Our saints: 

8th-13rd June – Santo António – St. Anthony : patron sanit of three parishes in the Diocese of Funchal: Santo António, Santo António da Serra, Faã da Ovelha (Raposeira) 

14th-24th June – São João- St. John: patron saint of four parishes: Fajã da Ovelha, Álamos, São João (Ribeira Brava) and Atouguia (Calheta)

27th June – 1st July – São Pedro- St. Peter: patron of the parish bearing this name in Funchal, as well as of Ponta do Pargo

Popular Saints Festivities in Madeira 

Santo António – St. Anthony : 

Known as the “matchmaking saint,” St. Anthony is celebrated with great enthusiasm, particularly in the parish of Santo António in Funchal. The highlight is the Popular Marches on the night of June 12, featuring lively parades, music, and traditional costumes. Bonfires light up the streets, and tradition says that jumping over the flames brings luck in love. It’s also a popular time for weddings.

Also honored in chapels dedicated to him in Santana and in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos. Raposeira (Fajã da Ovelha), Ponta do Sol, and Santo António da Serra, also hold events in honor of the saint, with festive parades, food, and music.

São João – St. John

Is the most widely celebrated saint across the island. In Funchal, the festivities reach their peak between June 19 and 24 with the famous Altars of St. John, where shops and homes decorate their windows and facades with vibrant shrines in his honor.

In towns such as Calheta, Ribeira Brava, and Santa Cruz, the celebrations include traditional marches, folk music, dancing, and an abundance of local delicacies.

On the island of Porto Santo, the festivities from June 19 to 29 are a major tourist attraction. They feature colorful parades, beach bonfires, and the magical sight of paper balloons floating into the night sky.

São Pedro – St. Peter

St. Peter, the patron saint of fishermen, is celebrated with special devotion in the fishing towns of Câmara de Lobos and Ribeira Brava.

In Câmara de Lobos, the celebrations take place from June 28 to July 2, combining the St. Peter Festival with the Black Scabbardfish Festival (Festa da Espada Preta), a tribute to one of Madeira’s most iconic fish. The harbor becomes the epicenter of the festivities, with live music, dancing, fireworks, and food stalls serving local specialties.

In Ribeira Brava, the festivities on June 28 and 29 fill the town with music, folk dances (bailinho), and lively food and drink stalls along the seafront. The streets bloom with colorful flower decorations, and a boat procession at sea is followed by a spectacular midnight fireworks display. Special night transportation is available from Funchal for those wishing to join the celebration.

These festivals are more than just parties — they are a cultural cornerstone of Madeiran life, blending religious devotion with joyful celebration in one of the island’s most social and festive times of the year.

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Typically taking place in June—when cherries are ripe for harvest—the festival is dedicated to promoting and showcasing this prized fruit, a symbol of local agriculture. Alongside fresh cherries, visitors can explore a wide range of cherry-based products and derivatives.

More than just a fruit fair, the event is a vibrant cultural showcase. It highlights local traditions, customs, and craftsmanship, offering an authentic experience of the region’s identity.

 The main highlight of the Cherry Festival is the Allegorical and Ethnographic Parade, which captures the spirit of the community, bringing to life the rich heritage and daily life of Jardim da Serra through colorful displays and traditional costumes.

For local farmers, the festival plays a key role in encouraging both the quality and quantity of cherry production. It’s not only a celebration but also a motivation for continued excellence in farming.

Throughout the celebration, visitors can enjoy cherry exhibitions, culinary demonstrations (showcookings), and talks focused on the fruit’s importance. Entertainment is a constant, with traditional folk groups, live music, and spirited musical duels known as despiques. Regional artists also take the stage, adding a modern twist to the festivities.

The Cherry Festival is a joyful fusion of flavor, culture, and community spirit—an experience not to be missed in Madeira.

Come and enjoy a diverse program of events celebrating the rich heritage, traditions, and culinary delights of Santo da Serra.

