Search results
Madeira island is home to several endemic plant and animal species. In the south, there is very little left of the indigenous subtropical rainforest that once covered the whole island [citation needed] (the original settlers set fire to the island to clear the land for farming) and gave it the name it now bears (Madeira means "wood" in ...
- 801 km² (309 sq mi)
- 1418–1419
- 30 April 1976
- Funchal
Discover the charms of Madeira, a subtropical island with a natural and cultural wealth. Explore the Laurissilva Forest, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the diverse coasts, mountains and events of the island.
Madeira Island. / 32.65111°N 16.90972°W / 32.65111; -16.90972. Madeira is a Portuguese island, and is the largest and most populous of the Madeira Archipelago. It has an area of 740.7 km 2 (286 sq mi), including Ilhéu de Agostinho, Ilhéu de São Lourenço, Ilhéu Mole (northwest). As of 2021, Madeira had a total population of 245,595.
- 740.7 km² (286.0 sq mi)
- Pico Ruivo, 1,862 m (6,109 ft)
- 267,785 (2011)
- Atlantic Ocean
- Hike a levada or a vereda. Nearly all of Madeira’s rain falls on the island’s north shore, so to facilitate agriculture on the island’s south, its early settlers created a series of man-made aqueducts known as levadas.
- Ride a cable car. Madeira’s coast is home to fajãs, areas backed by cliffs that were previously only accessible to boats. That is until a series of cable cars were built.
- Swim in a natural pool. The waters that surround Madeira have both an otherworldly azure hue and a temperature that’s accessible year-round. Unfortunately, the island’s rugged geography and stone beaches mean that accessing that water isn’t always easy.
- Taste fortified wine. Madeira’s eponymous wine was created when barrels of the stuff spent months on ships baking in the hot sun. This happy accident caused the wines to oxidize, giving them an entirely new and desirable set of flavors and aromas.
Find out everything you need to know about Madeira Island, a beautiful and safe holiday destination with an all year round summer climate. Explore its attractions, activities, weather, accommodation, live webcams and more.
People also ask
How big is Madeira?
Is Madeira a good place to travel?
Why is Madeira a wet island?
Is Madeira a Portuguese island?
Discover Madeira and Porto Santo, two Atlantic islands with unique landscapes, beaches, culture and gastronomy. Find out how to get here, where to stay, what to do and when to visit.
Madeira Islands. Madeira Islands, archipelago of volcanic origin in the North Atlantic Ocean, belonging to Portugal. It comprises two inhabited islands, Madeira and Porto Santo, and two uninhabited groups, the Desertas and the Selvagens. The islands are the summits of mountains that have their bases on an abyssal ocean floor.
