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It’s December and Madeira is glowing with winter magic and Christmas Delight. The month starts with a bang as the Christmas illuminations flood the city centre with light, colour and an abundance of illumined designs and themes. Funchal and towns throughout the island are ablaze with colour and music as bands and folklore groups entertain shoppers, residents and visitors to the island. One of the busiest streets in Funchal is Avenida Arriaga with its Christmas market “Mercadinho de Natal”, wood cabins stalls selling flowers and a rich array of traditional food and drink.
Worried about missing any of the action? Well don’t be, as the Ritz Live Webcam at Avenida Arriaga and the Funchal Marina Live webcam, including Funchal Marina 2 facing the Avenida do Mar, harbour and Praça do Povo will be streaming all the action live.
Christmas lights will be on display from 18:00 to 01:00 on December 1st until January 7th.
And what better way to start the festive season than the official switching on of the lights in Funchal on the 1st December. The capital is alive with static displays, a winter wonderland in the Municipal park for the children, cabins selling a plethora of goodies and live entertainment from philharmonic bands throughout the city, choirs and folklore groups. This year, amusement parks filled with bumper cars, carousels, rides and circus acts will be at both Praça do Povo and Machico, providing fun, family entertainment.
The Christmas Village (Aldeia de Natal), which opened on November 25th, will be held in Funchal Largo do Colégio (Town Hall) until January 6th and will feature the return of the train, a variety of sports activities and traditional games, a nine-metre Christmas tree, and various natural pine trees, which will be planted back into the Funchal Ecological Park after the event. This year's exciting addition is the Ice Rink at Almirante Reis, inaugurated on November 26th and running until January 7th (15:00 to 22:00).
The MadeiraDig Festival for Digital Music & Art began on November 30th and will run until December 5th. It's happening at Casa das Mudas from December 1st to 4th and at the Cultural Centre John dos Passos Estalagem da Ponta do Sol on December 5th. This event dives into serious music and digital art, providing fresh experiences while highlighting Madeira as a great destination for young tourists.
The Maxi Race Madeira trail running competition will be held on the 2nd and 3rd in Porto Moniz, parish of Seixal, in a landscape that alternates between the Laurissilva Forest and the sea.
The Nomad Island Fest, held from December 7th to 13th in Ponta do Sol, Madeira, an annual gathering of remote workers and digital nomads.
During the 9th and 10th, the village of Fajã do Penedo, Boaventura will be holding its annual ’Delicacies Exhibition,’ which highlights and promotes Madeira’s traditional Christmas Fayre including a variety of honey cakes, biscuits and local liqueurs. Santa Cruz bubbles with life, light and festive cheer as the town celebrates Market Night on the 9th.
And if your looking for some pure adrenaline this month, Avalanche Raposeira BTT race takes place on the 10th at 16h00 Fajã da Ovelha, Calheta.
Missa do Parto from the 16th to the 24th Churches throughout the island celebrate the nine childbirth masses, which herald the birth of Jesus, these ‘novenas’ take place in the early morning and are followed by local choirs singing hymns.
Christmas Market Night will be held on the 15th in Santo da Serra (Santo António da Serra) and the 16th in São Vicente, Machico, Santana and Ribeira Brava.
Between the 20th of December and the 7th of January at Avenida Arriaga, there will be a series of workshops dedicated to the making of the islands famous honey cake and other local delicacies, traditional Christmas fare, as well as plenty of Madeira wine tasting opportunities. In addition, there will be an embroidery and handicrafts exhibition, as well as living statues.
On the 22nd Market night lovers will have the perfect excuse to party as Calheta, and Estreito de Câmara de Lobos will be celebrating their Market nights. However, it’s the 23rd where Funchal explodes into life as Market Night attracts thousands of visitors. It’s bright, noisy and filled with Christmas cheer as shoppers, carol singers and entertainers create one of the most unforgettable nights. The streets of the Old Town are ablaze with colour, stalls and people. It’s noisy, boisterous and totally encompassing as the streets embrace you as you try traditional foods, delicious fresh Poncha’s and join in, in the carol singing and general Joie de Vie. It’s also a perfect time to do a little last-minute Christmas shopping.
Of course, one of the most memorable nights is on the 24th when the island's churches hold Midnight Mass, with perhaps the most popular mass taking place at the Sé Cathedral in Funchal.
The Chapel of Santo Antonio in Ponta do Sol will hold its final 'Concert in the Chapel' performance on December 28th. This is an exceptional opportunity to hear a wide range of musical styles, including traditional, classical, and philharmonic. On the 28th the São Silvestre race, the oldest race in Portugal and Europe takes place with runners of all ages racing along the streets of Funchal. It’s a great event and ideal for burning off all of those mince pies.
Ending December and the year in a wave of colour, excitement and music is the New Year’s Eve firework display 31st of December, which dazzles and delights audiences from both home and abroad. This year, there will be 61 Fireworks posts with an eight-minute duration and associated music, 29 of which will be in the Funchal amphitheatre, 25 on the city's oceanfront, and 5 on the ocean. The Ponta Gorda Bathing Complex, Praia Formosa Promenade and a land north of it, as well as the Amparo Garden (Jardim do Amparo), are among the new launching areas for this year. Two posts will also be included on Porto Santo Island.
The build up to the fireworks is phenomenal as thousands of people flock to Funchal’s busy clubs, bars and restaurants, not only intent on enjoying the firework display but taking part in the biggest and brightest dusk to dawn party of the year.
This year over twelve cruise liners are moored either in the harbour or bay of Funchal, creating a magical atmosphere and ensuring that these celebrations are and continue to be the best in the world.
Don’t forget the firework display will be streamed live from both the Funchal Marina and Funchal City Live Webcams.
