery shops, street snacks, ramen counters and weekend market energy.

Notable mention (2026 travel list): In Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2026, Liberdade (São Paulo) was listed among its highlighted destinations.

Semana Santa in Colombia: Bogotá Monserrate, Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral & Mompox

Colombia’s Semana Santa is a mix of big-city tradition and deeply local rituals, and it’s one of the easiest countries to pair with day trips.

Bogotá: Monserrate’s classic pilgrimage vibe

High above the city, Monserrate is one of Bogotá’s best-known religious landmarks. The sanctuary sits at around 3,152m, and visitors reach it by walking trail, cable car, or funicular, a popular Holy Week ritual for many.

At the top you’ll find the basilica, viewpoints over the city, and small stalls selling souvenirs and snacks.

Travel idea: Go early for crisp views, then spend the afternoon wandering La Candelaria for street art, small museums and café stops.

Zipaquirá: the Salt Cathedral (a standout day trip)

Just north of Bogotá, the Catedral de Sal de Zipaquirá is a striking underground complex with a guided visitor route around 180 metres underground.

One highlight is the Stations of the Cross, a 14‑station underground Via Crucis route that’s 386 metres long, carved into the salt environment with dramatic lighting.

Pair it with: lunch in Zipaquirá’s main square, then a relaxed afternoon back in Bogotá’s food scene (arepas, hot chocolate with cheese, or a modern Colombian tasting menu).

Mompox (Santa Cruz de Mompox): the “Serenade to the Dead” (UNESCO World Heritage)

For something completely different, Santa Cruz de Mompox is a beautifully preserved colonial river town on the Magdalena River, and its historic centre is UNESCO World Heritage–listed.

During Holy Wednesday, locals head to the municipal cemetery for the Serenata a los difuntos (often described as a “serenade to the dead”). This is an evening of remembrance lit by candles and flowers, with funeral music drifting through the cemetery as families sit beside loved ones’ graves. 

It’s solemn, communal, and deeply local. A powerful reminder that Semana Santa traditions can feel completely different from region to region, even within the same country. 

What to eat during Semana Santa in Colombia

Food traditions often spotlight fish and seafood, with regional favourites like fried fish and other seafood dishes commonly appearing on Semana Santa tables.

Notable mention (2026 travel list): In Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2026, Cartagena (Colombia) was listed among its highlighted destinations.

If your trip timing allows, Cartagena adds Caribbean warmth, music and late-night plazas to balance Bogotá’s mountain air.

More places to explore in Colombia before or after Easter week

If you’re turning Semana Santa into a longer Colombia itinerary, these add‑ons are easy to slot in, mixing Caribbean coast time, mountain viewpoints, coffee country and a couple of slower colonial stops.

• Cartagena + islands: add Rosario Islands beach days, sunset walks on the city walls, and late‑night plaza energy in the old town.
• Medellín + Guatapé: ride the Metrocable for city views, check out neighbourhood murals, then take a colourful lakeside day trip to Guatapé.
• Coffee Region (Eje Cafetero): base yourself near Salento for the Cocora Valley (wax palms), coffee farm visits, and market breakfasts.
• Tayrona National Natural Park: Caribbean coast jungle‑to‑beach hiking, swimming coves and nature days that feel a world away from the cities.
• Villa de Leyva: slow the pace with a colonial escape, plazas, craft shops, and cafés that are perfect for a reset between bigger travel legs.

Semana Santa in Peru: Cusco Señor de los Temblores & Sacred Valley side trips

Peru’s Semana Santa can be dramatic and deeply rooted in local identity, especially in the Andes, where a Cusco itinerary around Holy Week can feel like stepping into a living tradition. Many visitors link Holy Week in Cusco with a wider Peru route that includes the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.

Cusco: Señor de los Temblores on Holy Monday (Lunes Santo)

Cusco’s signature Holy Week event is the procession of the Señor de los Temblores (Lord of Tremors), held on Holy Monday.

Tradition links the devotion to the 1650 earthquake, after which the image became strongly associated with protection and local faith.

During the procession, the streets fill with people and music, and red ñucchu flowers are closely tied to the ritual imagery in the city.

How to make a full Cusco Easter week feel big

• Start your day with a calm walk around San Blas for artisan shops and views.
• Spend afternoons in the San Pedro Market for fresh juices, fruit, and everyday Cusco life.
• Add an easy Sacred Valley day trip for villages, salt pans and Inca‑era landscapes, or swap in a scenic train ride if that suits your timing.

Notable mention (2026 travel list): In Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2026, Peru was listed among its highlighted destinations. 

More places to explore in Peru before or after Easter week

If you’re building out your Peru travel itinerary around Semana Santa, these add‑ons keep the momentum going, mixing iconic day tours, big landscapes, and some of the best food stops in the country.

• Machu Picchu: a classic add‑on from Cusco, whether you do Machu Picchu tours as a day trip or stay overnight in Aguas Calientes.
• Cusco: add Rainbow Mountain day tours for high-altitude views and colourful ridgelines.
• Huacachina’s desert oasis: go for sand dunes, desert sunsets, and that surreal “lagoon-in-the-desert” feeling.
• Lima food + culture: explore Miraflores and Barranco, browse markets, and make time for classics like ceviche, lomo saltado and anticuchos, plus coastal walks at sunset.
• Arequipa + Colca Canyon: mix Arequipa (the White City) architecture with the huge scenery of Colca Canyon.
• Lake Titicaca (Puno): slow things down with cultural visits and lake trips between major cities.
• Paracas + Ballestas Islands: a popular add‑on from Lima for coastal wildlife, sea views, and boat trips.
• Huaraz + Cordillera Blanca: a strong pick if you’re searching Peru hiking, mountain panoramas and bright alpine lakes.
• Peruvian Amazon: choose Tambopata (Puerto Maldonado) for rainforest lodges, or Iquitos for Amazon river adventures and wildlife spotting.

