What's on in Funchal (Madeira), Portugal through the year

Peak crowds — Christmas and New Year, Christmas holidays in Portugal

Nothing new starts in January.

Still on: Christmas and New Year (1 Dec – 6 Jan)

Peak crowds — Carnival, Carnival holidays in Portugal

• Festival

  Carnival

  14–17 FebCrowdedBook early

  One of Portugal's two serious carnivals: a costumed night parade down Avenida do Mar on the Saturday and a satirical one on Shrove Tuesday. Hotels price it like New Year. Source ↗

Busy — Easter holidays in Portugal, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in March.

Still on: Carnival (14–17 Feb)

Peak crowds — Festa da Flor, Easter holidays in Portugal

• Nature

  Whales and dolphins offshore

  1 Apr – 31 Oct · usuallyWhale season

  The water drops off steeply a few kilometres out, so the boats find bottlenose and spotted dolphins most trips and pilot and sperm whales through the warmer half of the year.

• Festival

  Festa da Flor

  30 Apr – 31 MayMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

  A month of flower carpets, kiosks and two allegorical parades down the seafront, timed to when the island's gardens are at their fullest. The parade Sundays are the busy ones. Source ↗

Busy — Festa da Flor, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: Whales and dolphins offshore (1 Apr – 31 Oct (usually)), Festa da Flor (30 Apr – 31 May)

Busy — Summer holidays in Portugal, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Atlantic Festival

  1–30 Jun · usuallyMajor festival

  Fireworks fired over the bay on the first three Saturdays of June as an international competition, set to music, watched from the seafront and from the boats moored off it. Source ↗

Still on: Whales and dolphins offshore (1 Apr – 31 Oct (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in Portugal, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in July.

Still on: Whales and dolphins offshore (1 Apr – 31 Oct (usually))

Peak crowds — travelers describe it as peak season, Summer holidays in Portugal

• Festival

  Madeira Wine Festival

  25 Aug – 15 Sep · usuallyHarvest

  The harvest is marked in the city and, better, up at Estreito de Camara de Lobos, where the grapes are still trodden in public and the year's wine is sold in the street. Source ↗

Still on: Whales and dolphins offshore (1 Apr – 31 Oct (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in Portugal, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Whales and dolphins offshore (1 Apr – 31 Oct (usually)), Madeira Wine Festival (25 Aug – 15 Sep (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in October.

Still on: Whales and dolphins offshore (1 Apr – 31 Oct (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in November.

Peak crowds — Christmas and New Year, Christmas holidays in Portugal

• Festival

  Christmas and New Year

  1 Dec – 6 JanChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook early

  The lights go on at the start of December and the New Year's Eve display over the amphitheatre of the bay is the reason cruise ships and half of Portugal are here for it. Book a year out. Source ↗