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Madeira
General Information
Area: 794 sq km (314 sq miles).
Population: 253,800 (1992).
Population Density: 319.6 per sq km.
Capital: Funchal. Population: 126,889 (1991).
GEOGRAPHY: The group comprises the main island of Madeira, the smaller island of Porto Santo, the three uninhabited islets of Ilheu Chao, Deserta Grande and Ilheu de Bugio, and the Selvagens (a group of uninhabited islets located south of Madeira). The islands are hilly and of volcanic origin and the coast of Madeira is steep and rocky with deep eroded lava gorges running down to the sea. These are particularly impressive on the north coast of Madeira island. The largest of a group of five islands formed by volcanic eruption, Madeira is in fact the summit of a mountain range rising 6.5km (4 miles) from the sea bed. At Cabo Girão, west of the capital of Funchal, is the second-highest cliff in the world. Inland, Pico Ruivo is the island’s highest point (1862m/6109ft) with the slightly lower Pico de Arieiro (1810m/5940ft) nearby. Both are destinations for sightseeing tours, commanding fine views of the surrounding mountains. Madeira’s volcanic origin means that it has no sandy beaches, although there is a small beach, Prainha, near the whaling village of Canical on the extreme east of the island. Madeira itself is 58km (36 miles) long and 23km (14 miles) wide. Porto Santo is much smaller, only 14km (9 miles) long and 5km (3 miles) wide, with a long, golden sandy beach, complementing Madeira.
Time: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Round two-pin plugs are in use.
Communications: Services are similar to those offered on the mainland.
BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change.
BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice):
Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov):
Travel - International
AIR: The airlines serving Madeira are TAP Air Portugal (TP) and GB Airways (GT). Air Portugal currently operates two weekly direct flights from London to Madeira, and daily via Lisbon (schedules are subject to changes). There are internal flights between Funchal and Porto Santo.
Approximate flight times: From Funchal to London is 3 hours 40 minutes.
International airports: Madeira Intercontinental (FNC), 16km (10 miles) from Funchal, and Porto Santo (PXO), which is served by flights from Funchal and Lisbon. In September 2000, Funchal Airport was redeveloped, increasing its capacity to over 3.5 million passengers per year.
SEA: The main passenger port is Funchal, served by BI, Costa, CTC, Cunard, Fred Olsen, Lauro, Norwegian American, Norwegian Cruises/Union Lloyd, P&O and Polish Ocean. Ferry services from Madeira to Porto Santo take between 2 hours 30 minutes and 3 hours, depending on weather conditions.
Accommodation
There are many luxury hotels on the island along the coast. These tend to be fully booked during the summer and over the Christmas period, therefore early booking is advisable. Most of the hotels compensate for the lack of beaches on the island of Madeira by providing swimming pools.
Introduction
Madeira is a singularly beautiful island. The scenery is memorable and remarkably diverse, especially bearing in mind the island’s modest size. Madeira has been described as a ‘floating garden’, reflecting centuries of cultivation. The rich volcanic soil, mild climate and abundant rainfall (especially in the north) have been responsible for contrasting landscapes: lush river valleys, terraced hillsides planted with vines and bananas and dense primeval forest. The most enjoyable way to explore the island is to follow the course of the levadas (irrigation channels) which crisscross the countryside. Madeira has a reputation for being somewhat staid, but the days when the majority of its visitors were wealthy invalids and retired colonial civil servants have long gone. Today, the island’s burgeoning coastal resorts are geared to the demands of modern tourism and the expansion of Santa Catarina Airport is expected to lead to a marked increase in the number of foreign visitors over the next decade.
