The Festa do Monte is the feast of the Assumption at the church of Nossa Senhora do Monte, in the parish above Funchal. Novenas fill the evenings from Thursday 5 to Friday 13 August 2027. On Saturday 14 August, the eve, the arraial takes the streets from Largo da Fonte to the Babosas: flower garlands, espetada, bolo do caco, poncha, folk music and despiques. Sunday 15 August is the solemn Mass and the procession. It is free, and suits anyone happy in a crowd that has come to pray.
- CostFree. You pay only for what you eat and drink at the stalls, and cash is the safe choice at the smaller ones.
- Best timeSaturday 14 August after dark, for the arraial at its busiest. Sunday 15 for the Mass and the procession, the heart of it for the people who come to pray.
- Getting thereThe cable car from the old town lands at Largo das Babosas, inside the arraial, but runs 09:00 to 17:45, so it will not bring you down at night. City buses run to Monte too. Do not drive: the roads round the church close on festa days.
- With childrenYes in the daytime. The eve gets crowded and loud late into the night, and the church steps are packed when the procession leaves.
- If it rainsIt seldom does in mid August, but Monte is higher and cooler than the seafront and often in cloud by evening. Take a layer for the night.
Festa do Monte 2027, day by day
| Day | Time | What | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| to | Every evening | The novenas at the church each evening, with music on the squares | Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte and Largo da Fonte | Free |
| Evening to late | The arraial on the eve: stalls, folk music and despiques | Largo da Fonte to Largo das Babosas | Free, stalls paid | |
| After the solemn Mass | The Assumption: solemn Mass, then the procession of Nossa Senhora do Monte | From the church | Free |
The parish publishes the Mass and procession times in early August, with the novenas.
Stay in Funchal, a cable car ride below Monte
What people ask us about the Festa do Monte
When is the Festa do Monte in 2027?
On Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 August 2027, the same dates as every year: the arraial on the eve and the Mass and procession on the 15th, the feast of the Assumption. The novenas at the church run every evening from Thursday 5 to Friday 13 August.
What time is the procession?
On Sunday 15 August, from the church, after the solemn Mass. The parish publishes the times in early August, so check them then, and get to the church early if you want to see it leave.
How do I get up to Monte for the festa?
By cable car from the old town, which lands at Largo das Babosas, or by city bus. Do not plan on driving up and parking. The cable car stops at 17:45 and a taxi near midnight is hard to find in Monte, so settle how you are getting back down before you go up.
Is it worth going if I am not religious?
Yes, as long as you treat it as what it is. The arraial is a street party anyone is welcome at, and the procession is one of the few moments in the year you see what the church in Monte means to Madeira, with pilgrims who have come up from the city, some climbing its steps on their knees. Step aside when it passes, and do not photograph people at prayer from close up.
When is the Festa do Monte in 2028?
On Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 August 2028. The dates never move: 15 August is the Assumption, and the arraial is on its eve.
Sources
Dates from the Câmara Municipal do Funchal’s Festa do Monte page and, for the novenas, Visit Madeira’s Monte Church page. Checked .
