Madeira is gearing up for its spectacular Christmas lights switch-on on 1 December, marking the start of a vibrant season of festive celebrations. With improved flight connections from the UK this winter, it's easier than ever for travellers to experience the island's magical Christmas and New Year festivities.

This winter*, weekly flights from the UK to Madeira have increased by 5%, with new routes from Bournemouth and Luton. With excellent connections from both London and regional airports - including Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow - the island offers nationwide access for travellers seeking winter sun and festive cheer.

Below, Visit Madeira highlights a series of key events and celebrations inviting travellers to experience the island's winter magic:

Christmas and New Year's Festivities
From 1 December to 5 January, Madeira's streets come alive with Christmas and New Year's Festivities, marked by the grand switch-on of the lights in its capital, Funchal, on 1 December. The city transforms into a glowing celebration of music, markets and tradition, creating a truly magical atmosphere throughout the season.

Traditional Christmas Nights
Between 9 and 23 December, visitors can experience Madeira's Traditional Christmas Nights, which showcase festive customs across different locations throughout the island. The celebrations culminate in the much-loved Market Night on 23 December in Funchal - a joyful gathering of locals and visitors featuring live music, handmade crafts and the island's famous carne de vinha d'alhos sandwiches (pork marinated in wine and garlic).

Childbirth Masses (Missas do Parto)
From 16 to 24 December, parish churches across Madeira host the traditional Childbirth Masses (Missas do Parto), dawn services (from 6:00am) celebrating the Virgin Mary and the approaching birth of Christ. These early-morning gatherings bring communities together for music, prayer and celebration, followed by traditional drinks, cakes and the island's beloved pork sandwiches.

New Year's Eve Fireworks Show
On 31 December, Madeira hosts its world-renowned New Year's Eve Fireworks Show, an eight-minute display launched from 59 stations across the island. The spectacle lights up Funchal's natural amphitheatre with 27 firing points, along with 25 on Pier 8 and Praia Almirante Reis, five at sea and two on Porto Santo Island. Featuring some of the most advanced pyrotechnic effects, this year's show will introduce new designs never before seen in the region. Recognised by Guinness World Records as “The Greatest Fireworks Display in the World”, it remains one of Europe's most memorable ways to welcome the new year.

For more information on things to see and do in Madeira this Christmas, visit https://visitmadeira.com/en/whats-on/events/christmas-and-new-year-festivities/

*Winter season is October 26th 2025 to March 28th 2026

ENDS

About Madeira. Belongs to all

• Madeira. Belongs to all is the consumer-facing brand of the Madeira Promotion Bureau, which aims to promote Madeira as a tourist destination to consumers and the travel trade.
• Madeira, otherwise known as 'the islands of eternal spring', is just a short, three-and-a-half-hour flight from London. It covers 740km2 and has a population of only 260,000. On the same latitude as Morocco, the Atlantic archipelago has a sub-tropical climate, a rich volcanic soil and a unique eco-system. It is one of the only places in the planet where banana trees grow next to vineyards.
• Located approximately 1,000km from the European mainland - and just 500km from the African continent – Madeira enjoys an amazingly mild climate, ranging from 25°c in the summer to 17°c in the winter, with very mild average temperatures and moderate humidity.
• In 1999, Madeira's indigenous forest, the Laurissilva, was declared a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. The Madeira Natural Park is a protected area that covers around two-thirds of Madeira Island's territory, equivalent to 67% of its surface.
  
  

For more information, visit www.visitmadeira.com / @visitmadeira

About Madeira Promotion Bureau

Madeira Promotion Bureau aims to promote Madeira in the national and international markets.

For media information and images, please contact Hume Whitehead Ltd:

Richard Hume (richard@humewhitehead.co.uk/ +44(0) 20 3375 4051)

Laura Boo (laura@humewhitehead.co.uk / +44(0) 20 3375 4056)