FUNCHAL: Nearly half the island’s population of 250,000 lives in the capital, Funchal, a city which enjoys a magnificent setting overlooking a sweeping bay. Most of the sights are conveniently clustered and can easily be visited on foot. The Cathedral (Sé) was completed in 1514 and is one of the islands oldest buildings. Late Gothic in style, its most remarkable feature is a geometrical wooden ceiling of Mudejar (Moorish) design. The Museum of Sacred Art in the former Bishops’ Palace has a remarkable collection of religious artefacts and paintings by Flemish masters of the 15th and 16th centuries acquired by wealthy sugar merchants. Other sights include the Botanical Gardens, five hectares (two acres) of terraced hillside, planted with more than 2000 species from around the globe; the Blandy Wine Lodge (Adegas do São Francisco) where tours with tastings of Madeira wine are available; the Mercado dos Lavradores, a lively flower and vegetable market; and Quinta das Cruzes, a former mansion, now a museum with collections of furniture, porcelain, paintings, lithographs and so on from the colonial period. Funchal’s Old Town (Zona Velha) has pastel-painted house fronts, cobbled streets, craft shops, restaurants and bars, some of which stage performances of traditional Portuguese folk music (Fado).
THE NORTH COAST: The scenery here is wilder and more dramatic than in the south, with looming cliff faces and swollen seas. The narrow, twisting coast road challenges drivers, but the views are magnificent. Porto do Moniz is a lively village, popular with day trippers for its fish restaurants, natural swimming pool and rugged coastal scenery. São Vicente is an attractive village, sheltered from the sea. The parish church is worth a look, but the main attractions are the caves (grutas), formed by flows of molten lava more than 400,000 years ago. Santana lies at the heart of a prosperous agricultural region. Perhaps the most visited village on the island, it is best known for its unusual triangular-shaped houses known as palheiros.
CENTRAL MADEIRA: Parts of the mountainous interior can be reached by road. It is possible to drive almost to the summit of Pico do Arieiro (1818m/5965ft) where the views are spectacular. The island’s highest peak, Pico Ruivo (1861m/6106ft), is accessible on foot. Curral das Freiras is a hamlet lying at the bottom of a bowl-shaped valley. The dramatic setting is best appreciated from the Eagle’s Nest miradouro (lookout point). Monte became fashionable at the end of the 19th century when a hotel and sanatorium opened to treat consumptives. The hotel grounds are now the Tropical Gardens. Monte’s church, Nossa Senhora de Monte becomes a centre of pilgrimage on 15 August, when worshippers climb the 74 steps on their hands and knees. Monte can now be reached by cable car from Funchal, an alternative to the famous toboggan run. Quinta do Palheiro Ferreiro has beautiful gardens laid out by the Blandy family in the 19th century. Nearby is one of Madeira’s two championship golf courses.
THE SOUTH COAST: This is the sunniest and most fertile part of Madeira where the terraced hillsides are planted with bananas, vineyards and other crops. Good viewing points include Cabo Girão, the second highest cliff in Europe (580m/1903ft), Ponta do Sol, famous for its sunsets and Ponta do Pargo, Madeira’s westernmost point. Ribeira Brava has a fine parish church (São Bento), seafront cafes and craft shops. Câmara de Lobos is a picturesque fishing village which Sir Winston Churchill painted in the 1950s. To the east of Funchal is the fast-developing resort of Caniço de Baixo. The area is well-suited to watersports (especially scuba diving), tennis and golf (Madeira’s other championship course is at Santo da Serra). Santa Cruz is a mini-resort with an attractive promenade, lido and a medieval parish church. Machico is Madeira’s second largest town. Worth seeing are the 15th-century parish church, the Chapel of Miracles (a place of pilgrimage) and the small but picturesque 18th-century fort. Watersports are available from the stony beach. The only sandy beach on Madeira is at Prainha, near the eastern tip of the island. The inland village of Camacha is a centre for wickerwork, one of Madeira’s traditional cottage industries.
PORTO SANTO: Madeira’s much smaller neighbour has noticeably flatter terrain and is famous for its 9km-long (5.6 miles) beach of golden sand, reputed to have healing properties. The sea is warm enough to swim in all year round. The only sight in the tiny capital, Vila Baleira, is the house where Christopher Columbus is said to have once lived.
Porto Santo can be reached from Madeira by plane (15 minutes), catamaran (90 minutes) or ferry (2 hours 40 minutes). Advance booking is essential in July and August.
