|
The Madeira Island
The Madeira Archipelago is situated in the Atlantic Ocean (almost 600 km from North Africa and 1000 km from Lisbon), with luxuriant vegetation, steep mountains and amazing landscapes.
Madeira Island is well known for its capital, Funchal, which offers a variety of hotels, restaurants and shops, besides the museums and historic buildings.
But the better option is exploring the island: from Pico Ruivo the highest mountain peak, which only can be reached on foot, to Curral das Freiras, a magnificent valley surrounded by high summits and small villages near the sea. On all sides there are sumptuous scenarios of huge cliffs, cool forests and exotic plants.
In contrast, the Porto Santo Island has the only thing that Madeira cannot offer: an extensive beach, with 9 km of fine sand, where you can practice all kinds of water sports.
The Archipelago also includes the small uninhabited islands of the Selvagens and the Desertas.
Funchal
Funchal dates from the 16th century, becoming a city in 1508. As capital of the Archipelago it combines a cosmopolitan atmosphere of hotels, bars and a casino, with historical monuments, museums and a colourful and picturesque market.
The many places of interest include: the Sé Cathedral (completed in 1514), the Sacred Art Museum (with magnificent collections of religious art), the São Francisco wine-cellar (which dates back to the 17th century and where Madeira‘s famous wines can be tasted) and the beautiful Botanical Garden, replete with flowers from all over the world.
The Madeira Cable Car offers spectacular trips to the Nossa Senhora do Monte Church, with a panoramic view over the hills of Funchal. After that visitors can prepare themselves for a thrilling and unforgettable experience: it is the starting point for the quick way down (in about 20 minutes) to the capital, in “carro de cesto”, a kind of vehicle, without wheels, which two men drive down the steep hill.
Nowadays, the island and the bay of Funchal are part of the Grand Tour Guide Book of rising international tourism.
Take advantage of this opportunity and visit this magnificent amphitheatre that characterises Funchal. |
