St Martin’s Day festival in São Martinho

Across Portugal, 11 November belongs to São Martinho: roasted chestnuts, the first taste of the year’s new wine and parish parties that run late. In Funchal the celebration is centred on the parish that carries the saint’s name, on the hillside west of the city centre.

The church hosts a vigil mass on the 10th followed by a band in the churchyard, and on the 11th a solemn mass, a procession through the streets and a concert that goes on until midnight. It is a neighbourhood festa rather than a show for visitors, which is exactly why it is worth an evening.

Programme

• Tuesday 10 November: 19:30 vigil mass, 20:30 live music with Banda Fixe, ends at midnight.
• Wednesday 11 November: 19:30 solemn mass, 20:30 procession, 21:30 live music with Ricardo Madeira, ends at midnight.

Good to know

• São Martinho is a residential parish uphill from the Lido area; a taxi or bus from the centre takes about 15 minutes.
• Look out for roasted chestnuts and new wine in bars and festas all over the island that week.