Arraiais de São João: Madeira's Saints' Nights

Late June belongs to the Santos Populares, the feasts of St Anthony, St John and St Peter, when Madeira's streets fill with arraiais: open-air parish parties with grilled meat, bolo do caco, poncha and folk music running well past midnight. There's no ticket and no stage to plan around. You follow the bunting and the smell of espetada, find a plastic table, and stay.

Funchal's old town and parish squares all host their own. A short drive west, Câmara de Lobos throws one of the liveliest São João celebrations on the coast. It's the most genuinely local thing you can do on the island in June, and our favourite kind of night.

Need to know: Free entry; pay per item at the stalls. Best after dark, from around 21:00. In Funchal it's all walkable; for Câmara de Lobos, a 15-minute drive or short bus ride.

Stay in the old town and you can wander between the city arraiais on foot, Carreira Solar sits right in the thick of it.