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MADEIRA
The Madeira Islands have a different glimmer that has earned it the name of ‘The Pearl of the Atlantic’. Warm, sunny and mild, the floating Garden forever brims with diverse tones of smiles and hues, making it the right destination for a perfect vacation. Eponymous to the amber-coloured dessert wine, Madeira is going to leave the visitor as high as the hovering sea gull above the set of the Portuguese archipelago. The name stands for ‘Woods’ in Portuguese.
The first thing to look forward on arrival is a decent accommodation, which can be found in abundance throughout the Purple Islands (as the Romans used to call it), at the cities of Funchal – The Capital of the Madeiras, Porto Santo (Vila Baleira), Ribeira Brava, Machico, Câmara de Lobos, Santa Cruz, and Calheta. The ones who would prefer moving South shall find the remnants of the indigenous Lauri-Silva forest that covered the island till the original settlers got rid of it; moving northwards shall bring the tourist to the valleys that still contain some of the native trees. These Lauri-Silva forests are currently a World Heritage site.
The geographical location of Madeira offers a pleasant climate; thanks also go to the mountainous landscapes. Temperatures range between 22 degrees Celsius and 16 degrees Celsius, though the mild humidity imparts the island a subtropical flavour.
The 'Bolo de mel' (traditional Honey Cake) from the hands of the Madeirensas (Madeira women) is definitely a go-go; however, to stay alive and witness the country from all possible angles requires a proper place to house ones’s own self – the even and easily accessible hotel, hostel, apartment for rent and economic bed and breakfast chains provide ample head and legrooms to start a new morning afresh.
So what else can be expected from the place providing accommodation to 250,000-odd inhabitants? A view of the past through the historical monuments, streets and plazas (praças), all within the comforts of the jet-age.
Camara de Lobos
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