MADEIRA ISLAND
This floating emerald of an island, with its green volcanic mountain and exotic blossom that flower year round, lies 610 miles from Portugal’s coast. Madeira, just 36 miles long and only 14 miles wide, is famous for its wine, embroidery and wickerwork.
Madeira’s temperate climate makes it a natural playground for all types of outdoor activities. Water-sports include water-skiing, sailing, windsurfing, snorkeling, scuba diving and deep sea fishing; action on land includes golf, tennis, hiking and horseback riding. Golfers can tee off at the 18-hole Palheiro Golf Course, a 15-minute drive from the island’s capital, Funchal.
Funchal teems with attractions, including cultural sights such as the Museu de Arte Sacra (Museum of Sacred Art) and a 15th century cathedral built by the Knights of the Order of Christ. Nightlife includes restaurants, a casino, and nightclubs. A tour of the Madeira Wine Company offers a history lesson and a chance to sample and purchase wines.
The Santa Maria de Colombo, a floating replica of Columbus’ galleon, sails twice a day on a two-and-a-half-hour cruise of Funchal Bay. The Jardim Botânico, on the outskirts of Funchal, displays plants from around the world.
Towns of interest include Monte, Camacha, Santo da Serra, Santana, Machico, Câmara de Lobos, Cabo Girão, Ribeira Brava, São Jorge and São Vicente.
Madeira’s Laurissilva Forest, designated a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, is the only region in the world containing living Tertiary Period representations from the “Macaronésia,” an ancient geographic region in which Madeira is included.
Access
Flight times from Lisbon are about 90 minutes. Madeira international airport is 11 miles northeast of Funchal, the island’s capital. A runway built in 2000 has increased capacity at the airport, allowing larger aircraft onto the island.
This floating emerald of an island, with its green volcanic mountain and exotic blossom that flower year round, lies 610 miles from Portugal’s coast. Madeira, just 36 miles long and only 14 miles wide, is famous for its wine, embroidery and wickerwork.
Madeira’s temperate climate makes it a natural playground for all types of outdoor activities. Water-sports include water-skiing, sailing, windsurfing, snorkeling, scuba diving and deep sea fishing; action on land includes golf, tennis, hiking and horseback riding. Golfers can tee off at the 18-hole Palheiro Golf Course, a 15-minute drive from the island’s capital, Funchal.
Funchal teems with attractions, including cultural sights such as the Museu de Arte Sacra (Museum of Sacred Art) and a 15th century cathedral built by the Knights of the Order of Christ. Nightlife includes restaurants, a casino, and nightclubs. A tour of the Madeira Wine Company offers a history lesson and a chance to sample and purchase wines.
The Santa Maria de Colombo, a floating replica of Columbus’ galleon, sails twice a day on a two-and-a-half-hour cruise of Funchal Bay. The Jardim Botânico, on the outskirts of Funchal, displays plants from around the world.
Towns of interest include Monte, Camacha, Santo da Serra, Santana, Machico, Câmara de Lobos, Cabo Girão, Ribeira Brava, São Jorge and São Vicente.
Madeira’s Laurissilva Forest, designated a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, is the only region in the world containing living Tertiary Period representations from the “Macaronésia,” an ancient geographic region in which Madeira is included.
Access
Flight times from Lisbon are about 90 minutes. Madeira international airport is 11 miles northeast of Funchal, the island’s capital. A runway built in 2000 has increased capacity at the airport, allowing larger aircraft onto the island.
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