Amostra da Banana: Madalena do Mar's Banana Festival
Madeira's banana grows in the warm, sheltered terraces of the south-west, and tiny Madalena do Mar throws a whole festival in its honour. Expect banana in every form, cakes, liqueurs, fresh off the bunch, alongside seaside concerts and farmers showing off the harvest.
Madalena do Mar's Banana Festival
It's small, friendly and almost entirely local, which is exactly the appeal. If you're staying out west, it's a lovely reason to spend an evening by the water in a village most visitors never reach.
Good to know: Free entry; pay at the stalls (bring cash). Evenings are best. A car is the easy way in, about 30 minutes from Paúl do Mar along the coast.
Pair it with a few nights on the quiet west coast, the stone cottage Palheiro Mar in Paúl do Mar is a short drive away.
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