Funchal, the capital city of Madeira Island is set to commemorate five centuries of existence as a city in August 2008, with a Sea Festival with a Tall Ships Regatta. The return of the Portuguese passenger liner FUNCHAL on a special voyage repeating her 1961 original itinerary out of Lisbon with calls in Madeira, St. Michael's, Terceira and Fayal islands was also planned but after all it seems it is not going to take place. 
The sailing regatta is set to depart from Falmouth in September 2008 and the ships are expected to arrive in Madeira at about 25th September after a call at Ilhavo, Aveiro.
Funchal was the first overseas city of the Portuguese Discoveries period and is now a thriving and bustling city keeping traditions and maritime history side by side with modernity. In 2005 its port became the first cruise port in Portugal, ahead of Lisbon.
Photos: The classic FUNCHAL off Lisbon, 21-04-2006, and the figure head of the Portuguese Navy sail training ship SAGRES, one of the tall ships expected in Funchal for the 2008 Sea Festival (Copyright words and images by Luís Miguel Correia - 2006)
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