May 9th to 15th
“The Route of Flowers – from the Farmers’ Market to Infante’s Roundabout” – Performances by local folk dancing groups, multiple exhibitions, music and floral decorations
Floral Carpets – Arriaga Avenue central square, in front of the Cathedral and the Baltazar Dias Municipal Theatre
Flower Market – Arriaga Avenue central square, opposite to the Tourist Information Centre
“Endemic Route: Dactylorhiza Foliosa” – Arts project in the northern garden of São Lourencço Palace
58th Flower Exhibition at Restauração Square (Largo da Restauração) – Organised by the Regional Board for the Environment and Natural Resources
“Madeira Embroidery inspired by Flowers” – Organised by the Madeira Wine, Embroidery and Handicraft Institute (IVBAM) - Arriaga Avenue central square, opposite to Loja do Cidadão from 10 am to 8 pm.

Madeira storks bill Geranium madeirensis

Thursday, May 9th
Official opening of the Flower Festival
3 pm – 8 pm – Performances in Funchal downtown by the Camacha Cultural and Recreational Association
3 pm – 6 pm – Project “Flowers and Gastronomy” – Carving Show: flowers' decorations - Chafariz Square (Largo do Chafariz)
Project “Perfume Party”:
4 pm – 6 pm – "Madeira Wine Blind Aroma Experience" - Arriaga Avenue central square, opposite to the Tourist Information Centre
5:30pm–“PerfumeParade”:young people in typical regional costume offering scents and perfumes -Arriaga Avenue central square, opposite to the Tourist Information Centre
6 pm – Opening of the exhibition “Perfumed Painting” with a concert by the mandolin player Maestro Norberto Cruz followed by a Madeira Wine tasting experience - Espacço Infoarte of the Regional Board of Tourism (until May 15th)

Friday, May 10th
10 am – 1 pm – Project “Flowers and Gastronomy” – Carving Show: flowers' decorations - Chafariz Square (Largo do Chafariz)
10 am – 3 pm – Performances in Funchal downtown by the Boa Nova Ethnographic and Folk Group
3 pm – 6:30 pm – Event “Casar na Madeira / Getting Married in Madeira”– display of bridal dresses and sweets, cake tasting and musical entertainment - Phelps Square
3 pm – 8 pm – Performances in Funchal downtown by the Folk Group of Casa do Povo da Camacha

Saturday, May 11th
Children's Parade and Wall of Hope Ceremony:
9 am – Children gathering at Arriaga Avenue, in front of the Municipal Garden
10 am – Children's Parade – Itinerary: Arriaga Avenue, Zarco Avenue, Câmara Pestana Road and Municipal Square (Praça do Municipio)
11 am – Symbolic construction of the Wall of Hope at the Municipal Square – Release of pigeons and live show for children by an entertainment group
10 am – 1 pm – Project “Flowers and Gastronomy” – Themed workshops: Scabbard fish and pork marinated in wine and garlic: history and preparation - Chafariz Square (Largo do Chafariz)
10 am – 2 pm – Event “Casar na Madeira / Getting Married in Madeira”– display of bridal dresses and sweets and cake tasting, floral decorations and musical entertainment - Phelps Square (Largo do Phelps)
10 am – 8 pm – II Reid’s Palace Classic Auto Show – Estrada Monumental from Edifício Baia main entrance to Paz Square (Largo da Paz)
3 pm – 8 pm – Performances in Funchal downtown by the Boa Nova Ethnographic and Folk Group

Sunday, May 12th
10 am – 3 pm – Performances in Funchal downtown by the Folk Group of Casa do Povo da Camacha
10 am – 1 pm – Project “Flowers and Gastronomy” – Themed workshops: Honey Cake : History and preparation - Chafariz Square (Largo do Chafariz)
2 pm – 6 pm – Event “Casar na Madeira / Getting Married in Madeira”– wide range of entertainment activities | Phelps Square (Largo do Phelps)
4 pm – Flower Festival Parade
Itinerary: Departure from Autonomia Square (Praça da Autonomia), Avenida do Mar e das Comunidades Madeirenses (north lane), Francisco Sá Carneiro Roundabout and ends at Mar Square (Praça do Mar).
- Floats exhibition at Mar Square (Praça do Mar) until May 14th

Monday, May 13th
10 am – 3 pm – Performances in Funchal downtown by the Boa Nova Ethnographic and Folk Group
10 am – 1 pm – Project “Flowers and Gastronomy” – Themed workshops: Regional Fruit and Vegetables – An orchard in the Atlantic - Chafariz Square (Largo do Chafariz)
3 pm – 8 pm – Performances in Funchal downtown by Monteverde Folk Group