Program: 

10:30 am – Cherry pie tasting

12:30pm – Theme Lunch

2:30pm – Festival and the Parish of jardim da Serra 

2:50pm – Local ciders and cherry drinks tasting 

4:30pm – Ethographic parade

**Price: 100€ por person**

Bring your appetite and come on!

Contact us: info@madeirafoodonfoot.com

Tel: +351 963 558 287 

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Last weekend – May 23, 24, and 25 – Funchal hosted the 12th edition of the Madeira Classic Car Revival (MCCR), an iconic event held as part of the 2025 Flower Festival. Organized by the Madeira Classic Car Club (CACM), this much-anticipated gathering brought together classic car enthusiasts, families, and curious visitors for a nostalgic journey through automotive history.

According to the Regional Secretariat for Tourism, Environment, and Culture, the 2025 edition featured 567 registered vehicles, including cars, motorbikes, bicycles, off-roaders, and official vehicles – a number that increased since the event’s public presentation. Fiat was the most represented brand, with 50 vehicles.

Featured Guest Vehicles

Three special guest vehicles were on display during the event:

• Bugatti Type 57 Stelvio Gangloff (1936) – from the Caramulo Museum.
• Benz Dreirad (1886) – a replica of the world’s first car, also from the Caramulo Museum.
• Olda 1954 – a rare Portuguese-built car owned by collector Pedro Filipe.

Benz Dreirad (1886) – This iconic three-wheeled vehicle is a replica of the world’s first automobile, originally invented by Karl Benz in 1886. Powered by a single-cylinder four-stroke engine, the Benz Dreirad marked the beginning of the modern automotive era. The version displayed at the MCCR was kindly provided by the Caramulo Museum, allowing visitors to admire this historic milestone up close.

What Was New in 2025

This year’s edition introduced several exciting updates:

• The south lane of Avenida do Mar (between Praça da Autonomia and the Sá Carneiro Roundabout) was closed to traffic so classic cars could circulate.
• A new main stage for contestswas set up in front of the Regional Legislative Assembly.
• The entire city pierwas transformed into an exhibition area, which also featured 14 supercars.
• Pedal-powered kartcross trackswere available for children at Cais 8.
• Classic car rideswere offered to 60 lucky participants, with free vouchers distributed at the CACM stand

The event also included a vintage market, period-costumed actors, and the ever-popular “Dress in Period Style” Contest. 

A unique opportunity was given to 60 visitors to enjoy a classic car ride as passengers, often referred to as a “baptism of classics.” Free vouchers for this experience were made available at the CACM stand located at the exhibition site.

The event also once again featured a vintage automobilia market, costumed performers who added to the ambiance, and the popular “Dress in Period Style” Contest. To participate, guests were invited to dress in vintage-style clothing or wear an accessory that evoked a different era. Registrations were carried out on-site, adding a fun and nostalgic element to the overall experience.

The Madeira Classic Car Revival was a wonderful event, organized by the Clube de Automóveis Clássicos da Madeira. It reflected the extraordinary work behind some of the best classic car collections in Portugal.

O conteúdo Wheels of History: Madeira Classic Car Revival 2025 aparece primeiro em Madeira Food on Foot.

We are proud to launch our newest endeavour! Welcome to the Madeira Food on Foot Tours Central!

Our rendez-vous for:

– Bookings!
– Tour information!
– And meeting point for our tours just for you along our lovely guides!

Located in Funchal at Rua do Sabão nº 65 it’s time for you to take a look.
Also enjoy photos from our opening party!

Our New Central Office

Google Map link

Exterior

Interior

Our Professional and Certified Tour Guides, who speak a great variety of languages, were also present during our opening representing an essential part of our sucess and our hospitality!

Enjoy savoring the deliciousness that is Madeira along Madeira Food on Foot Tours!

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From the beautiful landscapes to the suculent food! Madeira is an ideal place to visit this season!

So before Summer take a chance and visit our beloved Island!

From:

Easter Festivities;

To Tours;

To the Rum Festival;

To the Flower Festival!

Easter Festivities:

From traditional meals to outdoor activities Madeiran Easter is as classic as it can get.

