Madeira Islands is one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in Europe. It is also known as an island where thousands of tourists visit throughout the year. This small piece of land is also nicknamed the Pearl of the Atlantic Ocean. However, Madeira is called as such primarily on the basis of nature.
Accordingly, it is more accurate to call the island of Madeira the “pearl of nature” in the Atlantic. There is no mistake in calling the island of Madeira the pearl of the Atlantic Ocean due to its year-round mild climate, natural beauty with exceptional biodiversity and cities shaped by precious architecture. Madeira island can also be called a safe destination due to the minimal possibility of crime.
In addition to the natural beauty, the nightlife and social activities shaped by cultural elements, even though it is a small island, there are many things that tourists can enjoy. You may also like to know about the main points of interest and tourist attractions in Madeira.
Location of Madeira Archipelago
The Madeira Islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean, about 700 kilometers away from Morocco, which belongs to the continent of Africa. Although it belongs to Portugal, which is about 900 kilometers away, administrative activities are carried out in the Madeira Islands as an autonomous region. In addition to the main island of Madeira, there are several other small islands such as Porto Santo, Desertus, and Selvagens located in this sea region. All of these are collectively known as the “Islands of Madeira”. Tourists mainly come to the main island. The total area of the Madeira Islands is about a thousand square kilometers.
Although the island group is of volcanic origin, there is no clear record of volcanic activity since it was discovered by land exploration. The hilly area of the island consists of many diverse landscapes. The highest point of the island is called “Pico Ruo”, and it is located at a height of 1861 meters above sea level. As well as deep valleys, large plateaus are found on the island of Madeira.
Although not a large island, Madeira has too many places to explore in one day. Let us now consider the details of some important places among them.
Beautiful city of Funchal
Funchal, the main city of Madeira, is considered a very beautiful city. Many high-end restaurants and five-star hotels are located in Funchal. The city of Funchal is also famous in the world of football. The reason for that is that the city of Funchal is the birthplace of Cristiano Ronaldo, a world famous football player. The whole city looks like a theatre, so much so that it carries a unique character. Sun-drenched beaches, beautiful year-round gardens in the hills, active night life have mainly influenced the beauty of the city.
Festivals in Malin Piri Funchal
Funchal has been known as a port city since ancient times. The Funchal harbor entrance is a very scenic spot. Nowadays, it has become a tradition for many European ships to arrive at the port of Funchal for their maiden voyage. Swimming with dolphins, surfing, boat trips, beach parties are many experiences that a tourist can enjoy in Funchal. In addition, there is an opportunity to visit the forested hills adjacent to the city. Funchal is a place where you can enjoy the night club experience of a small island coastal town.
This city inherits several annual festivals. The fireworks show on New Year’s Eve, which once even set a Guinness World Record, is special among them. Funchal is also rich in colorful festivals with samba dancing and parades in colorful costumes. Apart from this, flower festivals and wine festivals are also held here, decorated with various flowers that bloom throughout the year.
A levadas waterway on the island of Madeira
The island of Madeira can be well explored by walking along the levadas canals, as they act as a network connecting nature and agricultural land. That is why walking along the levadas canals has become popular among tourists. A walk along the aqueduct system gives you the opportunity to enjoy nature from the wet areas in the north of the island to the dry areas in the south.
Snowy Pico do Ariiro
The end of the world in our country is a very rare natural location where you can experience a spectacular view. “Pico do Arriero” on the island of Madeira is one such place. This mountain is said to be the third highest point on the island of Madeira. An experienced climber can reach the top in two to three hours. Madeira has a warm climate compared to other parts of Europe. Therefore, the snowfall is minimal. But “Pico do Arriero” stands out among the few places in the Madeira island where you can see snow during the winter season in Europe. It is said that the surrounding view is also very mind-blowing.
Cabo Jirao
Very high cliffs bordering the ocean are a rare sight in Sri Lanka. But “Cabo Jirao” on the island of Madeira is one of the highest cliffs bordering the ocean in the world. “Cabo Jirao” is known as one of the most breathtaking places on the island because you can catch the land and the ocean at the same time. The height of this place is more than 500 meters. Today, a skyway made of glass has also been created here. Thus, a tourist can directly see the sea many meters below through the track. Funchal is located quite far from the city, so it has the ability to catch the eye of a large area of the city.
Porto Moniz Natural Pools
Porto Monis is located at the northwest corner of the island. As well as natural pools, the area is famous among tourists for its unique food culture.
The natural pools of Porto Moniz are formed by the cooling of volcanic lava. They are supplied with water from the sea. Although the pools are natural, other facilities available in artificial swimming pools have also been established in connection with them. For tourists, small lockers where you can put separate keys, bathroom facilities for washing off sweat have been set up near Poto Monis natural pools.
After swimming in the pools, the next goal of the tourists is to taste the local bakery products. Among them, cakes made with honey are special. Porto Moniz is also famous for its delicious sugarcane dishes.
Mont Palace Tropical Park
Mont Palace is a place that once functioned as a hotel. But, now Mont Palace is famous for the mind-blowing garden surrounding it. The park is home to over 100,000 species of plants and is unique in that it is home to cycads, which have a long history with fossil evidence. There is also a museum that exhibits minerals and African sculptures from all over the world.
Porto Santo, the wonder off Madeira
It was mentioned earlier that in addition to the main island of Madeira, several other islands belong to this group. The island of Porto Santo, located north of Madeira, has won the hearts of tourists because of its spectacular beaches. Although not as developed as the main island of Madeira, nature lovers and mountaineers are keen to visit this island.
Porto Santo is an island with a rich history. Christopher Columbus has contributed a lot in fostering its history. It is said that Christopher Columbus lived on the island of Porto Santo for some time after marrying Filipa de Moniz, who was born on the island. The house where they both lived can still be seen in Porto Santo, and today the responsible parties have taken action to convert it into a museum.
Sao Vicente Cave Complex
890,000 years ago, the Sao Vicente cave complex was created as a result of a volcanic eruption. Although the lava that comes out after a volcanic eruption cools quickly, the lava inside the volcano takes a long time to cool. This creates an innumerable number of “lava tubes”. The Sao Vicente cave complex has also been created in this way.
With its opening to the public in the 1990s, São Vicente became one of Madeira’s most unique tourist destinations. After buying a ticket, tourists get the chance to explore the incredible cave complex. Sao Vicente has the ability to go to the center of the volcano through the cave complex.
The Portuguese government is making positive efforts to protect the archipelago of Madeira, which has been honored as the natural pearl of the Atlantic Ocean. Madeira’s towns are very quiet and clean. Due to the low crime rate, roaming around freely in the island is not a problem. If you ever travel to Europe, don’t forget to visit the pearl of Madeira.
