Madeira Islands: Europe's Leading Island Destination 2013

Ponta Delgada (North coast of Madeira) in May 2012 [ © Nelio ]

Madeira Islands elected the Europe's Leading Island Destination by World Travel Awards. Its 20th edition took place in Turkey, on the 31st of August, 2013.

Give yourself a chance to experience Madeira Islands and come to visit us in Sofia's Place in Jardim do Mar, one of the most exclusive, dreamy and romantic places around.

Madeira offers unspoilt and breathtaking scenery with impressive high cliffs emerging directly from the ocean. «It’s the most dramatic landscape I have ever seen», says dear friend and surfer William Henry about Madeira, refering to the towering cliffs, rocky shores, waterfalls and seas of azure.

«As a child I often dreamed of a landscape like Madeira, because one much like it is often described in fairy tales and children’s stories», adds the above quoted friend. «Every year I find something new, and yet every year I am awe-struck by the same cliffs, gardens, waterfalls and waves that I witnessed on my first voyage.» (Read more)

More information on Madeira Islands:
www.visitmadeira.pt

 

Max Römer's paintings of Madeira in Calheta

Exhibition open since March 15 until November 30, 2013

Max Römer lived four decades in Madeira, however, only a privileged few were actually aware of the vastness of his work.

This exhibition is unprecedented insofar as it displays to the public many of his unpublished works. Furthermore, it brings to light distinct qualities and versatile skills developed over the years by Max Römer, such as advertising, graphic work and religious paintings of an impressive scale.

An option based on the determination to make this exhibition a worthy contribution to better the understanding of this German painter, bom in Hamburg that sought Madeira Island in the early nineteen hundreds, where he settled to prove himself and his remarkable passion for art.

His watercolours emerge as the most referenced and divulged among the array of works produced. This exhibition patents and reconfirms that reality but also acts as a wicket door allowing for an insight in relation to other aspects of the creation of Max Römer that have never been revealed.

Commissioner: António Rodrigues

Exhibition open since March 15 until November 30, 2013:
Tuesday - Sunday from 10h00 to 18h00

Centro das Artes, Casa das Mudas
Estrada Simão Gonçalves Câmara, 37
9370-139 Calheta
Tel. 291 820 900

Madeira goodies

Madeira goodies in Castrinhos Bar, Pub and Grocery

In Funchal, Caminho do Pinheiro das Voltas, nr.12 (Monday-Saturday: from 07h00 to 00h00 and Sunday from 08h00 to 15h00)

Jardim do Mar from air

Jardim do Mar by Hugo Reis

Check our Jardim do Mar slideshow

Whales outside Jardim do Mar

Jardim do Mar 2012

Please, click on picture to enlarge

http://www.lobosonda.com/

Dolphins just outside Jardim do Mar

Jardim do Mar 2012

Please, click on picture to enlarge

(Photo copyright: unknown)

Old Madeira (4)

Basic carriages of wood, mounted on wooden runners, lubricated with grease and pulled at a sedate pace by oxen. These "carros de bois" were, legend has it, said to have been introduced to the island by a British Army Officer who required a means of transport for his invalid wife. It was then used for tourism purposes in the 20th century (until at least the 70's).

More information and pictures:
The Madeiran Sleigh Ride Without Snow
Carros de bois (sleigh pulled by oxen)

Portinho

Portinho rocky beach at Jardim do Mar.

Sugar cane to the rum factory

Sugar cane comes in trucks to the rum factory in Calheta. You can make a visit and try the traditional cake and rum.

Eco tourism & Madeira & Sofia's Place

Balcões in Ribeiro Frio (photo by Turismo de Portugal)

EcoTourism is sustainable tourism, conciliating innovation and tradition.

Sofia's Place owners embrace the principles of sustainable tourism, contributing to the conservation and interpretation of the natural heritage of Madeira's Archipelago. We advise our guests to take outdoor activities as we believe the knowledge of the species and their habitats helps protecting them. The island's unique landscape and natural patrimony deserve all our attention.

