On March 6, 2024, the island of Madeira received the award for “Best Island Destination in Europe” and Porto Santo won the “Best Beach Destination in Europe”. at the World Travel Awards gala, which took place in Berlin (Germany).

Madeira Island offers tranquility, natural beauty and a fantastic climate throughout the year, with an average temperature ranging from 17ºC in winter to 25ºC in summer. The climate is also characterized by a series of microclimates, such that in a few kilometers it is possible to find great variability.

Madeira’s gastronomy is wonderful and you will definitely want to try the tuna steak with fried corn, the regional kebab or sword fillet with banana or even the grilled limpets or limpet rice, among many other delicacies. You can also try Madeira wine and learn a little about its history and production and Poncha, which is the traditional drink of the Archipelago, made with sugarcane brandy (distilled alcohol made from sugarcane juice), bee honey, sugar, lemon. More recently there are other varieties of Poncha, made with different fruit juices depending on your personal preference, but we recommend trying the traditional one and always made fresh.

The Autonomous Region of Madeira, located in the Atlantic Ocean, is formed by the islands of Madeira, Porto Santo, Desertas and Selvagens, the first two of which are habitable. The other two islands (Desertas and Selvagens) constitute nature reserves and are not inhabited, with the exception of nature watchers.

Madeira is part of Portuguese territory, with a population of around 250,000 inhabitants, thus constituting the sixth most populous region in the country. Since 1976, the Madeira Archipelago has been an Autonomous Region and has a Political-Administrative Statute and Government Bodies Own: the Legislative Assembly and the Regional Government.

The Archipelago is made up of 11 municipalities and 54 parishes, with the city of Funchal, located on the south coast, being the capital of the Region. The various councils/municipalities are distributed as follows: North Coast (Porto Moniz, São Vicente and Santana); South Coast (Funchal, Câmara de Lobos); East Coast (Machico, Santa Cruz); West Coast (Ribeira Brava, Ponta do Sol, Calheta) and Porto Santo.

Also noteworthy, in the Central Mountain Range, are Pico do Areeiro and Pico Ruivo. Madeira is characterized by a very rugged orography, which also defines its agriculture, made up essentially of small farms, also constituting a focus of interest for tourism and of particular importance at social and environmental levels. The main products are wine, bananas, potatoes, flowers and sugar cane. Fishing, although artisanal in nature, is also important for the regional economy, particularly swordfish, chicharro and tuna.

Tourism constitutes the largest source of income for the regional economy, which is essentially based on the tertiary sector.

Funchal is the capital of Madeira and the sixth largest city in the country, with around 105,795 inhabitants (2021 data), population density of 1,389 inhabitants per km2. The city of Funchal has an urban area of 76.15 km2.

The name Funchal, according to ancient historians, was due to the high abundance of fennel, a wild herb with a sweet smell, found by the first settlers when they disembarked on the Island.

The “natural amphitheater” that characterizes the city of Funchal is formed by the bay and the mountains. The urbanizable area extends from sea level to 800 meters, with the mountains to the north reaching around 1800 meters in altitude at the highest points of the island’s central mountain range.

The center of the municipality of Funchal is crossed by three rivers with a steep slope: Ribeira de São João, Ribeira de Santa Luzia and Ribeira de João Gomes.

Madeira offers a diverse set of tourist attractions throughout the year, including the Christmas and New Year Festivals, the Flower Festival, the Wine Festival, the Atlantic Festival and Carnival.

In addition to these posters, Madeira also offers a wide range of cultural, sporting and leisure activities that you can enjoy practically throughout the year.