The tradition of Fireworks on Madeira Island dates back to the seventeenth century.
New Year’s Eve was marked by lit bonfires, illuminating and filling Madeiran homes with color and brightness.
Later in the eighteenth century, the English community living on the island introduced the launch of the rocket to mark the beginning of the New Year.
 
A century later, the banker Madeiran João José Rodrigues Leitão chose to recreate this tradition. Since then, the wealthy families of the island began to compete with each other in the launch of rockets, thus promoting a spectacle of fireworks that was spreading to the higher areas of the city.
 
At the time, the pyrotechnics served to extend, through the night, the celebrations in the ballrooms.
Currently, the New Year’s Eve fireworks show takes approximately eight minutes. It is spread over 30 burning fire stations in the amphitheater of Funchal, on the waterfront, and in the downtown area.


 
Madeira holds the Guinness World Record for the Largest Pyrotechnic Performance in the world. This record was achieved in 2006 and was beaten in 2010. This New Year’s Eve, the Fireworks are the most prominent tourist attraction in the region, with a hotel occupancy of around 90% -95%, tangentially to 100% in many units.

Madeira has a perfect year-round climate, beautiful beaches, delicious cuisine and wine, and lush landscapes. In addition to these beautiful attributes, Madeira is known for its world-famous New Year’s Eve Fireworks Celebration. If you are tired of facing frosty winter temperatures just to see a mediocre fireworks display, Madeira’s capital, Funchal, is the place for you. Funchal lights up with an unforgettable display recognized in 2006 by the Guinness Book of Records as “The Largest Fireworks Show in the World”. Not only will you travel to a beautiful destination and ring in the new year on a gorgeous island, but you will also be dazzled by a world-famous fireworks display you will never forget.

End-of-year celebrations in Madeira do not start and end with just a fireworks display. In fact, the holiday festival in Funchal starts at the beginning of December. It lasts until the “Dia de Reis” (“Three Kings Day”) on January 6th, featuring cultural, ethnographic, and artistic events throughout the city. Funchal’s naturally-formed amphitheater city is transformed into a holiday dream with thousands of lights and decorations up and down the city’s main avenues. With holiday songs playing in the background as you stroll through the decorated squares, you will feel like you have entered a winter wonderland despite the pleasantly warm weather.
 

The highlight of the holiday season in Madeira is New Year’s Eve. On the morning of New Year’s Eve, many tours gather in town, and ships will line the port of Funchal in anticipation of the grand event. In the evening, the city is buzzing with life as nightclubs open, locals light up their homes, and the Madeira Orchestra performs a New Year’s concert at the city pier. The anticipation grows throughout the evening as people gather on balconies, belvederes, and city squares to wait for the main event. A minute before midnight, the countdown begins and is followed by the renowned fireworks show. The fireworks show lasts about eight minutes and includes 3D illuminations, waterfalls of light, and giant walk-through creations. The fireworks are set off from the Funchal amphitheater, the waterfront, the city center, the sea, and Porto Santo Island. Fireworks are literally all around you. Madeira tradition states that you should eat twelve raisins made from the local grapes, each representing one desire for the new year.   The magnificent holiday light decorations and the fantastic New Year’s Eve fireworks and activities make Madeira Island one of this season’s most attractive and unforgettable destinations.

On New Year’s Eve, many cruise ships dock or anchor near the iconic Funchal Bay to watch its fantastic fireworks, contemplating all of the capital’s amphitheater, with a privileged view from the ocean.

This New Year’s Eve, eight cruise ships are scheduled to dock in Funchal Bay, all sailing at total capacity or close to it.

So, for this Sunday, 31 December, the first to arrive will be MEIN SCHIFF 1 at around 05:30, followed by ARCADIA at 06:45, QUEEN VICTORIA at 07:00, BOREALIS at 07:00, SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE at 10:00, MARELLA EXPLORER at 16:00, AIDACOSMA at 21:30 and MEIN SCHIFF 3 at 22:00.

Approximately 20,000 passengers are expected to greet the arrival of 2024 from Funchal’s Bay.

From various Madeira travel blogs