Surfing paradise If there is a place in Madeira that stands out from the other in the Island in terms of waves, that place is undoubtedly Jardim do Mar. This place is a true paradise for surfers, where world class competitions have frequently taken place. In the civil parish of Jardim do Mar, the […]
”Protected” by an islet The name Fajã da Ovelha is believed to be owed to the fact that, once upon a time, a shepherd lost a sheep (ovelha) in the fajã – a kind of platform, which in this case the sedimentation made possible to be used by men – and that episodes such […]
A settlement since the 16th century The characteristic aspect of the area, which looks like a canyon or a deep valley, made the first settlers call this place, located on the western side of Madeira Island, Estreito da Calheta (estreito means “narrow valley”) Today, the civil parish is part of Calheta municipality, one of the […]
Fertile land The name Calheta originated from the narrow inlet that serves as its harbour. In fact, that is what Calheta actually means: narrow inlet. The name was given by the discoverers that first arrived there. The town of Calheta is characterised by being squeezed by high mountains, while at the same time embracing the […]
One of the first colonised areas The configuration of the hills in a semi-circle, reminding of an arch, ended up by motivating the first settlers to call Arco da Calheta (Calheta arch) to this civil parish in the Calheta municipality. Arco da Calheta civil parish was one of the first places in Madeira Island being […]
The light house parish Pargo is the name of a fish (sea bream) that exists in the seas of Madeira, and that abounds in that coastal area. For that reason, the first settlers called the most western part of Madeira Island Ponta do Pargo. The settlement began with Garcia da Câmara, João Gonçalves Zarco’s […]
Quietness by the sea After, for many years, having had just one access road, where you had to pass whether you were coming or going, Paúl do Mar has today another entry point. As such, to get to this flat ground by the sea, it is now easier and more accessible. People no longer emigrate […]
Halfway up on the hillside The civil parish of Santa Luzia is located in an area of 134 hectares (331 acres). It has about 7 thousand inhabitants and is characterised for being a residential area with schools and, of course, a church – the Church of Santa Luzia. The civil parish is not […]
The civil parish of the cathedral The civil parish of Sé was established in 1557. Sé is located right at the heart of the city of Funchal. Sé (which in Portuguese means Cathedral) stands out due to the magnificent Manueline style Cathedral, which embellishes the whole city centre. The civil parish of Sé […]
The beautiful parish Prazeres. The beauty it offers is in the origin of the name (pleasure, in English). The civil parish arises from the original headquarters of the ecclesiastic parish, the chapel of Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres, built there long before the ecclesiastic parish was created. Prazeres stands out as being a wide terrace. […]
The parish of the Church The civil parish of Imaculado Coração de Maria is located very close to the city of Funchal. We would say it has Estrada do Til as its backbone, from where countless roads arrive and depart. It is on this road that on the crossing with Rua da Levada, […]
Land of museums The civil and ecclesiastic parish of São Pedro was established by Decree, on August 1, 1566. São Pedro is located very close to the city centre of Funchal. Above all, it is an area with a strong residential presence and some of the most important museums of the capital. […]
The Old Quarters The civil parish of Santa Maria Maior was the birth place of the city of Funchal. The Old Quarters of the city are located in this civil parish. Santa Maria Maior is sprinkled with History a little everywhere. Rua de Santa Maria, the oldest street on Madeira Island, is located in […]
From the city centre to the mountain The civil parish of Santo António is located on the north-eastern part of the city centre, on the way to the mountain. Santo António has about 22 thousand inhabitants, and an area of 2,221 hectares (5,488 acres). It is a very large civil parish, characterised by […]
The parish of the “carts” Monte is one the most representative parishes of the city of Funchal. Located high up on the capital’s natural amphitheatre, it is limited to the north by the mountain. There you can find Church of Monte. This church is the burial place of the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Karl I. […]
An exceptional view The civil parish of São Roque is located on a high point in the city of Funchal. For that reason, you can enjoy some incredible views over the city of Funchal. Also due to the breathtaking view, São Roque has become a large residential area. The weather is somewhat cool, […]
The parish of the good weather The civil parish of São Martinho was established in 1579. São Martinho is located west of Funchal city centre. It is spread over a large flat area of land, with the occasional slopes. One of the most widely known viewing points in Madeira Island was built in […]
The parish with the views The civil parish of São Gonçalo was established in 1565. It is located east of the city of Funchal. Given its development all the way up the hillside, from it you can have one of the most beautiful views over the city of Funchal. As such, there is […]
The civil parish of the reserve The civil parish of Caniço stands out for being a tourism destination by excellence, at Caniço de Baixo. The number of beds has increased so much that today this parish constitutes the second largest hotel offering on the Madeira group of islands, after Funchal. To add to […]
Wickerwork and Folklore Camacha is one of the civil parishes most visited by tourists, particularly due to its wickerwork and folkloric tradition. In fact, it is internationally known for “bailinho da Madeira” (traditional folk dance from Madeira), as well as for its wickerwork handicraft centre. As such, the visitor can find in Camacha all types […]