The Christian traditions of Christmas time combine with the displays of rejoicing at the arrival of the New Year, in a rich and extensive programme of cultural, ethnographic and artistic events that continue throughout the month of December and carry on till Twelfth Night.

The specific conditions of Funchal’s naturally-formed amphitheatre transform it into a giant crib lit by the thousands of lights placed up and down the city’s main avenues, resulting in a most extraordinary scenario.

Allow yourself to be tempted by the wares in the shops of Funchal and give yourself up to the frenzied activity of shopping.

Here you can buy anything from the latest international brands to the most diverse handicraft articles. Funchal is like a giant outdoor shopping centre. An island in festival, both at the hotels and in the restaurants, bars and streets, where, in order to mark the transition to the New Year, the skies of Funchal are lit up with a gigantic firework display that lasts for a good ten minutes. This is undoubtedly the dawning of a whole new life!