Madeira :. Portugal
The archipelago of Madeira was awarded as the best island destination ever by the World Travel Awards. Madeira is a cosmopolitan place in a society with modern infrastructure that preserves ancient traditions. Funchal - the administrative capital of the region - is the gateway to the whole island. Madeira is an island where you can live with security, tranquility and well-being due to social and cultural stability. Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, consisting of:
- Madeira, 736 km2,
- Porto Santo, with 43 km2,
- Islands Desertas , with 14 km2
- Islands Selvagens , with 18 km2.
Only the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo are inhabited.
The archipelago is organized in eleven municipalities:
Calheta is the largest municipality of the island of Madeira, with approximately 12 thousand inhabitants. The Art Centre Casa das Mudas , the beach of Calheta, the seaside complex Paúl, the marina of Calheta and the viewpoint Trigo de Negreiros are the main attractions Calheta
Câmara de Lobos: is a municipality of the island of Madeira with about 36 thousand inhabitants. The Câmara de Lobos locality is one of the most famous sights of the island. The main attractions Câmera de Lobos are the gastronomy occupies a prominent place in attracting tourists, the prick of Santo António , the Poncha and Madeira wine; The Gazebo Salão Ideal , the viewpoint of the Torre do Pico , the cable car, the Cabo Girão , the viewing point Eira do Serrado , the viewpoint Boca dos Namorados , the Bathing Complex in Salinas , the garden Ilhéu , the bay Câmara de Lobos and the beach Vigário .
Funchal is the capital of Madeira. We describe below in more detail
Machico is a city in Madeira about 22 thousand inhabitants. Local Machico with interest to visit are: the Chapel of Milagres , the monument to cerejeira , the monument to Levadeiro , the Fort of Nossa Senhora do Amparo , the chapel of São Roque , the Church of Machico, the beach of Alagoa , the beach Ribeira de Natal , the beach of São Roque , the beach Maiata , the sandy beach of Machico , the beach resort of Porto da Cruz , the beach resort of Caniçal , the small beach, the Belvedere Fortim do Pico , Pico of Piedade , the Gazebo Caniçal – Cais das Sardinhas , the viewpoint of the Senhor dos Milagres , the Viewpoint Pico do Facho , the Belvedere Francisco Alvares Nóbrega , Gazebo Radar , the Bay Abra , the Viewpoint Portela , the Gazebo Gambão .
Ponta do Sol : is a municipality on the island of Madeira with about 9000 inhabitants. The main attractions in Ponta do Sol are the beach of Ponta do Sol , the beach of Calhau and the Cultural Centre John dos Passos .
Porto Moniz: is a town on the island of Madeira with about 2800 inhabitants. The main points of interest are: the natural pools of the Aquário , the pools of the Naval Club of Seixal, the beach of Seixal of the harbor, the Poças das Lesmas , the Calhau das Achadas da Cruz , Foz da Ribeira da Janela , the viewpoint of Ribeira da Janela , the viewpoint of Santinha , the belvedere Parque das Merendas , the belvedere Pico , the viewpoint Redondo , the belvedere Teleférico , the gazebo Véu da Noiva , the gazebo Porto de Abrigo , the Science Center Viva Madeira, the cable car of Achadas da Cruz and the Vereda do Fanal.
Aerial video from Véu da Noiva to Porto Moniz
Porto Santo is the second largest island of Madeira, we describe in detail below ...
Ribeira Brava
Ribeira Brava : is a village on the island of Madeira with about 14 thousand inhabitants. Places to visit in the town of Ribeira Brava are: strong Ribeira Brava , the Municipal Market, the Church, the Núcleo de Pratas , the Solar dos Herédias, the Madeira Ethnographic Museum, the Lighthouse, the Pier, the belvedere of São Sebastião , the Gazebo Espigão , the Gazebo Pousada dos Vinháticos na Serra de Água , the viewpoint of Encumeada , the Taberna de Poncha , the Fajã dos Padres and Calhau da Lapa .
Santa Cruz : is a city of Madeira with approximately 43 thousand inhabitants. The municipality of Santa Cruz includes the islands Desertas situated southeast of the main island. The most outstanding places to vistar in Santa Cruz are: the Mother Church, the Church of Mercy, the Fort of San Sebastian, the Chapel Mother of God, the Municipal Market, the Solar do Bom Jesus, the airport and the Aquaparque.
Santana Homes
Santana: is a village in Madeira with about 7800 inhabitants located in the northwest part of the main island. It is in Santana village where there are still some of the famous typical houses of Madeira, triangular thatched roofs form, the Madeira Theme Park, folklore festivals that take place in July and the Ferret Quinta surrounded by vineyards which includes a restaurant with panoramic balcony on the north of Madeira.
São Vicente is a locality of Madeira located in the northern part of the main island with about 5800 inhabitants. Local seconded to visit in São Vicente are the Indigenous Plant Garden, the Caves of São Vicente , the Church, the Chapel of Saint Vincent, the Chapel Pico da Cova , the beach of Calhau sought by surfers from all the Europe.
Madeira Island
Madeira, known as the Atlantic Pearl is at a distance of approximately plane 90 minutes from Lisbon and three and a half hours from London. Madeira is almost the same latitude as Casablanca in Morocco, which allows a mild climate with temperatures between 25ºC in summer and 17ºC in winter. The sea water is tempered due to the warm current of the Gulf of Mexico with temperatures ranging between 22ºC in summer and 18º C in the winter. Funchal is the administrative capital of the archipelago. The Recreational Port is a prominent reference in Funchal, where disembarking about 500,000 tourists every year coming through cruise of the American continents, Europe and Africa. By the early twenty-first century, Funchal was the only town on the island of Madeira, when Câmara de Lobos , Caniço , Machico, Santana and Vila Baleira were elevated to cities.
The most important mountainous reliefs of Madeira are:
Pico Ruivo
- Pico Ruivo : Situated at an altitude of 1862 meters, is the third highest mountain range Portugal
- Pico das Torres : situated at an altitude of 1851 meters, the Pico das Torres is the fourth highest mountain range Portugal
- Pico do Areeiro : situated at an altitude of 1818 meters, the Pico do Areeiro is the fifth highest mountain range Portugal
History of Madeira
The island of Madeira was discovered in 1419 by João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira. The name " Madeira " was awarded due to the whole island be literally covered with trees and vegetation. The forest of Madeira was named laurel, the laurel forest still covers currently about two-thirds of the territory and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The settlement of Madeira began in the fifteenth century. The economy of Madeira had several cycles throughout history:
- Cane Sugar: lasted from the fifteenth century to the seventeenth century and transformed in Funchal obligatory stop the trade routes of Europe. The "white gold" as it was known to cane sugar was imported from Sicily by Henry the Navigator and reached its apogee in the 1520s
- Wine: the decline of sugarcane trade from the sixteenth century led to the replacement of sugarcane plantations by planting vineyards. Implementation of several trade agreements with England increased the presence of English merchants who promoted the export of Madeira wine to England, to North America and the Caribbean.
- Tourism: the island of Madeira began to stand out in the eighteenth century for tourism due to climatic qualities, suitable for curing various diseases, including tuberculosis. The fame of the island and the major European political instability of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries led to the increased presence of German, English and Russian on the territory of Madeira. Tourism has greatly increased with the opening of the airport Santa Catarina in 1964 and the rise of the port of Funchal.
Traditions, Regional Products and Crafts Madeira
The most important traditions of Madeira Island are:
- Bailinho Madeira
- Mass dolls
- Embroidery
- Candy Necklace
- Tapestry
- Regional costume
- hurdle
The most important regional products of Madeira Island are:
- Avocado
- Anona
- Banana
- Sweet potato
- Cake shard
- Honey cake
- Broas De Mel
- Sugar cane
- Cherry
- Apple
- Passion fruit
- Sugar syrup
- Protea
- Booties
The Gastronomy of Madeira
The gastronomy of Madeira is based on existing products on the island and provide unique and unforgettable flavors. Among the Madeiran delicacies should be highlighted:
- Wake up (Açorda)
- Cod with cream (Bacalhau com natas)
- codfish (Bacalhau grelhado)
- Cake Caco (Bolo do Caco)
- Meat Wine and Garlic (Carne de Vinho e Alhos)
- Skewer meat on laurel stick (Espetada de carne em pau de louro)
- limpets (Lapas)
- Fried corn (Milho Frito)
- fried black scabbard (Peixe-espada preto frito)
- Swordfish with banana (Peixe-espada com banana)
- stew (Picadinho)
- black scabbard fish sandwiches (Sandes de peixe-espada preto)
- Soup Tomato and Onion (Sopa de Tomate e Cebola)
- Honey cake (Bolo de Mel)
- queijadas (Queijadas )
- Passion fruit pudding (Pudim de Maracujá)
- "Nikita" (“Nikita”)
- Poncha (Poncha)
- Madeira Wine (Vinho da Madeira)
The Madeira Wine
The wine Madeley is produced from the 1450s, one of the Madeira Island brand images due to aging capacity and acidity of the wine. The first grapes were imported from Greece by order of Henry the Navigator. It was the favorite drink of important figures of world history, including Winston Churchill, Napoleon Bonaparte, William Shakespeare, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Madeira wine was used to celebrate the Declaration of Independence of the United States on July 4, 1776.
The Viticultural Region of Madeira covers an area of ??732 km2 and includes a unique landscape due to the rugged terrain. Madeira wine has unique conditions due to the soil, the climate and the proximity of the sea. The harvest is done by hand because of the very mountainous terrain of the island and is between August and October. In 2016 it was produced about 3.97 million liters of wine, most destined for the overseas market, including France, UK, Germany, Belgium, Japan, United States, Switzerland and Canada.
The most important varieties of the Madeira region are:
- Boal
- Malvasia
- Sercial
- Terrantez
- Tinta Negra
Among the various companies producing Madeira wine presented some most known:
- Blandy's Wine Lodge
- Henriques & Henriques Madeira
- HM Borges, Sucrs
- J Faria & Filhos
- Justino's Madeira Wines
- Madeira Vintners
- Madeira Wine Company
- Pereira D'Oliveira
- Vinhos Barbeito
Feasts and Pilgrimages of the archipelago of Madeira
- Masses of Parto : are held annually between 16 and 24 December
- Mass of the Galo : is held annually at midnight from 24 to 25 December
- Parties Santo Amaro : are held annually on January 15
- Madeira Carnival: is held annually in February
- Open Golf da Madeira : is held annually in April and May
- Rally Madeira: it is held annually in July and August
- Day Sete Senhoras : is held annually on 15 August in seven locations - village of Monte , sítios dos Lamaceiros , Estreito da Calheta , Estreito de Câmara de Lobos , the site of Graça , Porto Cruz and Serra de Água
- Arraial do Monte : is held annually on 15 August in the city of Funchal
- Feast of the Santíssimo Sacramento : is held annually on the first Sunday in September in São Vicente
- Feast of the Senhora da Piedade : is held annually on the third weekend week of September in Caniçal
- Feast of the Senhor dos Milagres : is held annually in October in the municipality Machico
- Feast of São Martinho : is held annually on November 11
The economy of Madeira
Tourism is the main industry of the wood economy. Agriculture plays an important role also through the production of regional products: bananas, flowers and Madeira wine. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the Autonomous Region of Madeira is the second largest in the country after Lisbon: 5,224 million euros in 2010. The industry in the Madeira region is mainly dominated by activities related to regional crafts, including embroidery , tapestries, milling, bakery products, dairy products, beer and tobacco.
Capital of Madeira, Funchal
Funchal is the capital city of Madeira, capital of the archipelago is known by history, by upscale restaurants, the four hotels and five-star that provides its visitors, the temperate climate and the largest Portuguese football star, Cristiano Ronaldo.
The historic area of Funchal consists of three main sections:
Santa Maria : was the first core of the city. The main points of interest are: the Museum of Electricity, the Fortress of São Tiago , the Chapel of the Corpo Santo , the Church Socorro , Garden / Cable Almirante Reis , beach São Tiago , Beach Barreirinha and market for Lavradores . Santa Maria corresponds to the medieval old town, from where it was created the town of Funchal in the fifteenth century
São Pedro : the highlights of the area of São Pedro in Funchal are the Natural History Museum of Funchal, Museum Quinta das Cruzes , the Church São João Evangelista the São Pedro Santa Clara São João Evangelista , Church of São Pedro , the Church of Santa Clara , the Garden Aromatic and Medicinal plants, Garden Quinta das Cruzes , the Wine Institute, Embroidery and Crafts of Madeira, the Jesuit College of Funchal, the Palace of São Pedro , the Convent of Santa Clara , the Dean of the University of Madeira and the Fortress of São João Batista the São João Batista
Cathedral: in the Cathedral area the main attractions are: Dr street Fernão de Ornelas , the square Carmo , the Ribeira de Santa Luzia , wide of Varadouros , the square of Columbus, the City Hall, the City Quay, Municipal Garden and the City Wall. The Cathedral is the second parish created in Funchal and was the urban center since the sixteenth century
Activities to enjoy in Funchal
- Boat trips for whale watching and dolphin
- Trip toboggans from Monte to Funchal
- Visit the cellars of Madeira wine
- Visit a honey cake factory
- Visit to an embroidery factory Madeira
- Visit to the Old Town where you can see "Port Art Painted"
Activities to enjoy on the island of Madeira, on the outskirts of Funchal
- Drinking a "Poncha" overlooking the bay of Câmara de Lobos
- Walking tours in the area of Queimadas em Santana
- Hang gliding
- bodyboard
- BTT
- Canyoning
- coasteering
- Climbing
- Golf
- Karting
- Diving
- Bird Watching
- Whale Watching
- paragliding
- Boat trips
- Horse rides
- Walking tours
- Jeep Tours
- Sport fishing
- rappelling
- Slide
- Stand Up Paddle
- surf
- Trail Running
- See her
- windsurfing
The history of Funchal
Funchal was founded in 1424, becoming the first city built by Europeans outside the Old Continent. The capital of Madeira was so named because of the presence of large amount of an aromatic plant - fennel, an aromatic plant that filled in all the bay where disembarked João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira. The settlement of Funchal began on the left bank of the river and João Gomes reached such a rapid development in 1451 was elevated to the category of town. The growth of Funchal was due to the culture and commerce of sugarcane. With the exploration of the sugar industry, the city of Madeira became an international shopping center frequented by Italian and Flemish. The prosperity of Funchal made it elevated to city status on 21 August 1508. The town was almost completely destroyed in the 1748 earthquake With the Madeira archipelago increase the Autonomous Region on April 25, 1976, the city of Funchal became the administrative capital of Madeira.
Places to visit in Funchal
Golf Course of Palheiro Ferreiro : This golf course was designed by Cabell B. Robinson and opened in 1993. The golf course is set in Quinta do Palheiro Ferreiro with more than 200 years, where it takes the name.
- Madeira Botanical Garden: has an area of ??36,000 square meters and more than two thousand plants. A building where studying and preserving the natural plants of the archipelago is the major reason for visit
- Municipal Garden of Funchal also known as Garden Dona Amélia , occupies an area of approximately 8300 square meters. Copies of the flora of Madeira, a lake and a stream with fish and birds are the points of interest
- Orchid Garden: is a unique garden in Europe, includes an exhibition of more than 50,000 orchids
- Gardens Palheiro : it includes some of the rarest exotic plants, including an exhibition of camellias
- Gardens of Quinta da Boa Vista : the exhibition of orchids is the highlight of this garden
- Garden Quinta das Cruzes : was the last residence of João Gonçalves Zarco, includes archaeological sculptures, the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Piedade , the archaeological garden and the presence orchids, camphor trees, palm trees and eucalyptus from Australia
- Tropical Garden Monte Palace : this tropical garden we can find exotic plants from various countries, laurel forest plants, Koi fish, swans in several ponds, a panel of 166 tiles called "The Adventures of the Portuguese in Japan," the museum with collections on "African passion" and "mother nature Secrets" make this garden a must-visit site
- Core of Dragoeiras das Neves : here we find a set of centuries - old dragon trees trees, one vegetation garden originally from Madeira and the Natural Park Information Centre of Madeira
- Park Santa Catarina : located at Avenida do Infante, has an area of 36 thousand square meters. The view of the bay of Funchal, the large number of sites with species of trees originating from around the world, the Chapel of Santa Catarina, the lagoon and an island that serves as a resting and nesting for birds are the main attractions
- Church Colégio : is a Jesuit church of the sixteenth century. The paintings of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the panels of the seventeenth century tiles and statues of Saint Inácio de Loiola and São Francisco Xavier are among the reasons to visit
- Church of Nossa Senhora do Monte : church which was built in the eighteenth century. The tomb of Charles of Hapsburg - last emperor of Austria - and the jewelery pieces of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries are the main points of interest
- Lido Promenade : Funchal wall that connects the beach Formosa and the Lido area. It includes various infrastructures, including the saltwater Lido, the Naval Club, the beach resort of Ponta Gorda and several restaurants
- Marina of Funchal is located in Funchal Bay at a distance of 530 nautical miles from Lisbon and 36 nautical miles from Porto Santo. It has 210 places for yachts and a separate area for nautical and tourist activities vessels. The marina offers various services, including spas, nautical equipment shop, repair candles, mail, fuel dock and surveillance 24 hours a day. The Funchal Marina was awarded the European Blue Flag
- Market for Lavradores : it is one of the most popular places in the city. In the market you can find daily flowers, fruits, vegetables and fresh fish across the island
- House-Museum Frederico de Freitas: located in Palace Calçada , includes sculpture cores, Painting, Printmaking, Furniture, Ceramics, Glass and Metals
- Madeira Story Centre : is a museum that is located in the old part of Funchal. It was built with the purpose of disseminating the history and culture of Madeira. It includes a craft shop, a typical restaurant with a terrace for 200 people, one theme gardens and a gazebo where you can see the historical center of Funchal
- Museum Casa da Luz (Museum of Electricity): located in the old Funchal Power Plant, this museum tells the story of electricity in Madeira
- Museum of Cruzes : includes the residence of Morgados das Cruzes , the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Piedade , one Orquidário and Archaeological Park
- Natural History Museum: located in the Palace of St. Peter, the museum was opened on 5 October 1933. The building includes the Natural History Museum of Funchal, Scientific Library, the Municipal Aquarium and Aromatic Plants Garden and Medicinal
- Toy Museum: the museum opened in 2003 and includes an approximate collection of 20,000 pieces of nineteenth and twentieth century
- Museum Monte Palace : The museum includes permanent collections - a mineral and the other of contemporary Zimbabwean sculpture - the Monte Palace Tropical Garden, a collection of 166 tiles on the theme "The Adventure of the Portuguese in Japan" and sculptures coming from several areas of the world
- Madeira Wine Museum: is located in the current Institute of Madeira wine, opened in 1984. It offers collections that tell the history of wine in Madeira. Ethnographic objects, machinery, bottling line and a permanent photo exhibition are among the main points of interest
- Formosa Beach: located about ten minutes by car from the city center, it includes three medical posts, playground, parking, showers and blue flag
- Praia do Gorgulho : stone beach which is located on Lido Promenade
- Cable Car Funchal: the cable car travels a distance of approximately 3200 meters between Funchal and the parish of Monte - the highest point of Madeira's capital. In this place you can visit the Tropical Garden / Semi - Precious Stones Museum, the Church of Nossa Senhora do Monte , the Fontenario of Nossa Senhora do Monte and the Municipal Park Monte . Here there are two options to return to the city center: Cable or the "Basket Carts"
Places to visit in Madeira, outside Funchal
- Aquaparque of Santa Cruz : infrastructure with an approximate capacity of one thousand people, including several pools, three 'waterslides "four fast tracks a" black-hole "a river" hole ", a lazy river, a leisure pool and a Aqualandia infant
Cabo Girao, Madeira
- Cabo Girao: with 580 meters is the highest cape of Europe. Includes a viewpoint where you can see the Fajã - small area of cultivated land at the base of the cliff - the Ranch, the fajã the Cabo Girão (until 2003 it was only possible to get here by boat), the Atlantic Ocean, Câmara de Lobos and the Funchal. It includes a suspended platform in glass and the chapel of Nossa Senhora de Fátima . It is a very frequented by paragliders site and base-jumping
- Bathing complex of Laje : is a bathing complex consisting of a swimming pool, a children's pool, a solarium, a bar, a terrace and first aid service
- Bathing complex Ribeira do Faial : is a beach resort located on the northern coast of the island consists of a natural pool, a pebble beach a sand floor with playground (if held international football championships, handball and beach volleyball ), a multi-sports pavilion, a children's saltwater pool and a playground. Near this beach complex is a karting track
- Bathing Complex of Ribeira de São Jorge : includes a pebble beach with a small pond of fresh water, three pools and a restaurant. It is a very crowded area by surfers and bodyboarders
- Bathing Complex of São Vicente : This beach complex includes a solarium, a restaurant, bar, gym, parking and a promenade with an approximate length of 620 meters. It is a much sought after by practitioners canoeing site, fishing, surfing and bodyboarding.
- Tourist Complex Galo do Mar : features various infrastructures, including salt - water pool, a diving center Manta Diving Center , bar, children's pool, changing rooms, lifeguard, a bread shop, restaurant with fresh fish and a shopping area
Laurel Forest, Madeira
- Laurel Forest: is the largest laurel forest in the world. It was listed as a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. It includes numerous species of trees, including the tilde, the laurel, the rolling and the white stick. Among the herbaceous plants deserves special mention orchid saw, unique in the world. The avifauna has several species such as the pigeon trocaz (exclusive of Madeira), the freira da Madeira, the kestrel, the chaffinch and bisbis.
Levada do Caldeirão Verde, Madeira
- Levadas : are the irrigation canals with trails for hikers because in the past there were no major roads. The levadas most famous are: Levada do Rabaçal e 25 Fontes , Levada do Caldeirão Verde , Levada do Rei , Levada do Alecrim and the Levada dos Cedros . There are over 200 levadas across the island in a span of more than two thousand kilometers. The levadas are carried out by quite dangerous routes, only recommended for people with high physical preparation, adventurous spirit and orientation capacity. Are extensive routes of several kilometers performed by mountain routes on steep ravines
- Natural Park of Madeira: Natural Park created in 1982 covers approximately two thirds of the island. Includes Pico Ruivo , most of the laurel forest, farmland, taken and Ponta de São Lourenço
natural pools of Porto Moniz
- Natural pools of Porto Moniz: pools formed by volcanic rocks that allow the natural entrance of the sea. It offers a children's pool, playground, parking, first aid and bar
- Recreational Port of Calheta marina opened in 2004, offers 339 moorings for 6-25 meter long ships. It includes wi-fi, 44 parking spaces for jet-skis and an artificial beach nearby
- Beach Calheta is an artificial beach that was inaugurated in 2004 with imported sand from Morocco. It presents about a hundred meters long, two breakwaters, a solarium with 7300 m2. It is much appreciated by windsurfers and boating
- Praia do Calhau da Lapa : is one of the beaches with the most limpid waters of the island and a unique silence throughout the region
- Jardim do Mar consists of three beaches: Portinho, Enseada e Ponta Jardim , ideal for surfing. It is considered the surfing paradise, and this is one of the places chosen for one of the stages of the World Surfing Championship
- Praia da Ribeira Brava : is a beach located in the center of Ribeira Brava, offers two sand courts for beach volleyball and beach soccer, kayaks, restaurant, bar, bathrooms and lifeguard
- Beach Ponta do Sol : is a beach known for weather plenty of sunshine throughout the year, includes a car park and changing rooms
- Prainha : it is a black sand beach of volcanic origin. The main highlights of Prainha are the dunes Piedade , a restaurant, changing rooms and parking
The island of Porto Santo
Porto Santo is an island of Madeira archipelago located approximately 500 km from the African continent coast and 1000 km from the European continent. Porto Santo has about 5500 inhabitants and a physical area of ??42.48 km2. The island was discovered in 1418 by João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira. Christopher Columbus lived a few years in Porto Santo before leaving for America.
The maritime connection to the island of Madeira is ensured by a modern ferry, Lobo Marinho - has a length of 112 meters, an average speed of 21 knots, capacity for 1150 passengers and 160 vehicles. Tickets cost € 50 in low season - from January to March and October to December - and € 60 in high season - from April to September. The ferry provides various services for passengers, including coffee shop, bar, playroom for children, games room, cinema and restaurant. The trip between Madeira and Porto Santo takes approximately two hours and fifteen minutes.
The "Golden Island" of Porto Santo is one of the places of excellence to rest and forget the hectic everyday life. Porto Santo can enjoy a great sense of security, tranquility, enjoy the hospitable inhabitants of the island, with 9 km of beaches long with hot water and fine sand, Porto Santo is a paradise in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. On sunny days you can stroll and watch the dolphins and whales in coastal waters. The sands of Porto Santo have unique healing abilities in the world because they have amounts of strontium 40 times higher than what is normal. The island is the market leader in sand treatments, water and clay.
Porto Santo is presented as a real postcard: there are three main viewpoints, but throughout the island are available dozens of vantage points where you can see the wild landscape, green spots and scattered houses. The bolo do caco , the lapas , the picadinho , roast sausage, preserves the casings and the prego no bolo do caco are examples of excellence of the cuisine of the region.
Places that you can visit in Porto Santo
- Christopher Columbus House Museum: is where Christopher Columbus lived. Pictures of Columbus, maps and temporary exhibitions on the Age of Discovery are presented among the main highlights
- Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Graça : it is a chapel that was built in 1533. In 1882 it was destroyed, and rebuilt in 1951. It was the site where the inhabitants were protected from attacks by pirates during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries
- Craft Centre: Building located in the city center, is dedicated to the preservation and marketing of handicraft products of the island
- Geopark Porto Santo: features 14 geosítios to know by land and by sea, Sierra House
- Church: the church was destroyed several times by pirates and privateers who attacked the island. The altars and screens designed by Martim Conrado and Max Romer are the main points of interest
- Fort São José : the line of eight small cannons and the view it provides are the main attractions
- Source of Areia : is an island that deserves a special mention because of the natural springs
- Marina Porto Santo: located in the safe harbor of the island of Porto Santo, to about twenty minutes walk from the village center. It has 165 places of mooring for boats between 4 and 15 meters long. It includes changing rooms, toilets, laundry room, workshop and reception
- Portela Viewpoint: located approximately 1.6 km from the center of town of Porto Santo, you can get a panoramic view of the Pico de Baixo and Ilhéu de Cima
- Ilhéu de Baixo or Cal : are the limestone mines and galleries dug inside the rock are spots to visit a small island located southwest of Porto Santo
- Viewpoint Pico Castelo: This belvedere located approximately 430 meters, includes a sixteenth century fort. The Castle Peak fortress is dated from the XVI century and allows you to enjoy a panoramic view of Porto Santo are the main highlights
- Pico Ana Ferreira: prismatic deformations in the rock and the viewpoint of the quarry are among the highlights. Here we see the Ilhéu de Fora , the Pico do Facho and Pico do Castelo
- Pico do Facho: it is the highest peak of Porto Santo with 517 meters of altitude. In the Middle Ages they were lit bonfires to warn the population of the arrival of pirates. The Serra de Fora and the Valley Within Serra are the main places to visit
- Pico das Flores: located in the western part of the island, allows you to view all the golden island, Desertas Islands and the island of Madeira. The picnic park Sítio dos Morenos is the place to eat and rest
- Ponta da Calheta : is a remote beach, stands out for having a small beach surrounded rocks. The lagoon and the view of the Cal islet make it unique in the whole island. It is the ideal beach for diving lovers
- Beach Cabeço : located in the hotel zone approximately four kilometers from the city center. Beach suitable for children due to the presence of a playground
- Praia da Fontinha: located next to the beach of Pedras Pretas is the favorite beach of the inhabitants of Madeira. A campsite and Blue Flag are the reasons for being so crowded in high season
- Beach of Pedras Pretas : located on the site of the Pedras Pretas , is the most popular beach for the inhabitants of Porto Santo. The huts are striking in the landscape
- Beach Penedo : located in the southeast end of the island, has blue flag and noteworthy for tranquility
- Porto Santo Beach
- Quinta das Palmeiras: integrated in a 5380 m2 area includes a mini zoo garden and a mini arboretum
- Where the Pedras Pretas
- Zimbralinho: is a remote beach of Porto Santo with the turquoise blue water is called Blue Lagoon by the inhabitants, the panoramic view and the rocks are the main highlights
Activities to enjoy Porto Santo
- Hang gliding
- paragliding
- Cycling
- motorcycling
- Golf: Field of Porto Santo Golf was opened in 2004. It includes an 18 - hole par 72 and a fast circuit nine hole par 3 circuit - Pitch and Putt.
- Jet Ski
- water - skiing
- windsurfing
- surf
- kitesurf
- Equestrianism
- Diving: the site most visited by divers is south of the harbor due to the presence of the ship "Madeirense" shipwrecked since 2000, a transport ship that was the regular link between the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo
- hiking on foot: the Madeira recommends conducting two main routes: PR1 Vereda do Pico Branco and Terra Chã , PR2 Vereda do Pico do Castelo
- Boat trips
- Riding all terrain
- Sport Fishing: worth mentioning the blue marlin fishing with more than 500 kg
- Tennis: the island of Porto Santo has one of the largest tennis villages of Portugal. It includes a stadium with capacity for a thousand spectators, five secondary courts and two paddle tennis camps
- sail
Festivities in Porto Santo
- Day of the Magi: is held annually on January 6
- Feast of Santo Amaro : is held annually on January 15
- Party São João : are held annually on 23 and 24 June
- Feast of Nossa Senhora da Graça : is held annually on 14 and 15 August
- Wine Harvest Festival: takes place annually in August
- Columbus Festival: takes place annually in September
Deserted Islands, Madeira
The islands Desertas are located southeast of the island of Madeira in an approximate area of 12,500 hectares. They consist of two islands and an islander:
- Ilhéu Chão
- Deserta Grande
- Bugio
The islands were discovered in 1420/21 by João Gonçalves Zarco. The settlement has been tried several times, but without success because of the austere and very rugged. Between 1894 and 1971 the islands were private property of two English families. In 1971 it was purchased by the Portuguese State and transformed into Nature Reserve.
The Desert Islands include very rich fauna and flora, including the existence of a colony of about 40 sea lions, sea birds, insects and plants.
The Savage Islands, Madeira Islands
The Savage Islands are located about 280 km south of the island of Madeira and 165 km north of the Canary Islands, administratively they are integrated in the municipality of Funchal. It is the only Portuguese region classified with the European Diploma of Protected Areas to distinction. The archipelago consists of three islands and several islets with a total area of ??273 hectares:
- Ilha Selvagem Grande
- Ilha Selvagem Pequena
- Ilhota do Palheiro da Terra
- Ilhota do Palheiro do Mar
- Ilhéu Alto
- Ilhéu Comprido
- Ilhéu de Fora
- Ilhéu Redondo
- Ilhéus do Norte
Watch the video on the Savage Islands of Madeira Archipelago
The Savage Islands were discovered in 1364 by Italian brothers Pizzigani. Diogo Gomes da Silva gave them the current name in 1438. The Wild islands belonged to an important family of Madeira island, the Caiados. In 1904 it was sold to the banker family Rocha Machado . In 1971 the Portuguese State bought the Savage Islands and turned them into Nature Reserve and Hayes. The Savage Islands are considered a sanctuary for many species of seabirds, including cagarras - about 40,000 in this region. They constitute the largest colony cagarras in the world.
Quick facts about Madeira
- Population: approximately 270,000 inhabitants
- Geographic area: 798 km2
- Airport: 1 (Madeira International Airport)
- Administrative Capital: Funchal
- Golf Courses: 3
- Palheiro Golf
- Clube de Golf Santo da Serra
- Clube de Golf do Porto Santo
- Shopping Centres: 9
- Commercial Anadia Shopping Centre
- Shopping Centre Arcadas de São Francisco
- Shopping Centre Caniço
- Shopping Galerias Center São Lourenço
- Shopping Centre Forum
- Madeira Shopping Centre La Vie
- Shopping Centre Madeira Shopping
- Shopping Centre Monumental Lido
- Shopping Centre Oudinot
- Sports Complex: 4
- Olympic Swimming Complex Funchal
- Sports Complex Água da Pena
- Funchal Tennis Club
- Sports Center of Foz da Ribeira do Faial
- Establishments rental Five Star 25
-
Estalagem Albatroz
- Estalagem Quinta das Vistas
- Estalagem Quinta do Estreito
- Estalagem Quinta do Monte
- Hotel Apartamento Royal Savoy
- Hotel Belmond Reid's Palace
- Hotel Cliff Bay
- Hotel Enotel Lido
- Hotel Meliá Madeira Mare
- Hotel Pestana Carlton Madeira
- Hotel Pestana Casino Park
- Hotel Pestana Grand
- Hotel Pestana Porto Santo
- Hotel Quinta da Serra
- Hotel da Quinta Mirabela
- Hotel The Vine
- Hotel Vidamar Resorts Madeira
- Aldeamento Turístico Village Cabo Girão
- Quinta Casa Velha do Palheiro
- Quinta Jardins do Lago
- Quinta da Bela Vista
- Quinta da Casa Branca
- Quintinha São João
- Conjunto Turístico Pestana Colombos
- Conjunto Turístico Saccharum Hotel Resort & Spa
- Karting: 1 (Kartódromo Faial)
- Marinas and Ports: 11
- Gare International Maritime Funchal
- Funchal Marina
- Marina Quinta do Lorde
- Marina of Porto Santo
- Porto do Funchal
- Porto de Abrigo of Porto Moniz
- Porto Abrigo do Seixal
- Shelter Harbor Porto Santo
- Commercial Port of Caniçal
- recreation port Machico
- Recreational Port of Calheta
- Promenades: 10
- Promenade de Câmara de Lobos
- Promenade do Caniço
- Promenade do Jardim do Mar
- Promenade dos Juncos
- Promenade do Lido
- Promenade de Machico
- Frente Mar do Porto Moniz
- Promenade Praia Formosa-Baía de Câmara de Lobos
- Promenade da Ribeira Natal
- Promenade de Santa Cruz