Madeira is one of the most beautiful places in Portugal. The total land area of the archipelago is 828 square kilometers with a population of 245,806. There are four islands in the Madeiras, with Madeira Island and Porto Santo Island as the only inhabited isles. The other two are volcanic islands, Las Desertas and Las Salvagens, which are uninhabitable. The archipelago is located 360 miles from the nearest coast of Africa, 535 miles from the Portuguese capital of Lisbon, 230 miles from the Gran Canaria and 480 miles from Santa Maria of the Azores.
The uniqueness of Madeira stems from its location on the map. Geographically, the archipelago is much nearer to Africa, but has more economic, ethnic, cultural and political ties to Europe for over 600 years of history. Madeira was rediscovered between 1418 and 1420 under the auspices of Henry the Navigator of Portugal. One of the more magical tales about Madeira was about two lovers, namely Robert Machim and Anna d’Arfet during the time of King Edward III of England. The two lovers were fleeing from England to France in 1346 when they were turned into the area because of a violent storm. The islands were renamed to Machico in honor the star crossed lovers. Thus the term rediscovery was named for its renaming into Madeira on a portolan dated 1351 preserved in Florence, Italy. In 1419, Genoese captains named Joao Goncalves Zarco and Tristao Vaz Teixeira, under the auspices of Prince Henry the Navigator, were turned to the islands as they avoided the wrath of a storm. They gave the name Porto Santo, or Holy Harbor as their gratitude in being able to avoid being shipwrecked. The very next year, another expedition was sent to populate the island after they were declared to be under the power and dominion of the King of Portugal.
Madeira is the Portuguese word for wood. When it was rediscovered, the islands were densely wooded with small trees and bushes that resemble laurel. The island’s topography includes a mountainous and rocky range with many steep cliffs. There were a few beaches on the islands and even fewer natural ports. Deep into the island area are deep volcanic valleys that become catch basins and become flood areas. Many have described the archipelagic islands as similar to a quilt of differing hues of green.
In the initial era of Portuguese control over the islands, the arable lands were turned into sugarcane producing fields. The differing economic outlook then turned the archipelago into a leading banana and wine producing economy. It had come to a point that wine from Madeira became one of the most sought after and well-known spirits throughout the world. Aside from the tropical climate, the islands have become a favored tourist destination from travelers all around the world. The beaches of the area have become a tourist haven not only for its beaches but also for its winery, fruits, flowers and its local handicraft industry. One of the major highlights on the Madeiras is its New Year’s Eve celebrations as it holds the largest fireworks show in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
The largest island of the group is Madeira Island with a length of thirty geographical miles. It has a coastline of approximately ninety miles straddling a mountain chain with an average height of 4,000 feet, with the tallest peak named Pico Ruivo standing at 6,107 feet. One of the favored spots in the island is the Cabo Girao, one of the highest cliffs in Europe.
The town and port of Funchal is the main town of the Ilha de Madeira. The port is the main commercial and passenger hub for the archipelago. The town also has become a favored stopover for large luxury cruise liners traveling from Europe into the Carribean. The port area has many architectural landmarks and its paved streets serve only to heighten the tourist experience. The mild humidity and subtropical climate make it one of the most pleasant places to live in all of Europe. Also sharing in this bounty are other cities in the archipelago, namely Vila Baleira in Porto Santo, Camara de Lobos, Machico, Santa Cruz, Santana and Canico, all on Madeira Island.
The island of Porto Santo can be reached two hours by boat from the port town of Funchal. This is the island that has about nine kilometers of sandy beach for its tourists. Another important location on the island is a museum dedicated to Christopher Columbus. It has been said that the famed explorer lived on the island after marrying the daughter of the archipelago’s first governor. Visitors to the island are welcomed by the impressive rugged beauty of the peaks because of the lush semi-tropical vegetation in and around its coastline. In the last few years, there has been much development in its tourist infrastructure with hotels and golf course on the island. The city has grown to be the home of over 100,000 inhabitants. The island forms a natural amphitheater, with the harbor named Porto de Funchal as its lowest area and the slopes of the mountain range. The name Funchal was named because of the abundance of fennel in the immediate area.
You can also travel by boat to the Ilhas Desertas or the Deserted Islands. The autonomous region of Madeira has declared the islands as a nature reserve to preserve the indigenous flora and fauna of the islands. One of the most protected is also one of the most dangerous animals on the planet, the black wolf spider. This is one of the most deadly spiders whose venom is fatal to humans.
The four main islands also have many islets surrounding it. The names of the islets are Ilheu de Agostinho, located in the near east of the main island, Ilheu de Sao Laurenco, located further east, the Ilheu Mole in the northwest. To the south of Porto Santo is Ilheu de Baixo ou da Cal, to the southwest, Ilheu de Ferro, in the near north Ilheu das Cenouras and in the far north Ilheu de Cima. One of the uninhabited islands, called the Desertas, has nearby Bugio Island and Chao Islet. The other uninhabited island called Savagens has to its northeast, the Selvagem Grande Island, the Palheiro da Terra Islet, the Palheiro do Mar Islet. To the southwest are the Selvagem Pequena Island, the Ilheu Grande, Ilheu du Sul, Ilheu Pequeno and the Fora, Alto, Comprido, Redondo and Norte Islets.
The Madeira Islands offer the best getaway in Portugal. It offers fine scenery, comfortable climes, great food and wine and top of the line accommodations. The best of the islands can be all yours by making Madeira part of your vacation in Portugal.