As Madeira is mostly catholic, at Funchal Cathedral and most other churches around Madeira there is the ritual of Pascha (Páscoa in Portuguese) celebrations, starting on Holy Thursday with the Lord’s Last Supper Mass in the afternoon. On the evening of Good Friday, a holiday in Portugal, there is a Liturgy about Jesus Christ’s Passion and after it a procession about His crucifixion and death. On Holy Saturday a Easter Vigil or Paschal Vigil is held after sunset. On Easter Sunday a procession of the Resurrection of Jesus precedes the Solemnity of the Resurrection of the Lord’s Mass.

And of course food is also an important matter with treats like:

EASTER FOLAR/BREAD: A sweet bread, scented with cinnamon and Fennel seeds, often with one or more cooked eggs nestled in the center.

ALMONDS & CHOCOLATE EGGS:

In addition to chocolat eggs and sweet almonds, there is a traditional Easter sweet in Madeira called sugar lumps “torrões”, very popular with locals.

TORRÕES DE AÇÚCAR/SUGAR LUMPS: A popular treat. The main ingredient is sugar, and there are different flavours, eg. Cocoa, almond, walnut, strawberry, orange, coconut, etc.

As for Tours:

There are plenty of Tours you can take with us to explore many Madeiran restaurants/places and its gastronomical treats: 

/en/madeira-food-our-tours/

As such please do check the following and enjoy savoring the deliciousness that is Madeira!

Plus with MOMONDO – https://www.momondo.co.uk/  –  Its easier for you to find the best offers for flights, hotels, car rentals and package holidays to quickly come to Madeira and enjoy this paradise!

The Rum Festival:

The Rum Festival is also a fun event to be part of, for Rum enthusiasts, this fitht edition includes various Rum producers and tastings! From the 21st April to the 24th in Funchal – Largo da Restauração.

The Flower Festival:

And finally the Flower Festival! The highlight of Spring in Madeira!

The Flower Festival is a cultural event associated with local traditions, whether through the performances of folk groups, or through the construction of the beautiful floral carpets, an event filled with lots of entertainment activities, such as music concerts and variety shows, to be held from May, 5th to 29th.

“Wall of Hope” – May, 7th
On Saturday morning fulfilling a tradition which goes back to 1979, this year´s edition presents a group of children escorted by their parents, who will place a flower on a beautiful mural called “Wall of Hope”, in a symbolic calling to global Peace.

Allegoric Parade – May,8th
On Sunday afternoon, the streets of downtown Funchal are once again filled with music, colour and soft perfumes with the sumptuous parade of floats that harmoniously combine multiple floral species with decorations full of creativity.
The Allegorical Flower Parade, is one of the main highlights of this event, taking place since 1979. This parade is highlighted by the magnificence and sumptuousness of its floats intricaly decorated with magnificent flowers, and the lovely costumes worn by the hundreds of participants, mostly children parading to the sound of cheerful musical themes and performing choreographies either simple or elaborated.

And much more: https://www.visitmadeira.com/en-gb/what-to-do/events/search/flower-festival

In conclusion there is always plenty to do, see & eat in Madeira Island!

Time to enjoy it! We’re waiting for you!

O conteúdo From Spring to Easter and into the Flower Festival 2022! aparece primeiro em Madeira Food on Foot.

It’s a season of magic & love. Be it Christmas or New Year’s Eve!

And as a popular destination, what better place to be than Madeira for the Holidays?

So come along with us: Madeira Exquisite Food on Foot Tours and take note.

Here are just a few suggestions in a vast universe of entertainment & sightseeing in Madeira:

1 – Lights & Decor

2 – Tradidional Christmas Masses

3 – Christmas Markets

4 – Musical Festivities

5 – Fireworks

6 – F&B

7 –  Madeira Exquisite Food on Foot Tours

So let us begin:

1 – Lights & Decor

An absolute must!

Funchal as well as other villages around the Island, is intricately decorated an ornamented with enchanted Christmas lights and decorations, scattered along the islands, many streets and buildings, turning the Madeira into a whimsical wonderland setting filled with colour and fantasy.

