The Festa de Nossa Senhora do Monte is the feast of the Assumption at the Monte church, high on the hill above Funchal, held on 14 and 15 August every year. It is two things at once. The arraial fills the parish streets with flower garlands and stalls selling espetada, bolo do caco, poncha and fennel sweets, with folk music and despiques, the improvised sung duels, going on late into the night. The 15th is the religious day, with the main Mass and the procession, and pilgrims come up from the city to the church, some of them climbing its steps on their knees.
- CostFree. You pay only for what you eat and drink at the stalls, and cash is the safe choice at the smaller ones.
- WhereThe church of Nossa Senhora do Monte and the streets and square below it, in Monte, the old hill parish above the centre of Funchal.
- Getting thereThe cable car from the old town is the easy way up, and city buses run to Monte as well. Driving is the hard way: the streets around the church are narrow and there is next to no parking on festa days.
- Best timeThe evening of the 14th for the arraial at its busiest. The 15th for the Mass and the procession, which is the heart of it for the people who come to pray.
- 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.
Most of the crowd is local, and it is a church feast before it is a party: dress for church if you go in on the 15th, step aside when the procession passes and do not photograph people at prayer from close up. The practical question is getting home. The cable car keeps daytime hours and a taxi near midnight is hard to find in Monte, so decide how you are getting back down before you go up. And because 15 August is a public holiday, expect some shops in Funchal to keep holiday hours that day.
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 festa is held on those two dates every year, with the arraial around the eve and the Mass and procession on the 15th, and the parish usually holds evening novenas at the church in the days before.
What time is the procession?
The procession is on 15 August and follows the main Mass at the church. The parish publishes the times shortly beforehand, and the details follow the official programme and may be adjusted, so check it closer to the day 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 in Funchal, which lands a short walk from the church, or by city bus. Do not plan on driving up and parking. The cable car keeps daytime hours, so check the time of the last car down before you rely on it after dark.
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, with food, poncha and music, and the procession is one of the few moments in the year you see what the church in Monte means to Madeira.
