New Year’s Eve firework display in Funchal
Come and enjoy a Madeira walking tour through the primary forest with its waterfalls and stunning belvederes, following the network of scenic levadas, along jagged coastlines and through picturesque villages to arrive in the capital Funchal, just in time for the New Year’s Eve celebrations! The Christmas festivities, or the « primeira e segunda oitava » last for 2 days on the island of Madeira as December 26th is also a public holiday. After the traditional Christmas family get togethers and the end of the year approaches, there is a buzzing of excitement for this is a big moment on this Portuguese island.
Mixing with the locals on your festive walking holiday in Madeira
The New Year’s Eve celebration is a huge event in Madeira and the tourism industry booms with visitors coming from far and wide. The local islanders also arrive in Funchal with friends and family to enjoy this annual event, for the Funchal firework display on December 31st has been in the Guinness Book of Records from 2006 to 2010 as one of the biggest fireworks shows in the world!
Our firework fun fact: The person responsible for the New Year’s Eve firework display in Funchal is chosen during the Atlantic Festival in June. Every year, this festival is held to mark the start of the summer and hosts an international pyrotechnics competition. An event not to be missed! Every Saturday evening in June, different firework displays are shot off from the bay of Funchal. It is then up to the general public to vote on the best display, either online or by ballot paper which is then posted in letterboxes strategically placed around the city centre. The winner of the competition gets a trophy and the honour of organising the New Year’s Eve firework display. The locals are therefore very much involved in this event.
On December 31st, the anticipation grows, and the final preparations are being made. Everything must be ready for greatest event of the year! The streets begin to fill with partygoers and a very festive ambiance takes over the capital city. Then, as the clock strikes midnight, the amphitheatre bay of Funchal transforms into a truly spectacular light show with an explosion of colour and music. A unique event that is simply not to be missed if you are enjoying a walking holiday in Madeira over the New Year.
The Intura team wish you a very happy new year with lots of new adventures and discoveries in 2020!