One of the main highlights of Madeira Christmas celebrations, are its most singular and magnificent Christmas illuminations and decorations.

2 – Tradidional Christmas Masses

As for a more direct approach into the season we have:

The Childbirth masses, a set of nine religious ceremonies (“novenas”), taking place in parishes all throughout the island, between December, 16th and Christmas Eve, at the early dawn.

After the mass, parishioners gather in churchyards singing Christmas carols, joined by traditional music groups playing string instruments, accordions and castanets.

3 – Christmas Markets

Christmas markets in Madeira are all about diversity of food, tropical fruits and festive atmosphere.

From typical drinks such as poncha and home-made liquors, in addition to other Christmas delicacies such as the Madeira Honey Cake, the Bolo do Caco, (typical home-made bread), and also delicious Sandes de Carne-vinho e alhos (sandwiches with chunks of pork marinated in wine and garlic).

4 – Musical Festivities

Music is indeed an important factor for the season.

As such Christmas songs light up our souls and allow us to recall festive memories. Music concerts take place in Funchal, at Avenida Arriaga.

You’ll find plenty of entertainment with philharmonic bands, folk groups, clarinets, mandolins, accordions, guitars and children’s choirs. 

5 – Fireworks

 The must see event of the Island!

The New Year’s Eve fireworks display in Funchal, Madeira’s capital, is one of the best in the world.

You either love it or adore it! Nuff said!

6 – F&B

No Tour should be complete without some F&B (Food & Beverages) !

And Madeiran food is mandatory! So try out some poncha, a nikita,  home-made liquors, Honey Cake,  Bolo do Caco, (typical home-made bread), Sandes de Carne-vinho e alhos (sandwiches with chunks of pork marinated in wine and garlic) and of course some Madeiran Wine!

For more information you can always read our articles regarding these tasty subjects and enjoy them all!

Popular Madeiran Food & Beverages: Part 1

Popular Madeiran Food & Beverages: Part 2

7 – Madeira Exquisite Food on Foot Tours

To top it all we from Madeira Exquisite Food on Foot Tours can help you figure out what to do during  this beautiful season, along with our tasty Tours!

As such please do check the following and enjoy savoring the deliciousness that is Madeira!

Extra:

Also take a week or more to uncover the beauty that is Madeira Island all around!

And of course do not forget these safety measures to enjoy Madeira’s treasures the best you can!

INFORMATION TO VISITORS (COVID 19)

So Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!

O conteúdo Madeira’s Xmas & New Year’s Eve: What to look for aparece primeiro em Madeira Food on Foot.

As such, we from Madeira Food on Foot can provide you with guidance among these and other activities, in order for you to enjoy the best experiences, along our own Tours: https://www.madeirafoodonfoot.com/our-tours.html

As for activities during the Wine Festival activities you’ll be able to see:

Street Entertainment – October,8th to 24th​

The city centre of Funchal, especially the central walkway of Avenida Arriaga, in addition to the usual performance of Folklore Groups, there will be a very diversified musical program that includes light music, world music, choral singing, jazz, traditional music and philharmonic music.

Concerts in the Vineyards – October,8th,10th and 17th

A series of musical concerts taking place in different locations across the region, in a sunset setting surrounded by vineyards, held after peak heat hours, when the aromas intensify. This initiative includes sunset shows and local wine tastings.
The concerts are subject to a limited audience.

Madeira Wine lounge – Praça do Povo – October,8th to 24th

At Praça do Povo, the Madeira Wine lounge will be set up, recreating a more cosmopolitan and contemporary environment associated with the consumption of wine, through thematic dinners that are inspired by the flavours and wines of each producing municipality. This area will also include an stage with various musical entertainment.

This event aims to recreate the old traditions of Madeira, which were developed over centuries of labour in viticulture.

Its also been commemorated since the late seventies of the last century. It normally begins in Funchal and includes the European Folklore Week, ornamentations, exhibitions and live portraits depicting the wine culture, as well as traditional and light music performances, culminating in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos, with the Wine Harvest Festival.

