Christmas has just passed and Carnival is already knocking at the door... Carnival festivities are being prepared for some months already as decorations and costumes making of take a lot of time.

As usual Carnival starts in Santana with the "Festa dos Compadres" (buddy's festivity) where actors make fun of social and political affairs. This funny festivity this year is on the last weekend of January.

A week after, on Saturday night the main Carnival Parade takes place on Funchal streets where hundreds of dancers and a few floats take part. At the end there is a public ball at Praça do Município where everyone can feel the heat of Madeira Carnival, dancing by the sound of Brazilian music.

On the afternoon of Sunday and of Shrove Tuesday several trickster parades take place all over the island with the edge taking place in Funchal where once again hundreds of persons disguised make caricatures of politicians and its decisions.

On Friday 1st February through all over the Island children will have their Carnival party at school and so it is common to see several princess and warriors walking around.

Since Friday night, before Shrove Tuesday, bars and discos have a theme for each night and so most of its customers disguise according to that theme... Usually Friday night is the "travesty night" and there is also a "flower power" night between others.

Some hotels also have their Carnival ball dance on Saturday night.