Madeira all year round:

Carnival

This is the first big event of the year. As the saying goes . .. Life lasts two days. Carnival lasts three !! The festivities begin on the Friday before Carnival, with crowds going out into the streets in a whole variety of disguises. Saturday marks the highlight of the event, with the Great Masked Parade, which brings together thousands of well-rehearsed and costumed participants. The spectacle of colour, joy and revelry parades along the well-known Avenida do Mar, transformed into a sambadrome. On Carnival day itself, another parade invades the streets of Funchal again, but this time the well-choreographed displays give way to more spontaneous fun. 

Flower Festival

Madeira is a garden and its flowers - the island’s most prominent symbol - take pride of place. During these festivities, the aroma of flowers dominates the streets of Funchal, and the city, decorated for the occasion, is even more beautiful and colourful! Floral carpets are a tradition that stir the senses of the thousands of visitors who purposely choose this time of year to visit the island. In the carnival procession, children and adults join together to make a parade of colour and perfume of incomparable beauty.

The PortoBay hotels in Madeira are not indifferent to this great event, and observe some of the traditions and special decorations common at this time of the year during the well-known PortoBay Flower Week. 

Atlantic Festival

In June all eyes are turned skywards !! Every Saturday there is a musical fireworks spectacle over the Bay of Funchal. Fireworks and music in perfect harmony make Saturday nights even more enjoyable with the scent of summer. Before the display, there is musical entertainment and an opportunity to see the sunset in Praça do Povo square.

Madeira Wine Festival

A cultural and ethnographic event. The Madeira Wine Festival takes place during the grape harvest and for 10 days pays homage to the region's wine makers. There is a parade, wine tastings, the treading of grapes, barrel making and much more! An opportunity to savour and, why not, raise your glass !!  

Madeira Nature Festival

A hymn to the natural heritage of the archipelago !! From the sea to the mountains, there are countless activities offering enjoyable moments in pure harmony with nature !! Visit the most secret and magical places on the island by bike or on foot. Have an adventure and return home with your batteries recharged and lots of picture postcard photos !!

Christmas and New Year’s festivities

It all starts when the Christmas lights are switched on in Funchal on 1 December. From then on, it's Christmas until January!! The entertainment in the city streets is constant, with an amusement park, Christmas markets, folklore and traditional songs. The childbirth masses and the night market are a must-see for all Madeira people.

On the night of 31 December, everyone toasts the New Year in a magical setting, under a sky bursting with explosions of colour from its now world-famous firework display. A very exciting time !!

Enjoy this experience. .. select your PortoBay hotel in Madeira !!