For almost a month, from April 27 to May 21, 2023, the Flower Festival, an unmissable event on the island of Madeira, will celebrate the arrival of spring and the beauty of its vegetation..
This Portuguese island destination made up of four groups of islands (Madeira, Porto Santo, Desert Islands and Wild Islands) is less than four hours by direct flight from Paris, Nantes or Lyon.
Madeira can boast of offering a lush and very diverse floral landscape all year round thanks to its temperate and subtropical climate. Geraniums, heather, violets and even orchids make up some of the island’s endemic species, to which are added plants imported from all over the world. To name a few: hydrangeas, hibiscus, poinsettias, bird of paradise, bougainvillea, camellias, etc.
The Island of Eternal Spring
The Flower Festival is an internationally renowned event that attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world to Madeira every year. Since 1955, the festival has taken place on the “island of flowers”, and celebrates spring and its magnificent flowers. Concerts, parades of folk groups and floral creations follow one another throughout the month of festivities.
On-site events
Two highlights are to be kept in mind when first weekend opening. On Saturday April 29 from 10 a.m., the prepared children parade towards Praça do Município to compose a monumental foral work, called “Wall of Hope”. The second highlight is the Grand Parade the next day, Sunday April 30 from 4:00 p.m., where dozens of flower floats and hundreds of dancers in colorful costumes follow one another to the festive rhythms that resonate in the streets of Funchal. Paid seats in the stands are available to fully enjoy the show. Access remains free to admire the parade in the streets.
Another meeting not to be missed in Funchal, Praça do Povo: the Flower Exhibition, which has existed since the 1950s, allows you to observe the most beautiful specimens of the island, or even the “Madeira Auto Parade”, a parade of old cars and motorcycles, which brings a touch of glamor to the festival, with music groups, period costumes inspired by Madeira flowers and lots of entertainment.
