The Christmas spirit takes hold of the city, starting with the inauguration of the outdoor Christmas light displays and decorations that adorn the streets of Funchal during the first week of December.

The holiday season is celebrated with a full programme of events, from Childbirth Masses (Missas do Parto), which consist of nine Masses celebrated at daybreak to commemorate the pregnancy of the Virgin Mary, to the Carols of the Magi (Cantar dos Reis), where families, friends and neighbours get together to go carolling door to door.

One of the most well-known events of the season is “Market Night”, which takes place on 23 December. Residents flock to the Farmers Market to do some last minute Christmas shopping, and all night long there are stands set up in the streets around the market with a huge variety of local products, like fruit, wine-marinated meat sandwiches and, of course, the region’s traditional punch. In the fish market, Christmas carollers do their part in creating a genuinely unique holiday atmosphere.

The new year is rung in with a magnificent fireworks display, the highlight of the Madeira holiday tourist season. Regarded as one of the best in the world, the fireworks display dazzles residents and visitors alike with its lively colours lighting up the bayside amphitheatre - a truly unforgettable spectacle for all who see it.

Christmas and New Year: December – January