History & Culture

Madeira was uninhabited when the Portuguese sailors João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira officially claimed the island for Portugal in 1419 (Porto Santo) and 1420 (Madeira). However, the island was already known to Europeans — it is marked on a Genoese map from 1351 as "Isola della Legname" (Wood Island). The name Madeira also means "wood" in Portuguese — because the island was completely covered with dense laurel forest when the Portuguese arrived.

The Great Slash-and-Burn

To gain land for settlement and agriculture, the Portuguese colonists set the forests on fire — according to legend, the fire burned for seven years. Even if this number is exaggerated, the slash-and-burn destroyed much of the original forest and transformed the fertile volcanic soil into one of the most productive agricultural areas in the Atlantic. The remaining laurel forest in the north — today's UNESCO World Heritage Site Laurissilva — is what remains of this primeval vegetation.

Sugarcane and Prosperity

From the 15th century, Madeira became the largest sugarcane producer in the world. Sugar made the island fabulously wealthy — the churches of Funchal were adorned with gilded wood (financed by the sugar trade), and the Madeiran merchants were among the wealthiest in Europe. When sugar production moved to Brazil in the 16th century, Madeira switched to wine — and Madeira wine became one of the most sought-after and expensive wines in the world.

Strategic Importance

Madeira's location in the middle of the Atlantic made the island a strategic hub: A stopover on the sea route to Africa, India, and America, a supply station for the British Navy (the British had significant influence on Madeira for centuries), and an important base during World War II. The last Austrian Emperor Charles I lived here in exile and died in 1922 in Monte — his grave in the Church of Nossa Senhora do Monte remains a pilgrimage site to this day.

The Levadas are not just hiking trails — they are a masterpiece of hydraulic engineering that has ensured Madeira's survival and prosperity since the 16th century. The problem: Madeira's north side receives plenty of rain (up to 3,000 mm/year), while the south side, where most people live and agriculture takes place, is relatively dry (under 600 mm/year).

The solution: A network of open channels (Levadas) that transport rainwater and meltwater from the mountains from the north over the mountains to the south side. The first Levadas were built in the 16th century by slaves and masonry workers — under unimaginably dangerous conditions: The channels had to be carved into steep rock faces, driven through tunnels, and led over gorges. Many workers lost their lives in the process.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the system was massively expanded — some Levadas are over 100 kilometers long and traverse dozens of tunnels and aqueducts. Today, the network encompasses over 2,500 kilometers and supplies not only agriculture but also hydroelectric power plants with energy. The Levadeiros (canal keepers) maintain the system to this day — they regularly walk the entire route to remove blockages and repair damage.

The fact that the Levada hiking trails are now Madeira's biggest tourist attraction is a happy side effect: The narrow maintenance paths along the channels were never planned as hiking trails — they exist so that the Levadeiros can do their work. Today, they offer one of the most unique hiking experiences in the world.

The Madeirans (Madeirenses) are Portuguese — but with their own island pride. The Autonomous Region of Madeira has its own regional parliament, its own flag (blue-yellow-blue), and a distinct cultural identity, reflected in language, music, cuisine, and traditions.

Festivals & Traditions

• Festa da Flor (Flower Festival): In April/May, Funchal transforms into a sea of flowers — flower parades, decorated streets, and a flower carpet on the Praça do Município. The most important cultural event of the year.
• New Year's Eve Fireworks: The fireworks over the harbor of Funchal are among the largest in the world according to the Guinness Book — 30 minutes of pyrotechnics from dozens of launch points around the bay. Hotels are booked months in advance.
• Carnival: In February — one of the best outside Brazil. Samba parades, costumes, and an energy that makes the streets of Funchal vibrate.
• Wine Festival (Festa da Vindima): In September, Funchal celebrates the grape harvest — grape stomping, folk dances, tastings in the historic wine cellars.
• Arraiais: Traditional village festivals, especially in summer — with Espetada on laurel skewers, Bolo do Caco, folklore dances, and lots of Poncha. Each village has its own patron saint festival.

Music & Folklore

Madeira's traditional music combines Portuguese Fado with unique island sounds. The typical instrument is the Braguinha (also Machete de Braga) — a small, four-stringed guitar that the Portuguese brought to Hawaii in the 19th century, where it evolved into the Ukulele. Yes, the ukulele originated in Madeira!

Famous Madeirans

The most famous son of the island is undoubtedly Cristiano Ronaldo — born in 1985 in Funchal. The airport bears his name (since 2017), and in the city, there is a museum (CR7 Museu, entrance 5€) and a bronze statue at the harbor. Historically significant: João Gonçalves Zarco (discoverer of Madeira, statue in the center of Funchal) and Alberto João Jardim (legendary regional president, 1976–2015, who modernized Madeira).