Physical Geography - Madeira lies in the Atlantic Ocean at roughly 800 km from the African Coast and 980 km from Lisbon.

Size - 741 km2
Latitude - 38º N
Longitude - 17º W

CAPITAL - Funchal

CLIMATE - Madeira has exceptional climatic conditions which make it a tourist resort all the year round.

ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY - Besides the tourism, which is the key industry, there are still the local industries: hand-made embroidery, tapestry, handicraft and wickerwork, well-known all over the world, as well as the famous Madeira Wine. Grapes, bananas and sugar cane are still the Island's principal crops, but it also grows a variety of vegetables, fruit and flowers. A new free trade zone with an offshore centre, commercial and industrial areas is set up.

DEMOGRAPHY - The two inhabitable Islands are Madeira and Porto Santo have a total population of about 300.000. Funchal, its capital, has about 120.000 inhabitants.

RELIGION - The great majority of the population is Roman Catholic

LANGUAGE - Portuguese is the national language, being english, german, spanish and french widely spoken.

TIME - Greenwich Mean Time

CURRENCY - The unity of currency is the Euro

OFFICIAL HOLIDAYS - (All offices and shops closed)
January 1 - New Years Day
Carnival (movable)
Easter (movable)
April 25 - Liberty Day
May 1 - Worker Day
Corpus Christi (movable)
June 10 - Portugal Day
July 1 - Madeira Day
August 15 - Assumption
August 21 - City of Funchal Day
October 5 - Proclamation of the Republic
November 1 - All Saint's Day
December 1 - Restauration of Independence
December 8 - Immaculate Conception
December 25 and 26 - Christmas Days.

WHAT TO WEAR - Light clothes, being a sweater advisable. Casual dress and confortable walking shoes are appropriate to wear during the day while more formal is recommended for dining.

GASTRONOMY - There is a wide variety of fish from which we would recommend delicious dishes prepared from "espada" (black scabard fish), tuna fish, typical seafood... As far as meat dishes are concerned, we can recommend the "espetada" (meat barbecue) and the "carne de vinho e alhos" (marinated smalll pieces of pork in wine and garlic)... A soup made of tomatoes and onions, soup fish and the "bolo do caco" (a typical home made bread with garlic butter)are also typical for Madeira. The special honey cake, cookies and the typical desserts. Mention should be made of the very famous Madeira wine that can be drunk as an aperitif (very dry and medium dry) and as a dessert (sweet and medium sweet), "Poncha" (made with sugar cane brandy and honey), "aguardente de cana" (sugar cane brandy) and a large variety of liquers...

SHOPPING - Madeira Wine, hand made embroidery, tapestry, handicraft, wicker work, flowers and exotic fruits.

ELECTRICITY - 220 volts

The Madeira Airport (2.781 meters long)

Was inaugurated on 15th September, 2000, thus meaning that any type of plane, including wide bodies, can operate to this destination.

THE MADEIRA LAURISILVA FOREST - Was recognized by UNESCO, as Human Patrimony


"A TROPICAL ISLAND IN THE ATLANTIC" - The lush semi-tropical Island of Madeira, situated in the Atlantic Ocean, off the west coast of Africa, has long been one of Portugal's most sought after holiday destinations. Its lack of sandy beaches is more than made up for by the many excellent swimming pools and easily accessible neighbouring beach resort isle of Porto Santo, only 25 miles away, with 6 miles of golden sandy beach along the south coast. This Island was, in fact, the first landfall of the discoverer Zarco, who named it "Holy Port" in gratitude for being there during a storm in 1418.

Madeira offers a unique combination of extraordinarily beautiful scenerey, as well as excellent all year round climate.

Ships coming from the New World, Asia and the Far East stopped over at Madeira and often left specimens of exotic plants there.

The result was fantastic: the rich volcanic soil and warm climate was perfect for these plants and soon Madeira abounded in all manner of tropical fruits, vegetables and flowers.

Madeira is regarded as an all year round "floating garden". Bougainvellea, the jacaranda, the bird of paradise flower, the wide variety of orchids, the flamingo flower and many more.

Just a sight of these will take your breath away.

Bananas, oranges, lemons, apples, pears, melons, paw paw, mango, avocado, passion fruit all grow on the Island.

Madeira wines have made the Island famous. The trade with foreign countries started in the 18th century and has flourished ever since. Visit the wine lodges for tastings Malmsey - the sweetest, Bual - less sweet, Verdelho - medium and Sercial - the driest, to be drunk cold as an aperitif.

The high standards of accommodation satisfy every holidaymaker's dream.

There is an abundance of watersports, magnificent big game fishing, a 27 hole golf course at Santo da Serra - 24 kms from Funchal, plus a second golf course, (18 hole), at Quinta do Palheiro, in the surrounding of Funchal and good facilities for riding, tennis and unforgetable walks through the mountains and woodlands following the old irrigation channels (Levadas).