Madeira

It is all over social media with the name of the “Hawaii of Europe”. Can we blame them? Crystal-clear waters, lush vegetation, mild climate all year round and mouth-watering food.

We are talking about the Madeira archipelago of islands in the Atlantic Ocean, near the North African coast. It consists of two major islands, Madeira and Porto Santo, three smaller uninhabited islands called Desertas and two more, also uninhabited, called Wild Islands.

Temperatures range from 16/18 degrees in the coldest months, from December to February, to 24/25 degrees in the hottest months, from June to September. Thanks to this climate, the growth of tropical flowers and fruits is highly developed.

The archipelago, together with Cape Verde, the Azores and the Canary Islands, forms Macronesia.

Islands of volcanic origin offer striking landscapes such as the beautiful volcanic caves. Cabo Girão, where there is the second highest cliff in the world, 580 metres

The Madeira Forest, considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. New Year’s Eve in Funchal is in the Guinness Book of Records as the town with the world’s largest fireworks display.

If there is one thing we can be sure of, it is that Madeira is full of surprises and you certainly won’t get bored.

Having passed through the hands of different populations, the archipelago returned to the Portuguese in 1419. At that time it was uninhabited and covered in thick forests, hence the name Ilha da Madeira, which translated as Island of Wood.

Nature reigns supreme, the gardens always blooming and manicured, an explosion of colour; the pristine forests; the waterfalls that give it a fairy-tale feel; the typical food accompanied by their famous wine.

A few ingredients – fish, meat, fruit and vegetables – of excellent quality will make you fall in love with the island’s cuisine. Some dishes not to be missed are the scabbard fish with banana, the “bolo do caco”, a typical Madeiran bread made from sweet potatoes. Almost all dishes are accompanied by fruit, such as avocado, bananas and maracuja. It is no coincidence that the island is full of tropical fruit markets, but beware, don’t be fooled, they are not all local products.

Well-known and local are the Madeira bananas that come in many varieties, different in every way from those we find in our country. The avocado, maracuja and mango are also worth mentioning.

As for the wine, well there is little to say, you just have to taste it to understand!

I already can’t wait to leave, can you?