MADEIRA
The islands of Madeira, Porto Santo, and the Desertas, as well as the distinct archipelago of the Savage Islands, make up the archipelago. The Administrative Political Statute of the Autonomous Territory of Madeira, as provided for in the Portuguese Constitution, gives the region political and administrative autonomy. As an outermost territory, the autonomous region is a vital part of the European Union. Madeira has a subtropical climate that is generally temperate and moderate, with Mediterranean summer droughts and winter showers. At various elevations, there are numerous microclimates.
It was a popular year-round resort in 2017, with nearly six times its population of 1.4 million tourists visiting each year. The region is known for its Madeira wine, gastronomy, historical and cultural significance, flora and fauna, UNESCO World Heritage Site sceneries (laurel forest), and needlework artisans. Funchal’s main harbour has long been the largest Portuguese port for cruise ship dockings, with over half a million tourists passing through in 2017, making it a significant stopover for commercial and trans-Atlantic passenger cruises connecting Europe, the Caribbean, and North Africa.
DISCOVERY
The formerly uninhabited island of Madeira was claimed by Portuguese sailors serving under Prince Henry the Navigator in 1419 and settled after 1420. The archipelago is widely recognized as the first territorial discovery of the Age of Discovery.
INFO
The islands of Madeira and Porto Santo, located in the midst of the Atlantic, are a natural wonderland. The unusual colors of the flowers show out against the turquoise water and emerald green vegetation of this archipelago, which is home to the world’s largest Laurisilva forest and two-thirds of which is protected.
The warm weather of spring, which lasts all year, begs for outdoor activity. You can take a walk through the network of levadas (irrigation channels), visit Funchal and learn about the history of the Discoveries, or simply wander around the island.
Boat cruises are a fantastic way to see the shoreline from a new angle.
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