Sustainable tourism is tourism attempting to make a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate future employment for local people. It means ensuring that development brings a positive experience for local people, tourism companies and the tourists themselves.

The goal is to avoid tourism causing a great stress on remaining biologically diverse habitats such as the Laurissilva Forest of Madeira which are often used to support mass tourism.

Tourists who promote sustainable tourism are sensitive to these dangers and seek to protect tourist destinations, and to protect tourism as an industry. Sustainable tourists can reduce the impact of tourism in many ways, including:

- informing themselves of the culture, politics and economy of the communities visited;
- anticipating and respecting local cultures, expectations and assumptions;
- contributing to intercultural understanding and tolerance;
- supporting the integrity of local cultures by favoring businesses which conserve cultural heritage and traditional values;
- supporting local economies by purchasing local goods and participating with small, local businesses;
- conserving resources by seeking out businesses that are environmentally conscious, and by using the least possible amount of non - renewable energies.

UNESCO World Heritage
The world’s largest LAURISSILVA forest is located on the island of Madeira. In 1999 the 15,000 hectare indigenous ‘living relic’ was awarded the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site. It plays an important role in the ecological balance of Madeira thus sustaining the endemic flora and fauna.
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Related info:
NATURE & ADVENTURE in Madeira Islands
MADEIRA NATURE

text adapted from here

Carnival in Madeira 2012

Photo by Teresa Gonçalves (´www.dnoticias.pt)

The picture shows the Carnival parade last Saturday in the streets of Funchal, Madeira islands. (Carnival Program 2012: FRENCH, ENGLISH and GERMAN)

«Traditionally there are two Carnival parades in Madeira. The most important one, the allegoric parade, which takes place always on the Saturday of the Carnival weekend, is the more sophisticated one and needs a great deal of commitment and organisation from all the groups and the people involved. Numerous Samba groups with thousands of participants in magnificent and colourful costumes dance to electrifying Samba music through the streets of Funchal, spreading an ambiance evoking the Carnival of Rio.

The second parade, called ‘trapalhão’, traditionally floods the streets of the city centre with thrilling joy on ‘Mardi gras’ (Tuesday ending the Carnival period). In this parade everybody can take part and the – sometimes quite daring – costumes and depicted caricatures are left to the participants’ own imagination.

Both parades have a defined itinerary in the city centre and end at the Municipal Square where more entertainment with live music and costume competitions is provided.»
http://www.madeira-web.com/

Madeira in TOP 10

Madeira's North Coast (Seixal Village) by Franz Aberham / Getty

Madeira island in the TOP 10 in Europe.

Calheta municipality (Southwest of Madeira)

Calheta municipality, in the Southwest of Madeira, is the sunniest area of the island. It is where Sofia's Place is located. Jardim do Mar village is part of Calheta.

New Year's Eve 2012 firework show in Madeira

Funchal "dressed up" with thousands of lights

Christmas time. For this magic time of the year the streets of Funchal get beautifully ‘dressed up’ with thousands of lights in numerous colours. The magnificent Christmas decoration all over Funchal together with the fantastic New Year’s Eve fireworks and activities make Madeira Island one of the most attractive ‘reveillons’ destinations, to which already so many people return every year to experience this special ambience over and over again.

Porto Santo, 2 hours away by ferry

Picture taken by Nelio with a mobile phone, last week, while on holiday there - click on to view it

Porto Santo island is also a good option if you come to Madeira islands. It's a two hour trip by ferry from Funchal, capital of Madeira. The ferry leaves in the morning and comes back in the evening. If want to get there very quickly, go by plane. You have got good hotels overthere to stay as long you wish.

Porto Santo has got this long and beautiful beach, but do not expect to get sunny days and too hot temperatures all the time even in Summer. Sometimes it gets even cool and windy. This little, exotic and dreamy island is best for resting, relaxing, get away from everything, playing golf, do water sports, do some health treatments with the island sand known for its (proven) healing properties and go for a swim in the celar blue-greenish sea water.

