The underwater ridge, formed as a result of volcanic activity and rising above the ocean waves with the green caps of the archipelago, still amazes with its pristine beauty. Black ridges of solidified lava, surrounding the islands with dangerous reefs, give them a truly fantastic view, and the mountain slopes, covered with a carpet of outlandish flowers, cast a thick shadow over the azure waters of the ocean. The largest of these fabulous islands are named Madeira and Porto Santo. The multitude of attractions make a vacation in Portugal a journey through centuries of history.
Medieval resort
The group of islands located to the west of Morocco was discovered by European sailors quite late - only in the 15th century. The fertile subtropical climate, the abundance of exotic plants and the very picturesque location of the islands very quickly made the largest of them a favorite vacation spot for the European nobility. Plus, if your destination is Portugal, the tours are sure to include tasting local fine wines. Already by the 19th century, the wilderness of Madeira and Porto Santo coexisted with the walls of magnificent mansions and the bizarre geometry of gardens.
Little Lisbon
The capital of Madeira, Funchal, got its name from the wild fennel that is still abundant in this area. The Portuguese call this city Little Lisbon because of its unusual layout and eclectic style of building. Madeira's main square is home to the 18th century town hall and the Museum of Sacred Art, housed in a palace that once belonged to the bishop. Once you visit the building that was once a monastery of the Franciscans, you will be taken to the home of one of the most famous Portuguese Madeira wines.
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Legendary wine
As often happens in history, we owe the appearance of a wonderful wine to a coincidence. Legend has it that a huge shipment of Madeira, destined for export, returned to its homeland, as the Indian customer died before the cargo arrived. The Portuguese merchant who learned about this almost killed himself, believing that during the long journey, Madeira had managed to turn into vinegar. However, for his own happiness and ours, he nevertheless decided to try the wine before that. Imagine the amazement and joy of the merchant when he discovered that Madeira not only did not spoil, but played with new facets of taste and aroma. Winemakers have long tried to unravel the secret of the returned wine: for example, it was proposed to shake the bottles, imitating the rocking of the ship. In the end, it turned out that the real reason was the life-giving sunlight,falling on bottles while traveling.
Madeira mystery
Many tourists, however, are attracted to the island not by wonderful views, not by the romantic atmosphere of antiquity and not by excellent wine. They hope to witness an extraordinary phenomenon, the nature of which is still undergoing scientific debate. If at the right moment you find yourself on some hill and glance at the ocean, you can see how the clouds are cut through by a golden ray, falling on the surface of the water with a light spot of the correct shape. Skeptics argue that this is just sunlight breaking through the clouds, but this version does not explain the extraordinary density of the beam, which, like a searchlight, cuts the ocean depths for several seconds or even minutes. Adherents of the UFO version suggest that an alien base is located near the island on the ocean floor or even under it. The believers in the Portuguese claimthat it is angels descending from heaven along the golden staircase to preserve the blossoming islands of the archipelago.