Visit the Madeira Islands, Portugal

Join Shepherd Entertainment on a journey to the Madeira Islands, which belong to Portugal and are situated off the coast of Morocco.

The Madeira Islands belonging to Portugal extend 900 kilometers from the mainland in the Atlantic Ocean near the Moroccan Casablanca. From the Archipelago, only two islands are inhabited, the main island Madeira had 750 square kilometers and Porto Santo of all together 45 square kilometers. Some of the islands, Ilhas Desertas and Ilhas Selvagens for example are nothing more than bare rocks without fresh water. On the islands with richer vegetation and declared conservation areas, the new species of animals lived most of which are birds. Madeira is volcanic in nature. There are two mountains on it. Pico Ruivo is 1862 meters high, and Paul da Serra exceeds 1600 meters. The mountains are encircled by high hilly country and often spectacular stiff cliffs dropped into the sea. The Atlantic Flower Island became the target of international tourism particularly through its beautiful landscapes. It has relatively few historic and artistic monuments, but is all the richer and natural beauties. Volcanic rocks, basalt blocks, deep canyons, beaches with black sand of cloud covered peaks are characteristic of it as well as the thousand of shades of green between the blue sky and the blue ocean. Although it’s geographically closer to Africa than Europe, its weather, thanks to the Atlantic Ocean with its balancing effect is pleasantly summery all year around. It means the temperature doesn’t go below 18 degrees Celsius even in winter and is rarely warmer than 25 degrees Celsius in summer. The seawater reaches a maximum of 23 to 24 degrees Celsius, only in August and September, but is never below 17 degrees Celsius even in winter. It rarely rains between June and September while the other times, a sudden shower can always occur. The weather is suitable for touring, hiking and cycling, but take a rain coat along. Swimmers arrived mostly in the months of July, August and September. Porto Santo, with its eight kilometer long golden yellow sand and its weather, which is warmer and drier than the mother islands, is becoming more and more a beach island. The distance between the two islands is only 25 kilometers. Very reason ships go regularly. In addition, there’s an airport on Porto Santo too. The approximately 300,000 inhabitants make their living from farming, grape cultivation, fishing and tourism. The name of the Madeira Islands is in separately entwined with lace and wine. You can taste wine in hotels and in better restaurants too but don’t miss visiting the Madeira Wine Company, where you can also buy the bottled nectar relatively cheaply. As is the case with agriculture, they growing vegetables and fruits. Also animal has been doing fishing, and the food industry has taken a back seat to tourism, meaning that the role of the hotel industry on the islands has become more and more important. The Madeira Islands strive for qualitative tourism and don’t want to be a mock off for back packers. There are only two camping sides in all, one in Madeira and one in Porto Santo. Prior with accommodations are also rare. Now, in handsomely service, temporary shelters. The most frequent in places are the three, four and five star hotels and apartments. Besides the famous international hotel chains, there’s a high level Portuguese hotel chain with nothing but four and five star hotels. Paradores and Pousadas are extremely fashionable in Spain and Portugal. These are luxury hotels and castles, country houses, and other special places. Because of their intertwined history, you can find similar places in Miraco. So of course, they can’t be misinformed in Madeira Islands either. Here, they are called Quintas. It is in the cheap amusement but an unforgettable experience. Speaking of accommodation, it should be mentioned that huge holiday cruisers keep away from the island. The passengers spend the nights on board, enjoying all conveniences. They only anchor for the sake of walks, excursions and evening programs. All the hotels have a swimming pool. In fact, most of them provide complete service including an aqua park, Turkish bath, steam bath, scatter shower, Jacuzzi, sauna, Silurian, and massage. There are hotels specifically for fitness, wellness, and Thalassotherapy. The Madeira Islands are in more and more popular target for conference tourism, and also for incentive trips. Almost all the hotels have a business center, conference room and audio visual equipment. Self-sufficiency lovers can make a request for an apartment with a kitchen but those who seek real repose can choose half or full board too and the activities aren’t limited to hiking. High mountains afford the opportunity for parent lighting, while the flat lands have some excellent golf courses. The golf course of Machico was designed by one of the best known golf course architect’s Robert Trent Jones. The overall effective mini holiday paradise is lessened when expensive hotels which were designed with care have been built by cheap and less than diligent construction workers. All the hotels on the Madeira Islands were built and are operated with the greatest of care. This and the kindness of the staff also contribute to the guest’s well being. On the islander’s phases, there’s trace of the melancholy, so characteristic of Portuguese people. They’re open hearted, friendly and pleasantly easy going. They like emphasizing that in the first place, they’re from the Madeira Islands and only in the second place from Portugal. Because of the business connections maintained the South America many people speak Spanish and English. Thanks to the British influence. These days, people working in the catering industry are learning the German language quite diligently. Among the hotels, you can find one where a four luxury suites have been furnished according to the atmosphere and colors of the four seasons. One of the hotels’ restaurants has a unique appearance and its courtyard is graced with a fountain. You can have your meal in the kitchen, in the dining room, in the living room or in the library. This arrangement conforms to the traditional layout of manor houses. Almost 90% of those who visit the island stay in the capital city or in its immediate vicinity. This is why Funchal is the starting point of tours. The town was given its name from the wild fennel which grows abundantly here. You can smell its spicy fragrance on the hillsides above the town nowadays too. The weather isn’t really drafty on the island even in summer. Thanks to this, vegetation is rich, green and blooming all year round. In the north, roots of indigenous bay trees still grow. Lichen covers the tree trunks, and at the bottom, ferns grow. Naughty Briers are ancient. Daisies and Ladies Cloves grow wild. Gardens are colored by Azalea and rhododendron and on the streets Hydrangea and Agapanthus, the lily in denial are common. The Eucalyptus woods and acacia gardens are hand planted. There are rose woods, Madeira mahogany and cotton wood trees. The African tulip tree bursts into school of blossoms. The bougainvillea climbs up walls and fences and we haven’t even mentioned the numerous Botanical Gardens which almost compete with each other as to where the scarce serve more beautiful and more particular plants are. Especially beautiful are the Orchid Gardens in Funchal and the Botanical Garden in Monte at the terminal point of the cable railway. In addition, the flower shops are spectacular. The florists still wear old, colorful national costumes.