The substance or cure that the beach sand supposedly contains is a carbonated material, discovered to have a healing, therapeutic application for humans. And with such report, the Island has built a thalassotherapy health clinic.

But if you ever wondered what it would be like to personally try the sands healing properties, you need to go down and cover your whole body with the beach sand. Dig yourself in and enjoy a day down at the beach and test it for yourself , some swear by it.

Sugar cane gets to Calheta's rum factory

Sugar cane is transported in trucks to the factory in Calheta

In April farmers harvest their sugar cane plantations on the South side of the island and take them in trucks to the rum / sugar cane honey factory and museum in Calheta. It's 5 minutes away from Sofia's Place.

At this time of the year you can visit the factory and see the very old machinery still working like in the old days, check how rum and honey are produced and taste the products in their shop.

Carnival in Madeira

Carnival parade 2011 in Madeira

Carnival is lived with quite intensity by people in Funchal, the Islands's capital. Traditionally there are two Carnival parades in Madeira, and they are very different from each other.

The most important one, the allegoric parade, which takes place always on the Saturday of the Carnival weekend, is the more sophisticated one and needs a great deal of commitment and organisation from all the groups and the people involved.

Numerous Samba groups with thousands of participants in magnificent and colourful costumes dance to electrifying Samba music through the streets of Funchal, spreading an ambiance evoking the Carnival of Rio. It can be criticised precisely because of following the Rio's Carnival... It could be (more) original and based on Madeiran own Carnival traditions.

The second parade, called "trapalhão", traditionally floods the streets of the city centre with thrilling joy on "Mardi gras" (Tuesday ending the Carnival period). In this parade everybody can take part and the – sometimes quite daring – costumes and depicted caricatures are left to the participants' own imagination.

At least one month before the Carnival peak time the best-known and established Carnival groups visit the hotels and entertain the guests with dance and music performances.

Old Madeira (3)

Monte Train

The Monte Train exploded at the 10th of September 1919, killing some people. Even after this event, the “Comboio” went on until the 17th of May 1943. Shortly after the last trip it was taken down.

Maybe one day the old train will be replaced by a modern funicular, similar in appearance, with room for 60 passengers. The project had a budget of €6.5 million but in the present crisis no one knows for sure. The works haven’t started yet. It is planned to run the same course of the original route, but only between stations at Largo da Fonte in Monte and Terreiro da Luta.

Madeira on Global Traveler

«Any month is the time to be in Madeira», stresses Global Traveler

Goblal Traveler, the American magazine, dedicates the cover story of January 2011 issue to Madeira. You can read the article by Barbara Radcliffe Rogers following one of these links:

Global Traveler cover article on Madeira (magazine online)
Global Traveler cover article on Madeira (on a blog)

Some quotes:

«Brilliant red platter-sized poinsettias peered over garden fences at eye level, passion flowers and lilies bloomed, and the camellias were just bursting forth. Bougainvillea cascaded from every balcony, and morning glories climbed the walls. Bird of paradise, honeysuckle, hibiscus and a dozen varieties of lily painted the landscape. I realized then that any month is the time to be in Madeira.»

«I’d seen only the capital of Funchal on my first trip, so until the ride to Monte I had little idea of what spectacular landscapes lay beyond it. Now I was hungry for more than a glimpse of the steep and soaring mountains that fill the rest of the island.»

«This wild and ragged landscape is made even more dramatic by lakes and rushing rivers, rock outcrops and soaring cliffs that end abruptly at the sea.»

«Most of the island is carpeted in subtropical greenery, 20 percent of it UNESCO World Heritage laurel forests now long extinct in mainland Europe.»

«To irrigate it, in the early 1500s Madeira farmers began building waterways that bring water from mountain springs. More than 1,200 miles of these levadas carry water in nearly horizontal lines along the mountainsides, sometimes carved into cliff faces at dizzying heights. Alongside the levadas, their maintenance paths have become very popular walking trails.»