Island Information

Madeira is an equilibrium between peace and quality with plenty of things to see and do and has provided many an exciting holiday over the years. An archipelago of volcanic origin,  it consists of the island of Madeira (the largest and more populated, with its capital in Funchal), the island of Porto Santo, and two groups of uninhabited islands: the Desertas and the Selvagens (bird sanctuaries). The island is situated 497 miles off the coast of North Africa and forms a triangle with Portugal and Morocco. The whole island has evolved considerably since it´s discovery by the Portuguese explorer Zarco in 1418 and over the past 100 years it has been the growing number of visitors, who have made a key contribution to the growth of the region´s most economic sector – tourism.  Position: Atlantic Ocean 32° 38`N. lat. and 16°  54`N. lat. long.  Area of the island: maximum length 57 km  x  maximum width 22 km.  Madeira has the most extensive and well conserved Laurel forest in the world, it occupies around 15,000 hectares of the island - with worldwide recognition of the European Council in 1992 and the World National Heritage decreed by UNESCO in 1999. 

Funchal - (pronounced Foonshall) The capital Funchal is a sophisticated, cosmopolitan, coastal city with a very gentle, civilised people. This city is a remarkable blend of the old and the new and traditional architecture remains fashionable and celebrated even in new constructions. Along Portuguese mosaic and cobbled streets full of shops, offices, banks, museums, wineries, embroidery houses and restaurants -beautifully renovated old squares and gardens appear, proudly showcasing traditional Maderian buildings and ever blooming arrays of colourful and exotic flowers.  Funchal won European City status in 2005.  Funchal as a city will be 500 years old in 2008 so big celebrations are presently in the making.

Community - International visitors, immigrants and local people mingle very comfortably here. Population: About 320,000 inhabitants, density 344 per km2.  Madeira is a renowned quality holiday destination and so, newly weds, young professionals, couples and the mature traveller can certainly identify with, and appreciate, all it has to offer.  With such a peaceful ambience, by day or night a stroll anywhere in Madeira is safe and most enjoyable.  You´ll notice teenagers are here are fun-loving, respectful and generally well behaved. 

Activities - Throughout the island sports activities such as sailing, surfing, diving, fishing, golfing, paragliding, walking and adventure sports such as mountain biking are popular with visitors and local people alike. Walkers do note that the walking trails in Madeira are varied and graded accordingly and guided tours are recommended. Although not a typical destination for children, both children and adults can have great fun wizzing down the waterslides at the newly opened Aqua Park at Santa Cruz - or alternatively by having a day out at the new sandy beach at Calheta.  To cater to those simply wanting to relax and unwind, spas can now be found in many of Madeira's high quality hotels and offer a multitude of wellness treatments.

Things to do - Funchal A stroll through Funchal is architecturally pleasing with the added attraction of its decorative paved streets.  The 15th Century Convento de Santa Clara is well worth a visit and to also learn the tragic story of the nun, Maria Clementina. The 17th Century church Igreja do Colégio dominates the main square  of Funchal. There are several museums worth visiting, from sacred art to local handcrafts. The quality of the Madeira Lace is world known and it continues to be produced with over 20.000 cottage industry workers scattered over the island. Another equally famous product is the Madeira wine. A visit to the Adegas de São Franciso to learn how it is made and stored as the oldest bottles still existing dates from 1772!   

Things to do - throughout the island The hidden valleys and peaks of the Island all deserve a visit together as do the several botanical gardens, some of which are part of old private residencies opened to the public. A trip around the island has to to take in the village of Santana on the north coast where the visitor will still see the traditional triangular shaped homes of the islanders. For the healthy at heart is a trip to Pico do Areeiro and climb to the highest point on the island at 1.862 metres. For fun there is the special and unusual dry toboggan ride on the Monte in the main town. Most visitors find too much to do on the island, and too little time!   About two hours by boat will take you to the island of Porto Santo that has what the main island lacks – a sandy beach of 9 Kms. in length. Here, there is museum to Christopher Columbus who is said to have lived on the island after marrying the daughter of the first governor. Porto Santo has become very popular as a holiday destination in the last five years . The (Deserted Islands) can also be reached by taking a boat trip. The Islands are now a nature reserve due to the killing off of wildlife by the local fishermen. The Ilhas Desertas are curiously the only home of the black wolf spider that is deadly to humans.

Annual entertainment - Apart from being the ideal destination for getting away form it all, relaxing and retiring, Madeira also provides a wealth of entertainment throughout the year. The archipelago’s customs are annually celebrated in huge style, in particular the festivals of Carnival, Flowers, Atlantic, Wine, Christopher Columbus, of course Christmas and probably the highlight of the year; the spectacular New Year Celebrations. Everyone is invited to join in, locals and holidaymakers alike.  There are strong expatriate communities over the island who organise events and fund raisers throughout the year also. The Sunday Service in the English Church welcomes people from all denominations.

Food & drink - The local supermarkets are well equipped and the British Goods mini market at the Lido, Goodies, supplies all those items you might be missing from home!  When eating out you´ll find  restaurants in abundance and a high standard of food is generally a given everywhere on the island.  Fish is cooked from fresh daily as is the beef delicacy the `Espetada´ . You may notice that there is a strong coffee culture throughout the island and it seems like a café can be found on almost every corner.