A new year's party to remember

Want to begin celebrating the new year early? Try flying to Portugal for Madeira's two-month party in the sun.

While not quite as warm as during the summer, Madeira nevertheless offers a temperate climate in which to relax for a long break over Christmas and the start of the new year.

The festivities begin on November 17th and run through until Twelfth Night on January 7th.

Local residents begin creating a life-size Christmas crib and decorating the streets with coloured lights at the start of the celebrations.

During December, flowers brighten Madeira's squares and plazas, with poinsettias, holly and lady's slipper orchids being strewn across the region.

Present-hunters fill the shops while culture vultures visit concerts and exhibitions with a festive theme.

On New Year's Eve, the amphitheatre in Funchal is lit up with hundreds and thousands of lights, with the surrounding hillsides also lighting up in unison.

And the year comes to a fiery end with a spectacular fireworks display as clocks in Portugal strike midnight.

For more information, see the Madeira tourist office website.

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