São Martinho, the parish in the west of Funchal, keeps two feasts back to back from Saturday 7 to Wednesday 11 November 2026: Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio over the weekend, then St Martin himself on Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11. The processions are at 18:00 on Sunday 8 and 20:30 on Wednesday 11, each after mass, and every night except Monday ends with live music until midnight, or 01:00 on Saturday. It is free, and it is a parish festa rather than a show put on for visitors.
- CostFree. The programme lists no food stalls, so have dinner planned elsewhere.
- Best nightWednesday 11 November, St Martin’s Day itself. Saturday 7 is the late one, with music to 01:00.
- Getting thereA taxi from the centre is the simple way up, to Rua da Igreja. On foot, the last stretch is a climb.
- With childrenThe processions are the part for them, and Sunday’s at 18:00 is the earlier of the two. The music runs late every night.
São Martinho 2026, day by day
| Day | Time | What | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:00 mass, music 20:30 to 01:00 | Vigil mass for Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio, then the group Amigos da Música | Igreja de São Martinho | Free | |
| 17:00 mass, 18:00 procession, music 19:00 to midnight | Feast of Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio: solemn mass and procession, then Otávio Freitas | Igreja de São Martinho | Free | |
| 19:30 mass, music 20:30 to midnight | St Martin’s Eve: vigil mass, then Banda Fixe | Igreja de São Martinho | Free | |
| 19:30 mass, 20:30 procession, music 21:30 to midnight | St Martin’s Day: solemn mass and procession, then Ricardo Madeira | Igreja de São Martinho | Free |
Nothing is planned on Monday 9 November.
Stay in Funchal, a taxi ride from the church
What people ask us about São Martinho in Funchal
When is the São Martinho festa in Funchal in 2026?
From Saturday 7 to Wednesday 11 November 2026, at the parish church of São Martinho. St Martin’s Day itself is Wednesday 11 November, with mass at 19:30, the procession at 20:30 and music until midnight.
Will there be roast chestnuts and new wine?
St Martin’s Day is the day for both all over Portugal, and this parish carries the saint’s name. But the 2026 programme lists only the masses, the processions and the music, so we cannot promise a stall at the church.
Do I need to be religious to go?
No. The masses and processions are worship, so dress and behave as you would in any church, and stand back as the procession passes. The music afterwards is for everyone.
Is it on every year?
St Martin’s Day is fixed on 11 November, so the parish feast always falls around it. In 2026 the other feast, Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio, took the weekend before. The parish published the programme on 31 October, a week ahead.
Is this the chestnut festival?
No. The Festa da Castanha is a different festival, in Curral das Freiras, and in 2026 it was on 31 October and 1 November. The Festa da Castanha page has the details. São Martinho is a parish feast in Funchal.
Sources
Dates from the parish programme, as published in the Jornal da Madeira, and the church from Visit Funchal. Checked .
