ST HELIER’S twin town of Funchal celebrates its 500th anniversary today.
The city’s streets and plazas will come to life with parades, bands, sky acrobatics and fireworks.
The festivities mark the year Funchal was granted city status in 1508 by Duque of Beja Dom Manuel, who later became King Dom Manuel I of Portugal.
Funchal, pictured, set up a 500 years commission, which has been working on events to run for the whole of this year.
