You might have heard a lot about Madeira Island in recent years or you might have had the misfortune to not really know anything about this beautiful place. Either way, there are many interesting facts and fascinating curiosities that might pique your interest. And who knows, perhaps you will want to visit Madeira Island after learning about it a bit more.
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What is Madeira?
Madeira is one of those words that means many different things. It’s the name of the island, however, Madeira is also the name of an archipelago (consisting of Madeira island, Porto Santo, and the Desertas). But Madeira is also used as a name for one of the two autonomous Portuguese regions (the other one is The Azores). It has its own capital, Funchal, and was given autonomy by Portugal on July 1st, 1976. Finally, ‘Madeira’ also means ‘wood’ in Portuguese. The island was named after its lush forests, some of which have survived to this day and are protected under UNESCO.
When was Madeira discovered?
People often claim that the island was first discovered by the Portuguese at the beginning of their colonial Age of Discovery between the 15th and 16th centuries. But there seems to be ample evidence that sailors knew about the island well before that since it is sometimes included on maps from the 14th century. The oldest mention of the island seems to go back to the 1st century AD, to the Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder, but this is yet to be proven.
What is Madeira known for?
You might have heard a mention of Madeira wine, but its history is actually rather fascinating. Winemaking in Madeira dates back to the 15th century when wine baring ships stopped here on their way to East Asia. They hauled the wine in barrels under the hot ocean sun which aged the wine in a specific way. Madeira winemakers noticed this and emulated the process on the island, creating the now-famous Madeira wine. It was so popular in the past that it was actually one of Thomas Jefferson’s favorite wines and he even used it to christen the 1797 U.S. Declaration of Independence. So if you ever get to Madeira as a digital nomad, a remote worker, or even just as a tourist, definitely taste this historical delicacy.
What can you see in Madeira?
It may come as no surprise that an archipelago like Madeira is a perfect place for scuba tourism. What might surprise you, however, is that you can dive to Madeirense, a ferry which was purposefully sunk in 2000 to create an artificial reef. Another thing you might not expect is the subtle colorfulness of the Zona Velha (old town) of Funchal. Here you can notice many painted doorways which are all part of the public spur of creativity that is the Painted Doors Project. Check out some of the wonderful scenes and images here. Lastly, if you visit the island on New Year’s Eve, you might witness one of the world’s largest fireworks displays. It even got recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2006.
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