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Travel and vacation in Madeira, Portugal
Here you will find general travel information, guides, “good to know” and facts as well as travel deals. We write about the best sights, shopping and things to do. See current weather, forecasts and current exchange rates updated many times a day.
Madeira, officially the Autonomous Region of Madeira (Região Autónoma da Madeira), is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal. The capital of Madeira is Funchal, which is located on the main island’s south coast. Madeira includes the islands of Madeira, Porto Santo, Desertas Islands and the Savage Islands.
Madeira is a popular destination, being visited every year by about 1.4 million tourists, almost five times its population. The Madeira Archipelago consists of:
Madeira Island
Madeira is the largest and most populous island of the Madeira Archipelago. It has an area of 741 km2 and a total population of 262.000. Longest point is 57 kilometres from Ponte de São Lourenço to Ponte do Pargo, widest point is 22 kilometres from Ponte da Cruz to Ponte São Jorge, with a total coastline of 150 kilometres.
It is at the top of a massive shield volcano that rises about 6 kilometres from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. The most recent volcanic eruptions were on the central part of the island 6.500 years ago.
Porto Santo Island
Porto Santo Island lies 43 kilometres northeast of Madeira Island in the Atlantic Ocean west of Europe and Africa.
The island is characterized by two areas, mountains with rocky cliffs in the northeast, and a coastal plain in the southwest. The southwest part of the island is relatively flat. The island is encircled by an oceanic platform between 20 and 37 km2, with a minimum depth of 8 meters.
Main industry on Porto Santo is tourism, based on the beaches and temperate climate. The island has a famous golf course that was designed by Spanish golfing champion Seve Ballesteros. Porto Santo Golfe hosted the Madeira Islands Open in 2009, as part of the European Tour.
Desertas Islands
Three small uninhabited islands located southeast of Madeira Island. They are Ilhéu chão, Deserta Grande and Bugio. Natural Reserve since 1995, an area for the protection and conservation of the Monk Seal (Lobo Marinho), it also serves the purpose to protect and perservate the unique fauna and flora of several rare endemic species.
Ilhéu Chão is the smallest of the three islands. With the shape of a planat with an almost constant altitude of 80 meters, reaching a maximum height of 98 meters in it’s north edge, where a lighthouse can be found. At north, you can find a small islet with 50 meters of height called Farilhão. It has aproximately 1600 meters lenght and 500 meters wide.
Deserta Grande is long shaped and it is the biggest and tallest of the 3 islands. With an extension of 11700 meters from Ponta da Castanheira at north to Ponta do Tabaqueiro at south, with a maximum width of 1900 meters. It has the maximum height of 479 meters. Along its sea coast you can find several caves digged into the rock, small beaches and some strips of land. The biggest strips are Fajã Grande and Fajã da Doca, both are the result of several land slides occured in 1984.
Bugio is long and narrow with the shape of an arc. It’s the most rock and edge cut of them all. With a total lenght of 7500 meters and a maximum height of 388 meters.
Savage Islands
The Savage Islands or Selvagens Islands is an archipelago in the North Atlantic, 280 kilometres south of Madeira. The islands are also known in English as the Salvage Islands or Dry Salvages. The Savage Islands are mostly uninhabited.
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The best sights in Madeira, Tourist information
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Information about travel to Madeira
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+ Information about Madeira and Portugal
Below you can see some extra information and travel tips, you are welcome to leave comments if you have travel ideas you want to share.
Pico do Arieiro, 1.818 metres
This is the third highest peak on the Madeira Island. it is Madeira Island’s . Most days, visitors can stand and look down on the clouds. The air is fresh and clear and the sun is very bright. On a clear day it is possible to see the neighbouring island of Porto Santo, to the northeast.
Trained trekkers can continue to Pico Ruivo. Unpredictable weather conditions can make it quite dangerous.
Pico Ruivo, 1.861 metres
This is the highest peak on the Madeira Island. It can be reached only by foot, usually either via a long trail from Pico do Arieiro or from Achada do Teixeira via a shorter trail. There is an additional trail leading west to Encumeada.