Madeira
Breathtaking landscapes, dense forests, volcanic mountains, flowers, fruit, blue skies and sunshine...that's what I discovered on a recent trip to Madeira! When I told people I was going to Madeira, the most common response was...where's that? The Madeiran Archipelago is located in the Atlantic Ocean about 450km from the Canary Islands and 500km from Morocco. The four islands are an autonomous region of Portugal though only two islands are inhabited - Madeira and Porto Santo. I only visited Madeira, which stole my heart!
The islands were officially recognized by the Portuguese in 1420 and Madeira was named the Island of Wood due to the abundance of trees on the islands.
Winston Churchill visited Madeira in 1950 and fell in love with this fishing village, Camara de Lobos. He set up his easel on a hill overlooking the harbour to paint the colourful boats.
In the main town of Funchal, a visit to the Mercado Dos Lavradores (farmers market) is a treat for the eyes!
One of the most fun, iconic things to do in Madeira is the wicker toboggan ride!
Wicker was a large industry in Madeira, used to make baskets and furniture. The toboggan was a primary method of getting down the steep hill in the 1850s. Two men, called 'Carreiros' dressed in white with a straw hat, chauffeur you down the hill. They wear special rubber-soled shoes that help them steer and brake the toboggan, which is basically a wicker basket! The trip takes about 10 minutes and you can reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour!
Not surprisingly, Madeira is the home of Madeira wine. The island has more than 30 grape varieties, cultivated by hand, on small stone terraces facing the sea.
The town of Porto Moniz is in the northwest corner of Madeira. The volcanic rocky shore makes swimming too dangerous, however, their are naturally occurring salt water pools that provide a safe way to swim.
The Bride's Veil waterfall in the picture above is visible from a lookout near the old road that is no longer safe to travel. The height and amount of water flowing down the hillside is reminiscent of a bride's veil. The island has built numerous tunnels to replace many of the coastal roads that would frequently be too dangerous to drive.
I only had 5 days to explore Madeira and didn't have the opportunity to walk on any of the 3,000 km of footpaths. The footpaths run alongside the levadas, handmade channels carved in rock to transport water. The trails are a living museum of the efforts in the 16th century to distribute the water on the island from the springs in the north to the valleys below.
I'll save the footpaths for my next trip to Madeira because I plan to return!
If you are curious about traveling to Madeira, contact me.
