1 December 2025 to 7 January 2026:
Spectacular lights, traditional markets, monumental nativity scenes, a themed Christmas train, 100+ concerts, food workshops, ancestral “Missas do Parto”, living traditions and the world-famous New Year’s Eve fireworks (Guinness World Record).
Everything here: exact dates, times, locations and photos.

🎯 Plan Your Trip – Everything You Need

① Christmas Lights

🎄 Funchal Centre & Amphitheatre

  • Daily: 18:00–01:00
  • 1 Dec: 19:00–01:00 (switch-on ceremony)
  • 25 & 30 Dec: 18:00–04:00
  • 23, 24 & 31 Dec: 18:00–06:00

🎄 Porto Santo – Vila Baleira

  • Daily: 18:00–01:00
  • 24 & 31 Dec: 18:00–04:00

Main Funchal locations: Praça do Povo, Funchal Pier, Praça do Colombo, Largo do Chafariz, Largo do Phelps, Rua Fernão Ornelas, Rua Câmara Pestana. Expect light tunnels, choreographed light shows, DJs and live music most evenings.

② Markets, Nativity Scenes & Christmas Villages (Funchal Centre)

📷 Francisco Correia
Christmas Market

Avenida Arriaga – “Natal do Funchal”

Wooden stalls with Madeira wine, sugarcane honey, festive food and local handicrafts. Main stage with daily live performances.

  • Sun–Thu: 10:00–00:00
  • Fri–Sat: 10:00–01:00
  • 23, 30, 31 Dec: 10:00–04:00
  • 24 Dec: 10:00–18:00
  • 25 Dec & 1 Jan: Closed
📷 Visit Funchal
Christmas Village

Praça do Município

Themed Christmas village with décor, stalls and photo spots, right next to City Hall. A cosy and family-friendly area, quieter than the main Avenida Arriaga market. It’s also very close to Praça do Comércio, where the small Natal Express Christmas Train operates daily — ideal for families with young children.

  • 3 December – 6 January
  • Open every day
  • Perfect for families with children
📷 Nuno Andrade
Nativity & Ethnographic Village

Largo da Restauração

Traditional Madeiran nativity scene with a full ethnographic village: regional soups, bolo do caco, local crafts and a very authentic atmosphere.

  • 1–17 Dec + 1 & 7 Jan: 09:30–22:00/23:00
  • 18–31 Dec: 09:30–23:00
  • 24 Dec: 09:00–18:00
  • 25 Dec: Closed
📷 Bordado da Madeira
Madeira Embroidery

IVBAM Pavilion – Avenida Arriaga

Certified artisans showcasing original Madeira embroidery. Beautiful Christmas table pieces and gifts, right next to the main market.

  • Daily: 10:00–19:00
  • 25 Dec: Closed
  • Certified quality embroidery
  • Great for meaningful souvenirs
🎄 Monumental Nativity & Christmas Garden: Around the Municipal Garden you’ll find a giant nativity scene with 12 life-size figures, the Holy Family and local fauna, plus a full “Christmas Garden” with Santa, sleigh, mini train, reindeer, snowmen and polar bears. An essential stop if you’re travelling with children.

③ Christmas Train – “Natal Express”

🚂 Themed Christmas Train Ride

A short themed train ride for children right in Praça do Comércio. The train runs on a small circuit inside the square, with Christmas decorations, festive music and plenty of photo moments. A quick, fun stop for families while you’re in the city centre.

  • Dates: 3 December 2025 to 6 January 2026
  • Morning: 11:00–13:00
  • Afternoon: 15:00–19:30
  • Location: Praça do Comércio (Funchal)
  • Decorated train, festive music and child-friendly circuit

④ Food Workshops & Children’s Activities

👨‍🍳 Christmas Food Workshops

15:00–16:00 · Avenida Arriaga
Live demonstrations and tastings.
Dates: 2, 4, 16, 18, 22, 29 Dec + 2, 6 Jan

  • Sugarcane honey cake
  • Traditional wheat soup
  • Homemade bread
  • Bolo do caco (local flatbread)
  • Carne de vinha d’alhos (marinated pork)
  • Chickling pea soup
  • Christmas tables decorated with embroidery

👶 “Foi Ontem” – Living Traditions for Kids

Traditional Madeiran games, re-enactments and live folklore.
Dates: 1, 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 22, 26, 28, 29 Dec

  • 12:30 Praça do Povo
  • 13:30 Avenida Arriaga
  • 14:30 Municipal Garden
  • Folklore groups from Camacha

🎄 “Let’s Decorate the Christmas Tree”

4–5 December · Torre do Capitão · Joint event with local schools and social institutions.

🎪 Circus Performances

5–7 December · 21:30 · Municipal Garden outdoor stage with contemporary circus acts.