Semana Santa in Paraguay: candlelit art in Tañarandy & chipa and family gatherings

Paraguay’s Holy Week traditions often feel intimate and community-led, and they’re full of flavour.

Tañarandy (near San Ignacio Guazú): the candle procession

One of Paraguay’s best-known Semana Santa events is the Tañarandy procession on Good Friday, where pilgrims walk a rural route lit by candles and torches, including candiles made from apepú (bitter orange).

Reporting notes that the tradition began in 1992 with the illuminated procession known as Yvaga Rapé (“path to heaven” in Guaraní).

What it feels like: warm dusk light, drifting smoke from torches, singing, and a slow-moving river of people.

What to eat: chipa season

Semana Santa in Paraguay is famously linked with chipa, a dense, cheesy bread made in big batches for sharing and snacking through the long weekend.

More places to explore in Paraguay before or after Easter week

If you’re lingering in Paraguay a little longer around Semana Santa, it’s a great chance to slow down and enjoy easy day trips, riverside city time, and some seriously comforting local food.

• Asunción city time: stroll the Costanera, explore historic streets, and linger at cafés and viewpoints as the sun drops over the river.
• Jesuit Missions near Encarnación: add a culture‑rich detour to the mission sites at Trinidad and Jesús for a deeper look at the region’s history.
• Areguá: an easy artisan town day trip for pottery, small galleries and a relaxed afternoon pace.
• San Bernardino + Lake Ypacaraí: a laid‑back lake escape with cafés, local eateries and breezy waterside walks.More Paraguayan flavours: round out the food list beyond chipa with sopa paraguaya, mbejú, and vorí vorí for a fuller taste of local comfort cooking.

Semana Santa in Argentina: Buenos Aires traditions & Bariloche’s chocolate-filled Easter week

Argentina can deliver two totally different Easter moods: big-city culture in Buenos Aires, then crisp mountain air and chocolate in Patagonia.

Buenos Aires: Tierra Santa theme park (Semana Santa programming)

In Buenos Aires, Tierra Santa is a religious theme park designed like a stylised ancient Jerusalem, known for staged scenes and performances connected to Easter week themes.
It’s an unusual stop that can work well if you’re travelling with family or you want something structured between museum visits and café hopping.

Bariloche (Patagonia): Fiesta Nacional del Chocolate

If you want Easter with mountains and a sweet soundtrack, San Carlos de Bariloche hosts its Fiesta del Chocolate around Semana Santa. 

Official festival info and reporting noted that in 2025 the city’s headline giant chocolate bar exceeded 200 metres.

How to do Bariloche beyond the chocolate

• Circuito Chico for viewpoints and lake scenery
• Cerro Campanario for one of the region’s best panoramas
• Hot chocolate and pastry stops in classic chocolaterías

Easter comfort food: locro (and other local classics)

Across Argentina, you’ll also hear about locro, a traditional stew commonly built around corn (hominy), beans and squash/pumpkin, with regional variations.

More places to explore in Argentina before or after Easter week

If you’re turning Semana Santa into a longer Argentina adventure, it’s easy to add a few extra days for the country’s big hits, city neighbourhoods, wine country, waterfalls, and Patagonia landscapes that feel straight out of a movie.

• Buenos Aires neighbourhood hopping: add Palermo for parks and cafés, La Boca for colour and tango energy, and a day trip to the Tigre Delta for boat rides and riverside markets.
• Mendoza wine region: slow lunches at vineyards, Andes backdrops, and tastings that fit perfectly after a few busy city days.
• Iguazú Falls (Argentina side): rainforest boardwalks, huge viewpoints, and that unforgettable waterfall roar up close.
• Salta + Jujuy: a northwest detour for colourful landscapes, scenic road‑trip stops, and famous empanada breaks.
• Patagonia classics: base yourself in El Chaltén for hiking trails, visit Perito Moreno Glacier near El Calafate for jaw‑dropping ice views, and head to Ushuaia for the “end of the world” feeling.
• More iconic eats: build in empanadas, choripán, dulce de leche, and local helado flavours between sightseeing stops.

Quick route ideas for Easter travel in South America (mix-and-match)

If you like trips that feel varied day to day, Semana Santa makes it easy to combine themes:

• Art + ritual: Ouro Preto carpets → Cusco procession
• Mountains + city: Bogotá (Monserrate) → Bariloche (lakes + chocolate festival)
• Big highlights + hidden gems: Cartagena coast time → Mompox Holy Wednesday night
• Food-first Easter week: São Paulo (Liberdade) → Buenos Aires cafés → Bariloche chocolaterías

Easter in South America (Semana Santa): Final note

Easter in South America is the kind of trip that gives you stories on day one: sawdust street art in Brazil, mountaintop views in Bogotá, Cusco’s Holy Monday procession, candlelit paths in Paraguay, and Patagonia’s chocolate celebrations. 

If this is your sign to Explore Beyond, there’s one last thing to tick off while the excitement is building: Insure&Go Travel Insurance Australia offers Single-Trip Travel insurance for international travel, with optional add‑ons like Winter Sports Cover, Additional Specified Items Cover, Business Cover, Natural Disaster Cover and the Activities Plus option, and then it’s back to chasing markets, music and moments you’ll talk about for years.

It is important to check the appropriate authority for the most up-to-date travel requirements.