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Madeira, a tranquil, rugged island in the Atlantic just north of the Canaries and some 400 miles off the coast of Morocco was discoverd by a Portuguese navigator in 1419 and claimed on behalf of 'Henry the Navigator'. It was settled a few years later and, because of its' position, grew in importance, becoming a stepping stone for many intrepid explorers - indeed Columbus married one of the daughters of the island's governor and lived here for a while. The island came under Spanish rule, but later returned to independence and strong ties were formed with Britain which remain to this day. During the wars with Napoleon, a British force was stationed on the island and many of the troops married local girls, their descendants being amongst the present 300,000 population.
The island, 36 miles long and 14 miles wide, became a natural stopping off point for ships on the way to the New World, Asia and the Far East and today those merchants are replaced by cruise ships including Madeira as a port of call. It is not surprising that Madeira has long been popular with British visitors, having a sub-tropical climate with warm summers and winters and an abundance of exotic plants introduced by those early travellers including the bird of paradise flower, a wide variety of orchids, the flamingo flower and lots of fruit including bananas, oranges, apples, mango and paw paw. It is an ideal holiday destination for those seeking peace and relaxation.
Funchal, the picturesque capital, is set on hillsides overlooking the wide bay, and is the tourist centre. There are many sightseeing opportunities with a wealth of spectacular scenery, organised walks, graded according to ability, boat trips to nearby islands, coach trips around the island, Cabo Girão, a breathtaking cliff which rises just over 1900 feet sheer from the sea, and, of course the wine lodges for tastings of the local product!
All of our Madeira tours are eight days/seven nights duration and fly on Mondays from a selection of UK airports, but can easily be extended to as many weeks as you like! There is a wide range of 3 to 5 star hotels to choose from, situated throught the island, including the 4 star Pestana Bay Hotel (pictured left) located just outside Funchal.
Please note that all of our Madeira holidays are operated in conjunction with Atlantic Holidays - ATOL 2074
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