LateRooms.com - Experience Salamanca's oldest Holy Week tradition

LateRooms.com divulges anyone who wants to experience a slice of Spanish tradition during Holy Week - or Semana Santa - should consider booking Salamanca hotels.

The city's tourism office advises visitors that the celebration of Los Oficios (Holy Office) is one of the more serious but traditional ceremonies to take place during the religious festival.

On Maundy Thursday, which this year falls on April 1st, university staff gather in their academic robes for a ceremony and special breakfast meal.

During the service, the professors remove the crucifix from its usual location in the chapel of the old university and hang it between two other crosses in a "spectacular setting" in the cathedral's Patio Chico.

Travellers in the area should also ensure that they do not miss a procession from one of the university's fraternities.

According to the tourism office, the brotherhood of el Cristo del Amor y de la Paz (Christ of Love and Peace) take an unusual route through the city, which begins in the suburb of Lazaro and finishes on the banks of the river.

The parade crosses the Roman bridge, takes in the city's main square Plaza Mayor and the university quarter before doubling back to reach the water's edge.

"LateRooms anticipates heavy demand for hoteles en Salamanca due to the Semana Santa celebrations and recommends that people attending book their accommodation early," says LateRooms head of marketing Jess Reading.