Madeira is an archipelago that sits on the north of the Atlantic Ocean. It is listed as one of Portugal’s autonomous regions, and it attracts tourists throughout the year. Famous for its fair share of excitement, Madeira’s New Year’s celebration made it to the Guinness Book of World Records. Madeira’s fireworks show is renowned for being the largest in the world.

Porto Santo is the only inhabited island in Madeira. This region enjoys a generous 9km coastline, and is a popular destination for the sun-struck tourist. Madeira’s capital is Funchal, which is a modern city home to 100,000 locals. Funchal has a gently sloping harbor which attracted its first settlers. The capital is almost five centuries old, and was named after the abundant growth of fennel (which is “funcho” in Portuguese) in the area.

The climate in Madeira is mildly humid throughout the year. Nature lovers flock the archipelago to see its diverse collection of flower species. The archipelago’s clean and preserved environment makes it a common nesting ground for migratory birds as well. Among the breeds found in Madeira are the Zino’s Petrel, the Trocaz Pigeon and the Madeira Firecrest.

Madeira was completely uninhabited by humans when the Portuguese first discovered it in 1419. Most of its early settlers were farmers from the Minho region, which makes Madeira’s inhabitants ethnic Portuguese. Throughout the years, Madeirans also developed their own distinct cultural and regional traits.

The archipelago is most noted for its excellent wine. Locals also harvests a wide variety of tropical fruits including papayas, mangoes, bananas, pineapples, avocados, sugarcane and other specialty crops. Madeira’s rich produce is definitely a gastronomic feast for all of its visitors.

Madeira is a lively modern tropical paradise. The archipelago offers top notch hotels and accommodations, and it is easily accessible by sea and air.