Madeira is a stage in many areas, restaurants, nature, charisma, tourism, quality, among others. So we decided to talk a little bit and why not make an article about 10 curiosities of Madeira Island? Oh yeah, they weren’t expecting it. There is no shortage of things to talk about the pearl of the Atlantic, awarded several times every year, even winning prizes that many wanted to have, another reason why we have to talk about 10 curiosities of Madeira Island. Just a tip here, but the last curiosity is impressive. Very curious? Come on!
1. Although it is known as Madeira Island, it is an archipelago of Portugal.
What is called Madeira Island is, in fact, a group of islands. Only two of them are currently inhabited: Madeira Island, which is the largest of the islands, and Porto Santo, which has beautiful yellow sand beaches. The other small islands are divided into two main groups, the Desertas and the Selvagens, which are areas protected by the authorities and institutions in Madeira with many natural beauties.
2. It is next to Africa, but it is a Portuguese territory
Madeira Island is part of Portugal, it’s located in the southwest of the country, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. With that, when looking at the world map, we can see that it is closer to Africa than to the European continent. But the difference is not very big: the coast of Morocco is approximately 725 kilometers from Madeira, while the south of Portugal, in the Algarve, is approximately 850 kilometers from the island. The distance, however, seems greater than it really is. For example, a flight from Lisbon to Funchal, the capital of the island of Madeira, takes around 1.5 hours.
3. Madeira is known for its balanced climate throughout the year
The location of this destination is really privileged. Thanks to its coordinates on the map and other geographical conditions, such as a relief area that is surrounded by water on all sides, making the climate not so abrupt, Madeira does not usually experience extreme temperatures, either in the hot or in the cold part of the thermometer, with an average of 25º to 20º on the ground and between 24º and 17º in the water. As a result, the climate is always mild, with spring-like air.
4. It has a beautiful unique forest that is appreciated by anyone visiting Madeira.
The Laurissilva Forest has a very rich ecosystem that covers 20% of its terrestrial territory, more precisely 15000 hectares. Formed by trees of the Lauraceae family, this humid forest with a subtropical climate is considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and since 1992 belongs to the Council of Europe’s Biogenetic Reserves. Although it exists in some other territories of the Macaronesia region, such as the Azores, Canary Islands and Cape Verde, its biggest nucleus is Madeira, and is in an excellent state of preservation.
5. One of its islands has an extensive nine-kilometer beach
Porto Santo, the second largest island in the Madeira archipelago, is very different from the main island. The coastline that runs from west to east is the main attraction, with golden sand and crystal-clear waters. The southern part of the island is basically an extensive and uninterrupted beach, where there are great resorts, bars, and hotels to enjoy the sea. There are nine kilometers of a beautiful beach!
6. It the perfect place for exotic flowers and fruits
Travelers who know the destination are delighted not only by its diverse tourist offer, but also by its natural diversity. The island’s location on the globe guarantees all the perfect conditions for the cultivation of various exotic plants that exist. Many are of local origin, but others were brought from different countries of the world and adapted without any problems to the place. With this, tourists can taste different fruits such as purple passion fruit and pinecone, in addition to enjoying their vacation days in gardens and parks full of unforgettable colors and aromas.
7. Its waters are home to several animals such as dolphins
Boat trips are among the most popular activities among tourists visiting Madeira. In addition to the breathtaking scenery, visitors have the great possibility of seeing some playful dolphins up close along the trip, since the region is the natural habitat of these graceful animals, more precisely in the Desertas.
8. Produces one of the most known and talked about wines in the world
At first glance, Madeira does not seem to be a good place to produce wines, which is quite the opposite. But the first Portuguese who arrived on the island after colonization ventured into the steep mountainous terrain, often growing the grapes in places that were very difficult to access and, after a few attempts, they ended up creating one of the most famous drinks in the world: Madeira wine. And there’s nothing better than enjoying it in harmony with the local cuisine!
9. The embroidery created on the island has traveled all over the planet and reached the fashion catwalks
When Madeira began to be populated, the women who lived there developed a type of embroidery that they began to use in clothing and decorative items, made with materials such as linen, cotton, organdy and silk fabrics. The English merchants who lived in Funchal began to take this painstaking work to England, ending up conquering the world and being used even by important fashion brands.
10. Holds a world record for the biggest fireworks show
New Year’s Eve is a traditional and unique occasion in Madeira, as in the rest of the world. The celebrations are very lively, and one of the traditions is the grandiose and beautiful fireworks show. The fireworks attracted a lot of attention from tourists, residents, and cruise travelers, who passed by at the turn of the year to enjoy the artistic spectacle. With that, the show got even better, until winning the record for the biggest fireworks show in the world by Guinness World Records at the turn of 2007, a title it kept until 2012.
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