Endearing Madeira

Vineyards and mountain scenery outside Funchal. Island of Madeira, Portugal

The final stop – actually the only stop as it turned out – on our voyage from Barcelona back to Florida was a stop at the island of Madeira. I had heard of Madeira previously as the home for Madeira wine, a form of fortified wine similar to, but slightly different from, Port wine from Portugal. Madeira is actually a territory of Portugal, although the wine is a bit different, primarily in the type of alcohol used to fortify it.

Vineyards and mountain scenery outside Funchal. Island of Madeira, Portugal
Vineyards and mountain scenery outside Funchal. Island of Madeira, Portugal
Vineyards and mountain scenery outside Funchal. Island of Madeira, Portugal

The first thing that struck me about the island was how non-touristy it is. While there is a very nice port area for cruise ships, our tour of the island underscored that this is an island where people live and work, and while they appreciate the tourism industry and probably don’t mind a little more, things are pretty nice the way they are.

Barbusano Winery. Island of Madeira, Portugal
Barbusano Winery. Island of Madeira, Portugal
Barbusano Winery. Island of Madeira, Portugal
Barbusano Winery. Island of Madeira, Portugal
Barbusano Winery. Island of Madeira, Portugal

Upon leaving the main city of Funchal, we quickly entered the mountainous area that makes up the majority of the island. Grapes are grown literally everywhere. I’m not sure who they belong to or where they ultimately end up, but it is quite clear that wine is a very important crop on Madeira.

Remains of a Roman road in the town of Sao Vicente. Island of Madeira, Portugal
Town of Sao Vicente on the Island of Madeira, Portugal
Oceanfront near the town of Seixal. Island of Madeira, Portugal
Views from the Miradouro da Ribiera da Laje observation area. Near the town of Seixal on the island of Madeira, Portugal
View of the oceanfront near the town of Seixal. Island of Madeira, Portugal
Agua d’Alto Waterfall. Near the town of Seixal on the island of Madeira, Portugal

We booked a tour through Tours By Locals with a guide named Valdemar. He  was very knowledgeable about the island and introduced us to many of the unique experiences to Madeira, including stops at a “regular” winery and a Madeira winery. We also stopped at a roadside restaurant for an authentic Madeiran meal, consisting of locally caught and freshly grilled fish. Afterward we made a stop at a local ‘Taberna’ for a taste of Poncha, a traditional local liquor made from rum and tropical fruits.

Taberna da Poncha. Island of Madeira, Portugal. Poncha is a traditional Madeiran drink.

We’re getting ready to head out again, so this will wrap up the “official” posts from our Portugal and Spain adventure. As a reminder, photos can be found on my Adobe Portfolio page from our entire trip.

Henriques & Henriques Madeira Wine winery. Island of Madeira, Portugal
Henriques & Henriques Madeira Wine winery. Island of Madeira, Portugal
Henriques & Henriques Madeira Wine winery. Island of Madeira, Portugal
Henriques & Henriques Madeira Wine winery. Island of Madeira, Portugal

I have to say, that of all the places we visited on our trip, the island of Madeira seemed like the kind of place where I could imagine being born there and living a simple life. I would have a hard time living there now, but there is a lot to like about the lifestyle, scenery and overall pace of living that appeals to me.

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