T
he
T
I
he
sland
G
alle
r
y
Madeira Island from space
Unaware of the wiles of the
When you arrive in Madeira, take a good look around. The pleasant
snake in the grass
soothing colours invade the senses with the different shades of
green set against an azure sea – the hallmark of the subtropics. The
And the fate of the maiden
island is full of small microclimates. The bay of Funchal, protected by
who topes,
the highest peaks, enjoys the best of sunshine yearound Further
She lowered her standards down the west coast at Ponta do Sol and Calheta, backed by the
by raising her glass, lower hills of the Paúl da Serra, the sun shines brighter during the
Her courage, her eyes and
winter months, but the coastline is more exposed to a southerly
his hopes.
blow.
She sipped it, she drank it,
she drained it, she did
And quietly he filled it
again
And he said as he secretly
carved one more notch
On the butt of his gold-
handled cane:
"Have some Madeira,
m'dear!
Porta da Cruz
- Michael Flanders
By origins the natives of Madeira are farmers, the island having been
originally settled by people from the Algarve region of Portugal. Still
today the largest single economic activity outside of Funchal is the
farming of small holdings, most of which are less than 1000 square
metres. Many of the popular ‘festas’ that are celebrated around the
island are linked to a certain product such as the cherry, the chestnut,
sugar cane and the vine.
Today, politics, roads and popular culture have united the various
parts of the island into a more homogeneous whole and the
remaining differences are those between Funchal and the so-called
‘campo’ (countryside).
Funchal Market
‘With Pestana, your well-being is our priority’
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