Madeira is a volcanic island with a very rough landscape and plunging cliffs. Albeit being a rather small island, it boosts a total of 7 scenic cable cars. Two of them are well known to Madeira visitors, namely the cable car linking the city of Funchal to Monte and the one linking Monte to the …
Soup plays a fundamental role in today local Madeira gastronomy. A soup is a typical dish served at nearly all meals. Feira das Sopas do Campo – Boaventura For the 17th time in 2019, the “Casa do Povo” or house of the people of Boaventura runs its solidarity soup fair – Feiras das Sopas do …
Origins The sweet potato originates in South America. Indigenous people of Central and South America domesticated this plant about 5000 years ago. Hence, they ate sweet potato well before their land was “discovered”. The sweet potato, called batata doce in Portuguese (Ipomoea batatas) is a plant belonging to the bindweed or morning glory family. Certainly, …
Festivals Madeira is well known for its dramatic cliffs “falling” into the ocean, for its lush and colorful vegetation and for its black sand beaches. However, Madeira is also synonym with Festivals. So, we just experienced Carnival and the Flower Festival, and around the corner arrives the Atlantic Festival. Atlantic Festival Certainly, this festival kicks …
This year again and for the 17th time, the parish of Curral das Freiras organizes its ‘Mostra do Brigalhó’. Canary Lord-and-Ladies But you may ask: “what is a brigalho?” It is a plant called Canary Lord-and-Ladies (Botanical name: Arum italicum ssp. Canariensis) The brigalho is the rarest of all Arum italicum subspecies. It makes green …
O Brinquinho – a traditional music instrument on Madeira A brinquinho (or little toy if one translates literally) is a very popular instrument on Madeira. Tourists and locals alike fondly think of this instrument. It leaves no one untouched. The curious instrument consists of small dolls dressed in traditional dress. The figures carry a small …
Blog and Madeira’s North Coast It is always delightful to be featured in a renowned blog, namely Le Big Trip. A couple of French world wanderers expatriated in Australia decided to explore Madeira Island with their baby son. They describe the North Coast of Madeira as in striking contrast to the South. The North Coast …
Cristiano Ronaldo – Part Six Cristiano Ronaldo is Madeira’s miracle son. He no longer needs to be introduced. Please follow these links if you missed the previous CR7 – Facts, Figures and Trivia parts: part one, part two, part three, part four and part five. Fact 20 On 9 June 2010, Madame Tussauds London unveiled …
Faja de Cabo Girao The Rancho Cable Car connects the viewpoint “Rancho” to the Fãja de Cabo Girão. This Fãja lays just below the emblematic and well-known highest vertical drop cliff of Europe, Cabo Girão. So after a visit of Cabo Girão we recommend an excursion down to the fields seen from the cliff. Rancho …
A German Painter in Madeira: Max Römer Max Wilhelm Römer saw the light on November 22nd, 1878 in Hamburg, Germany. His wife became ill and upon the recommendation of a Danish friend, he decided to move to Madeira due to its mild climate. He packed belongings, wife and children onto the Brazilian steamboat “Curvello” with …
