Madeira New Year's Eve 2026: The World's Greatest Fireworks Display

Guinness World Record. 8 minutes. 150,000 people. From the water, it's even better.

Madeira's New Year's Eve fireworks hold the Guinness World Record for the largest display in the world. If there is one night to be in Funchal, it is December 31st. Here is everything you need to plan it perfectly.

When

December 31, 2026

Where

Funchal bay — city-wide

Duration

~8 minutes at midnight

Book ahead?

Months in advance

What Makes Madeira's New Year Fireworks Special?

Funchal is built like a natural amphitheatre — a steep volcanic bowl rising from the sea, with the city climbing up the hillsides. On New Year's Eve, fireworks launch simultaneously from dozens of points across those hillsides at midnight, filling the entire bowl of the city with light and sound for over eight minutes continuously. There is nowhere to stand in Funchal where you do not have a spectacular view.

The Guinness World Record for the largest fireworks display belongs to Madeira, and the island takes this seriously. Each year the show is different, and each year it's extraordinary.