Chestnut Festival in Curral das Freiras, Madeira — Festa da Castanha 2026

Once a year, the mountain village of Curral das Freiras — Madeira's dramatic "Nun's Valley" — turns into the island's chestnut capital. The Chestnut Festival (Festa da Castanha), organized by Casa do Povo do Curral das Freiras, celebrates the local chestnut harvest with roasted chestnuts sold and served throughout the village, along with chestnut-based liqueurs and cakes prepared by local producers.

Restaurants in the parish take part in a gastronomic competition, each presenting traditional Madeiran dishes built around chestnuts, giving visitors a chance to compare specialties from one venue to the next. The event draws both locals and tourists who come for the food, the mountain scenery, and the atmosphere of one of Madeira's most scenic rural parishes.