Tuesday, May 14th
10 am – 3 pm – Performances in Funchal downtown by the Boa Nova Ethnographic and Folk Group
4 pm – 6:30 pm – Project “Flowers and Gastronomy” – Regional sweets preparation and demonstration - Chafariz Square (Largo do Chafariz)

Wednesday, May 15th
10 am – 3 pm – Performances in Funchal downtown by the Monteverde Folk Group
Project “Perfume Party”: 4 pm – 6 pm – "Madeira Wine Blind Aroma Experience" – Arriaga Avenue central square, opposite to the Tourist Information Centre
5:30 pm – “Perfume Parade”: young people in typical regional costume offering scents and perfumes – Arriaga Avenue central squares opposite to the Tourist Information Centre
6 pm – Presentation of the Perfume Isle of Madeira with concert by the mandolin player Maestro Norberto Cruz - Espaço Infoarte of Regional Board of Tourism

Source: Madeira Tourism Board

On the 4th, 5th and 6th of July 2013 Madeira is hosting the 14th edition of Funchal Jazz Festival. Year after year this jazz festival is gaining quality and it makes more difficult to choose the performers for the coming festival... But Funchal Jazz Organisation has overcome the challenges and always surprise us with great names of the Jazz world. And 2013 is no different! This year the central garden of Santa Catarina Park, in Funchal, will be the stage for the legendary Chick Corea & The Vigil.

Chick Corea is a versatile musician, covering areas as symphonic music or children's songs and has won 18 Grammy in 50 years of an intensive career. The remain program with the other performers is being finalized and will be published soon.

So, if you do like Jazz, book your holiday in Madeira for the first week of July and ally a relaxing holiday with three fantastic Jazz evenings!

On the night of July 18, 2012 a huge wild fire developed in the west outskirts of Funchal city, more precisely in Palheiro Ferreiro. Several people were affected by this event and two Hotels have been evacuated under precautionary measures, though not a single tourist was injured during this process.

Between Thursday and Sunday several other fires erupted all over Madeira: São Gonçalo, Gaula, Assomada, Camacha, Águas Mansas, Achadas da Cruz, Porto Moniz, Santo da Serra, Ponta do Pargo, Lombada dos Marinheiros, Machico, Caniçal, Ribeira Brava, Paúl da Serra.

Current assessment is that all wildfires have been extinguished and are being monitored for possible re-ignitions. During the last four days no deadly victims have been reported.

Our update comes late, because we had to help family, friends and customers.

We strongly recommend that before starting your journey in Madeira you check which roads have been blocked. If you are a tourist ask advice from your Hotel reception.

The RSX European Championship is being held in Madeira island from the 23rd February to the 1st of March 2012. So far the windsurfers have sailed a total of 6 regattas in the past 2 days and today, Sunday, is their deserved rest day.

On the first 2 days of the championship the wind has taken some time to arrive to Funchal so the regattas have been postponed for a couple of hours but when it starts to blow it goes between 10 to 16 knots making the boards sailing faster and the race very competitive.

After 6 regattas, so far the provisional Top5 are:

Men
• 1st - Przemyslaw Miarczynski, from Poland
• 2nd - Nimrod Mashiah, from Israel
• 3rd - Byron Kokkalanis, from Greece
• 4th - Toni Wilhelm, from Germany
• 5th - Piotr Myszka, from Poland

Women
• 1st - Marina Alabau, from Spain
• 2nd - Tuuli Petaja, from Finland
• 3rd - Maayan Davidovich, from Israel
• 4th - Blanca Manchon Dominguez, from Spain
• 5th - Olha Maslivets, from Ukraine

There are still 10 regattas to sail on the next 4 days of competition. Hopefully the sun will continue to shine and the wind will continue to blow, even if it arrives a bit late...

Christmas season in Madeira is only over after Santo Amaro's day, on the 15th January. On Santo Amaro's day is the day of "Varrer dos armários" (the cleaning of the shelves) which is a tradition in several parishes of Madeira. People visit friends and family with a broom and the hosts have a table full of the traditional delicacies of Christmas. So the visitants eat and drink and when leaving the house they leave a broom with the date and year carved on it.

So, until middle January there is still the opportunity to admire the Christmas scenes built all around the island and which will only be dismantled after Santo Amaro's day. A suggestion we leave here this year is to visit the Nuns Valley and its mega Christmas scene built by the Associação Refúgio da Freira.





On this amazing Christmas crib it is represented many of the Madeira traditions and customs. This walkable artwork is visitable everyday until the 22nd of January 2012, from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm.