Madeira is a green, subtropical paradise of volcanic origin, with it’s soils formed from lava and ash, and is completely different in character from the Portugese mainland. The daytime temperatures varies by just a few degrees either side of 20c, giving the island an all year round appeal. Madeira is in the Atlantic Oceon, some 1000km from Lisbon. Found in 1420 when Joao Goncalves Zarco set sail from Porto Santo(Madeiras sister island) which he had discovered a couple of years earlier by chance in an Atlantic storm. But when on Porto Santo, he could see a land through the mist and set sail. Zarco found a beautiful wooded island with abundant fresh water. The island was named Madeira, the name meaning wood.

The island quickly grew a colony and early settlers grew sugar cane, ideal for its climate, and the island soon became wealthy on this ’white gold’.

Today despite its hills Madeira still makes use of all its land to grow bannanas, flowers and grapes, though tourism is Madeira’s main source of income. As early as the 19th

century Madeira became popular with northern Europeans. The start of commercial flights in 1964 opened up the beauty of Madeira to the rest of the world. Today Madeira appeals to keen walkers, plant lovers and sun seekers, though it perhaps lacks the sandy beaches of Porto Santo.  

For pictures and a taste of Madeira click on this link site - http://www.madeira-live.com/foto-lib/funchal/funchal.html