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Madeira Island is known as an island that has a lot to offer to those who pass through here. In addition to nature and surreal landscapes, traditions are part of the lives of the locals and are celebrated throughout the year in the most varied ways.
After the New Year’s Eve, which is considered one of the best in the world, the celebrations do not calm down. At the beginning of January, more precisely from the 5th to the 6th, there is the Singing of the Three Kings Night – Noite de Reis – where groups get together and sing all night long in the various locations of the island. To finish this Christmas season, in Paúl do Mar on the 15th of January we celebrate Santo Amaro, as we say is time to sweep the closets. It’s a very important festivity here.
In February, Carnival is celebrated, with a parade in Funchal where glamour is more present than ever and the streets fill up to see this allegorical parade pass by.
In Madeira Island, a large part of the population is Catholic and with Easter, traditions such as Quaresma also arrive, where times of fasting or meat-free in certain meals are practiced. We celebrate with family and friends these festivity season.
During spring, the trees and flowers begin to gain new life and in May, Flower Festival – Festa da Flor – is celebrated where the flowers are taken to the streets for a parade full of floral diversity.
With the arrival of warmer weather and consequently summer, the season of Popular Saints – Santos Populares -and Local Festivals arrive, in which they are celebrated with typical Madeiran festivities, often in open air where food, drink and animation are a regular presence and extend until September with parties throughout all the island, it’s definitely the summer festivities season.
At the end of September, and symbolizing the end of summer season here, the Vineyard – Vindimas – season starts, the grapes are harvested and later transformed into wine. One of the examples is Madeira Wine, recognized all over the world and winner of many international awards.
With November also comes Pão-Por-Deus, which symbolizes sharing and is celebrated mostly by children who, with cloth bags, receive and trade bread and seasonal fruits, mainly figs, chestnuts and walnuts.
At the end of the year comes Christmas and New Year’s Eve and all the tradition it carries.
As you can see any time of the year is a great time to visit Madeira, and we promise that you will always have something new to experience and to enjoy the culture of this Pearl of the Atlantic like a local.