Sport & Activities
Walking and hiking: Paths along the coastline offer dramatic views from the many steep cliffs, often giving way to tranquil terraced valleys further inland. Madeira’s interior combines austere moorland, remote mountain passes and forested valleys. The levadas, a network of ancient irrigation channels stretching some 2130km (1333 miles) across the island’s slopes, are particularly popular with walkers. The longest is the Lavada do Norte, beginning in the northwest and meandering down to the southern coast near the capital, Funchal. Walkers suffering from vertigo should check the levada route beforehand as some trails go across very steep mountain slopes. The regional tourist office can provide information on a selection of walks classified according to their level of difficulty, safety and scenic beauty.
Toboggan runs: Before motor vehicles, the toboggan was commonly used in Madeira and a number of special ‘runs’ were constructed. Today the toboggans carry tourists with two men using ropes to control the wide carro, a large wicker basket mounted on wooden runners. The runs are available at the villages of Monte or Terreiro da Luta, down to Funchal.
Wine tasting: The distinctive Madeira wine is renowned throughout the world. The grapes are pressed where they are grown and carried down the hills in goatskin bags by porters. Madeira wine is particularly well known for its high alcohol content and its longevity. The famous Madeira Wine Festival takes place annually in September. For further details, contact the Direcçao Regional de Turismo (see Contact Addresses section).
Golf: The Campo de Golfe do Santo da Serra (27-hole) and Palheiro (18-hole) are the two courses on the island, the former offering spectacular panoramic ocean views from its 500m-high (1640ft) location. Clubs and trolleys are available for hire. The courses are located within 29km (18 miles) of Funchal. For more information, contact Madeira Island Golf (website: www.madeira-golf.com).
Watersports: Madeira’s rocky landscape, dominated by cliffs, provides excellent views, but few sandy beaches (the exception being Porto Santo). As well as the sea, there are many swimming pools, some on hotel rooftops and others along the seafront. There is also a Lido large enough for 2000 people, with pools, shops and restaurants. Arrangements for watersports, including water-skiing, windsurfing, snorkelling and scuba diving can be made through some hotels.
Madeira is known for excellent deep-sea fishing, particularly blue marlin. A number of companies offer fishing tours to suit all pockets and tastes. Special charters can be arranged for groups.
Social Profile
Food & Drink: Regional dishes include sopa de tomate e cebola (tomato and onion soup), caldeirada (fish soup), bife de atum e milho frito (tuna steak and fried maize), carne em vinha d’alho (pickled pork and garlic), espada (fresh black sword fish), espetada (beef grilled on laurel wood skewers over an open fire) and bolo de mel (Madeira honey cake).
Popular wines of Madeira are malmsey (Malvasia), a sweet dessert wine, bual and the dry serceal. Wines, spirits and beers imported from mainland Portugal and Europe are also available. Galão, a glass of milky coffee and bica, a small cup of black coffee, are also popular.
Nightlife: Some hotels have excellent nightclubs with music for dancing and international cabaret entertainment. Folk entertainment is also included in the weekly programme of these hotels and in most cases non-residents are welcome.
Shopping: In Funchal, there is a wide variety of shops selling everyday goods, as well as many souvenirs. Special purchases include Madeira folk art such as embroidery, tapestry and wickerwork. Madeira wine is a popular gift.
Special Events: Throughout the year, numerous events take place on Madeira and it is a good idea to visit at the time of a specific festival. Around Christmas and New Year, for example, there are some really spectacular celebrations. Cruise ships often stop the night of 31 December in Funchal Harbour so that passengers can appreciate the firework displays, accompanied by church bells and ships’ sirens, which herald the New Year. For a complete list of events on Madeira, contact ICEP. The following is a small selection of events celebrated annually in Madeira:
Feb Carnival. Apr Flower Festival. Aug Our Lady of Grace; Our Lady of Pity. Sep Santíssimo Sacramento; Madeira Wine Festival. Dec Switching on the Christmas Illuminations; Saint Silvester Fireworks.
Climate
Mild subtropical climate with warm summers and extremely mild winters.
Required clothing: Mid-seasonal wear.
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
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