Relive the History of Madeira at the Medieval Market of Machico

You probably know Madeira is famous for the Flower Festival. But there are more festivities that are really nice to visit. The first weekend of June there’s the Mercado Quinhentista in the town of Machico. At this medieval festival you can relive the history of Madeira. Join knights, explorers, tradesman, artists and peasants in their every day life on the island. With of course plenty to eat and drink…

Programme

Every year a different theme is chosen for the festival. In 1419, the Portuguese discovered Madeira, when they found the bay of Machico.Therefore, the historical event chosen is many times linked to the Discoveries.

The festival takes three days, from Friday to Sunday. Every day there’s a different programme of performances, tournaments, music, dance and parades. It starts in the afternoon and goes on until midnight. On the final night the Mercado Quinhentista is closed with impressive fireworks.

Where

The Mercado Quinhentista takes place in the centre of Machico, on the east side of Madeira. Along the beach you can find many food stalls. The biggest performances take place on the town’s square.

It’s the setting in this beautiful town that makes the festival extra special. The Machico bay has amazing blue water and impressive surrounding cliffs. It all feels so exotic!

When

Every first full weekend of June.

More information

The festival’s website unfortunately is only in Portuguese, but it’s nice to watch some photographs there.