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Madeira is one of those places that will stay with you in your dreams long after you’ve returned home. It's a region of Portugal that's made up of four islands located off the northwest coast of Africa. Visitors to the “Pearl of the Atlantic” find it easy to adopt the relaxed yet sophisticated lifestyle of the locals, while enjoying the many treasures the island has to offer. Most notable among them are incredible landscapes, wonderful wine and fantastic food.
Madeira Beaches, Mountains and More
Beautiful blue skies and sea, impressive valleys and mountains, tropical fruits and flowers...the list goes on and on when it comes to Madeira’s natural wonders. Visitors are drawn to a Madeira tour for many reasons, but its magnificent landscapes coated with lush vegetation, exotic flowers and fruits along with beautiful pebble beaches, ancient forests, mountains and volcanic caves make Madeira’s natural wonders one of the biggest points of interest.
Here are just a few highlights to jumpstart the nature lover in you:
- The Botanical Garden of Madeira has a vast collection of more than 2,500 plants from every continent.
- Paul da Serra plateau is sprinkled with the most magnificent scenic country landscapes.
- The lively fishing village of Porto Moniz is renowned for its natural volcanic pools.
- Ribeiro Frio (Cold River) is famous for its superb natural beauty.
- The Madeira Island Nature Reserve covers about two thirds of Madeira Island and is the perfect place to take in Madeira’s abundant and diverse flora and fauna.
Wonderful Madeira Wine
The region is famous for its wine that has a very distinctive flavor due to a unique maturation process that’s like no other in the world. Madeira wine has been enjoyed by people the world over for a very long time. It’s even said that Shakespeare enjoyed it while writing a play for Henry IV, and a character in the play sells his soul for a glass of it. Historians tell us that it was the wine of choice during the signing of the American Declaration of Independence, and ladies back in the day even used it to perfume their scarves.
Its reputation for being a unique wine goes back to a time when it was accidentally discovered that wine that was exposed to heat and movement during long journeys on ships was transformed into something wonderfully different.
Wine producers started to expose their wines to heat, movement and air—something other winemakers would never dream of! The product is something quite unique that has made its mark on history all over the globe. When in Madeira, make sure you have a glass of this very special wine.
Incredible Madeiran Cuisine
Visitors are in for a culinary treat! Since the weather is so amenable and the soil so fertile, there is a huge variety of exotic fruit to enjoy. You can also find some typical Portuguese delights as well as a few things that are Madeiran classics.
- Fish and Seafood: The islands of Madeira are surrounded by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Fresh fish and seafood are available in abundance and prepared in many different ways. Traditional dishes include tuna, calamari, the quintessential Portuguese staple of salted cod called bacalhau, and many other delicacies from the sea.
- Meat dishes: Espetada is the one of the tastiest dishes you’ll find. Imagine delicious pieces of tender beef (and sometimes chicken) coated in garlic and salt that’s been skewered on a bay leaf stick and grilled. In Madeira, it’s often served with a side of french fries.
- Tropical fruit: Due to the wonderfully rich volcanic soil, Madeira produces a marvelous variety of exotic fruits. Enjoy sampling custard apples, passion fruit, guava, bananas and so many other examples of mother nature’s candy.
If traveling to Madeira isn’t something you had considered before, I’m willing to bet it’s getting closer to the top of your list now. Prepare to be swept away by this beautiful place.