⑤ Daily Programme – Avenida Arriaga & Praça do Povo

Almost every day you’ll find bands, folklore groups and concerts. The main time slots are 11:00 · 15:00 · 18:00 · 21:00 on Avenida Arriaga.

📅 1 DECEMBER – Switch-On Night

19:00 · Praça do Povo: Official lights ceremony + Beatriz Caboz & Funchal Jazz Orchestra.
Avenida Arriaga: 11:00 Porto da Cruz Folklore · 15:00 São Lourenço Band · 18:00 Brado · 21:00 Cháp4.

📅 9–12 DECEMBER – School Choirs

Madeira School Choir Festival.
11:00 & 15:00 · Avenida Arriaga.

📅 16–22 DECEMBER – “Christmas in Funchal”

Christmas choir festival curated by the historic Orfeão Madeirense (founded 1919).
Daily: Choral performances in town and churches.

📅 23 DECEMBER – Market Night

Extended programme on Avenida Arriaga and at Mercado dos Lavradores.
11:00–01:00 live music, folklore, headline concert and DJ WAGA.

📅 24 DECEMBER – Christmas Eve

Afternoon: Christmas concerts around 16:00 on Avenida Arriaga.
Night: Midnight Masses in churches across Funchal.

📅 26–30 DECEMBER

Daily mix of bands, fado, jazz and pop/rock on Avenida Arriaga.
Typical times: 11:00, 15:00, 18:00, 21:00.

📝 Full & up-to-date line-up: For artist names and last-minute changes, check the official “Festa de Natal e Fim do Ano 2025/26” leaflet from Funchal City Hall or the daily programme board next to the main stage on Avenida Arriaga.

⑥ Ancestral Religious Traditions

📷 Francisco Correia
“Missas do Parto”

15–23 December

Where: Funchal Cathedral (Sé) · Time: 07:30

A nine-day novena in honour of Our Lady and the birth of Jesus, one of Madeira’s most cherished traditions.

After Mass (on the forecourt): traditional music, chicken soup, carne de vinha d’alhos sandwiches, homemade cakes, hot chocolate and local liqueurs. Very authentic atmosphere with locals and visitors together.

📷 Duarte Gomes
“Cantar os Reis”

5 January – Epiphany Songs

Where: Municipal Garden · Time: 18:00

Several groups sing traditional pieces in honour of the Three Kings, closing the festive season.

King Cake tradition: whoever finds the bean buys next year’s cake; whoever finds the coin brings the drinks. A playful way to keep the tradition alive.

The “Christmas in Funchal” Choir Festival, led by historic choir Orfeão Madeirense (founded 1919), fills Avenida Arriaga and several churches with carols throughout December, adding a deeply spiritual note to the festive season.

⑦ New Year’s Eve & Guinness Fireworks

🎆 29 DECEMBER

  • 21:00–00:00 · Praça do Povo
  • O Canto das Marés
  • Westside
  • Sharp Knives

🎆 30 DECEMBER

  • 21:00–02:00 · Praça do Povo
  • Kontraband
  • Revenge of the 90s
  • DJ WAGA

🎆 31 DECEMBER – NEW YEAR’S EVE

  • 21:00–03:00 · Praça do Povo
  • Turner
  • Pedro Garcia Trio
  • DJ SIL

🎇 MIDNIGHT

  • 23:40–00:00: Countdown with sound and light
  • 00:00–00:08: Pyromusical fireworks show
📷 Visit Madeira
Fireworks

New Year’s Eve Pyromusical Show

Guinness World Record 2006 – “The world’s largest fireworks display”. The best views are from Praça do Povo and the Funchal bay amphitheatre.

🎇 Fireworks – Guinness World Record 2006:
58 synchronised launch points:
• 26 around Funchal’s natural amphitheatre · 25 along the waterfront (Cais 8 – Praia do Almirante Reis) · 5 at sea · 2 in Porto Santo

Officially recognised by Guinness World Records in 2006 as “The world’s largest fireworks display”.

⑧ Museums & Christmas Exhibitions

Several museums host special nativity and Christmas-themed exhibitions and workshops during this period — many with free entry.

Casa-Museu Frederico de Freitas

  • “Christmas at the Calçada House” (from 10 Dec)
  • Children’s workshop “Let’s Save Our Christmas”

Quinta das Cruzes Museum

  • “Christmas at MQC” family workshop (13 Dec)

Universe of Memories

  • “Neapolitans on the Island – Sacred and Profane Universe” (from 12 Dec)

Madeira Ethnographic Museum

  • “The Householder’s Nativity Scene” (from 16 Dec)
  • “Sustainable Nativity Scenes: creating with stone”

MUDAS – Museum of Contemporary Art

  • Themed visit “Advent of a Collection” (9 Dec)
  • Creative Christmas workshop (13 Dec)

Baltazar Dias Municipal Theatre

  • 10th edition “Christmas Tables with Madeira Embroidery”
  • 13 Dec 2025 – 4 Jan 2026