BY Thisismadeiraisland
The name of Funchal derives from Foeniculum vulgare plant, the fennel plant. Reports at the time indicated that upon disembarking on the island, the first sight was a dense grove valley and an abundance of fennel plants essential in food and traditional desserts. Despite the abundance of fennel it was the sugar that provided the development of […]
BY Thisismadeiraisland
The village owes its name to São Vincent possibly due to the fact that when the first settlers of this northern area descended through Encumeada and toward the São Vicente valley they found numerous crows flying over the valley, and remembered the Spanish martyr, called Saint Vincent, whose remains were defended by one of those […]
BY Thisismadeiraisland
João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira discovered the island of Porto Santo in 1418 during the reign of Dom João I of Portugal.According to records the island was at first named ‘Holy Port’ by its discoverers as they found shelter here from a storm that was chasing them. Its first done was Bartolomeu Perestrelo, […]
BY Thisismadeiraisland
It was this traditional fishing village, situated five kilometres from Funchal, which inspired Sir Winston Churchill to paint its lovely surroundings. The village was given its name by the explorers João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira because of the shape of its bay and the many Mediterranean monk seals (‘lobos’) living there at the time. […]
BY Thisismadeiraisland
Characterised by its small thatched triangular houses, Santana is a beautiful village on the north coast. These small houses, built of natural stone and thatched with straw, have served the locals for centuries as stables and dwellings. This region, which comprises six parishes (Arco de São Jorge, Ilha, Faial, Santana, São Jorge and São Roque do Faial), lives […]