Caniçal

Caniçal situated in the east part of Madeira Island; a small fishing village and once the centre of whaling industry up until 1982. Caniçal has a whale museum; here you can find many artifacts, a life size whale model, photographs and much more.

Caniçal is easily reached from the city of Machico, via its new highway or the old road of Pico do Facho, where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery at a more leisurely pace.

Be sure to visit Caniçal in September for its unique and remarkable festival dedicated to the fishermen, which takes place once a year.
The legend has it that a group of fishermen who survived the danger of a shipwreck near the coast, promised to raise a chapel to Our Lady of the Mercy.
The chapel was built on the first hill they caught sight of. Each year since then on the third weekend of September, the people from Caniçal still maintain its tradition and carry out the most outstanding characteristic festival in Madeira Island, its procession is unique, very colourful and beautiful, the only one in the archipelago.