All in all every single experience in Madeira Island is a unique moment you’ll ‘never want to forget!

O conteúdo Madeira’s Flower & Wine Festivals: Part 2 aparece primeiro em Madeira Food on Foot.

Both occuring, exceptionally this year, during October 2021.

The Flower Festival from: October,1st to 24th

The Wine Festival from: October,8th to 24th​.

Regarding the Flower Festival:

Starting october 1st the event celebrates the exuberance of the flowers that typically bloom here with great intensity due to Madeira’s subtropical climate, Funchal is the setting for a truly sumptuous spectacle, the city’s Flower Festival.

Activities included for this event are vast so you can always count on us to help you, along our Tours, during these major events: https://www.madeirafoodonfoot.com/our-tours.html

So check out the:

“Wall of Hope” – October, 2nd

On Saturday morning fulfilling a tradition which goes back to 1979, this year´s edition presents a group of children escorted by their parents, who will place a flower on a beautiful mural called “Wall of Hope”, in a symbolic calling to global Peace.

Allegoric Parade – October,3rd

The Allegorical Flower Parade, is one of the main highlights of this event, taking place since 1979. This parade is highlitghted by the magnificence and sumptuousness of ts floats intricaly decorated with magnificent flowers, and the lovely costumes worn by the hundreds of participants, mostly children parading to the sound of cheerful musical themes and performing choreographies either simple or elaborated.

Flower and Regional Flavours Market 

The flower market allows the public to get to know the countless floral and decorative species that exist in Madeira. Here, locals and visitors can buy flowers in a picturesque and traditional environment. Besides the flowers, the regional flavours will be present through the local gastronomy and typical drinks.

Flower Exhibition  

The Flower Exhibition takes place in the city centre of Funchal, more specifically at Praça da Restauração. It is a continuation of the exhibition that took place at the Commercial Ateneo of Funchal, which began in the fifties of the last century. The most beautiful specimens of the most varied types of flowers produced throughout Madeira can be appreciated and evaluated, developed with all the affection and dedication of their growers. The flowers on display are evaluated in their various categories and distinguished by a specialized jury.

Floral Carpets and Decorations – Av. Arriaga central walkways

The profusion of Madeira’s flora has greatly contributed to the establishment of this artistic expression. This tradition of building floral carpets proliferates throughout the island and originated in the decoration of religious processions.

Thanks to their unquestionable beauty and detail, for some years now, flower carpets have been on display in the streets on the occasion of the Flower Festival.

Flower Concerts – October, 14th to17th

Integrated in the Flower Festival programme four concerts are held in emblematic venues of the island of Madeira with the purpose of decentralizing the festivities and strengthening the entertainment offer.

These concerts take place in an environment with a unique atmosphere, where the public – tourists and residents – can enjoy high quality musical moments in a setting of unique beauty, surrounded by the diversity of Madeira’s flora.

Madeira Flower Collection – Venue: Quinta Magnólia – October,16th and 17th

This event aims to promote the regional fashion sector, engaging a wide number of creators inspired by the flowers, therefore bestowing a touch of contemporaneity and “glamour” to one of the greatest tourist attractions of Madeira, in an unique touristic entertainment moment.

This event presents original fashion creations by various local designers. 

Floral Installations – October, 21st and 24th

The diversity of Madeiran flora contributed, in a great way, to the establishment of these artistic manifestations, which combine the beauty of flowers with the characteristic elements of Madeiran tradition and culture. The floral sculptures are a great contribution to the magnificence of city decorations, whose careful construction is shared and admired by our visitors. These wonderful facilities will be displayed on Avenida Sá Carneiro, at the entrance to the Cais do Funchal and next to the Legislative Assembly of Madeira on the last weekend of the Flower Festival.

To sum it ip:

Either activities will provide you with great entertainment so dont forget Madeira Food On Foot can help you get around this grand exploration of events and experiences!

As for The Wine Festival: Dont miss Part 2 of our next article!

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