In this category you will find posts about Madeira’s cultural heritage. This includes subjects about Madeira’s music, music instruments, folk dance, art scene and history, and several contributions about Madeira’s never ending festival calendar. We also have the official calendar for you.
Funchal Mosaic Pavements There are countless things to see and do in Funchal. In fact, something worth paying attention to might be right under your feet – Calçada Madeirense. Madeira’s mosaic pavements, found all over the city, adds a certain “je ne sais quoi” to the charming city. All the various mosaic pavements create a …
Funchal Christmas and New Year’s Celebrations December is a very special month on Madeira. It brings along the much sought-after Christmas season, atmosphere and delights. Even if Madeira is never cold and the island does feel festive! The Christmas Preparations The city of Funchal starts hanging the extensive Christmas decorations and lights during the month …
Madeira’s Night Life In need of a fun night out during your holiday and want to experience Madeira’s night life? Do not worry, we’ve got you covered! Sure, Madeira is not really a party island. Some might go as far to say that the night life in Madeira is quasi nonexistent during workdays (which is …
The Santa Clara Convent in Funchal, was founded at the end of the 16th century. The convent was already partly built at the end of the 15th century and was fully constructed around the Our Lady of Conception chapel. It is classified as a National Monument and we can understand why. History of the convent …
Retoiça – cultural activities on Madeira Retoiça is a non for profit association which organized cultural, sports and recreational activities on Madeira. Many of these projects are linked to music. Hence, in this blog post, we will focus soleley on Music related acticities. You can see the impressive list on their website. Retoiça excels in …
Madeira’s Terraced Landscape or Poios Suspended gardens, terraces and stone walls are man-made constructions. These ensure farmers have land to cultivate even on steep hills and in spite of environmental limitations. Moreover, these terraced landscapes provide inhabitants throughout all mountainous regions in the world with farmland. Here on Madeira, terraced plots are part of …
Madeira Nature Festival The Madeira Nature Festival celebrates Madeira’s unique natural heritage by promoting outdoor activities. Its goal is to bring humans closer to nature. Therefore, this festival is ideal for the adventure-thirsty and sports lovers, who are eager to spend more time outdoors to discover all that the island has to offer. The yearly …
The Columbus Festival Every year in September, the Columbus Festival takes place over three days in Vila Baleira, Porto Santo. Vila Baleira also happens to be the place where Columbus married Porto Santo native Filipa Moniz Perestrelo (the island’s governor’s daughter) in 1479. The festival honors Columbus’ fleet to Porto Santo during one of his …
Quinta Vigia The Quinta Vigia, previously called Quinta das Angústias, is an old mansion in Funchal located next to the Parque de Santa Catarina. Residence of the President Before becoming the official residence of the President of the Regional Government Funchal in 1984, the Quinta was home to several historical figures, such as Russian Prince …
Madeira Wine Festival – Madeira’s fortified wine has a unique taste which differentiates it from any other wine on the market. Luckily, once a year, tourists and locals can assist to the Madeira Wine Festival dedicated to Madeira’s famous born-at-sea nectar. The Madeira Wine Festival takes place in Funchal from late August until early September …
Portugal has a long history of using tiles. Azulejos or tiles are part of Portugal culture. Azulejos on Madeira: These blue tiles adorn buildings and walls across Portugal and Madeira. Moorish – Spanish Influence The use of tile in Portugal is an inheritance of Islamic culture borrowed from Spain after the Moors left back home …
