The sunny Portuguese archipelago of Madeira has a rich history and culture that is ripe for exploring on your visit. You can expect colourful festivals, fascinating museums and art collections, and – if you’re in the mood to take something home – exquisite handcrafted embroidery.
The islands of Porto Santo and Madeira were claimed by Portuguese explorers in 1418 and 1419 respectively. Their strategic location near west Africa meant they were soon colonised to provide ports for expedition ships to stock up before journeying further on their missions of discovery.
The virgin forest was burned and steep terraced fields and irrigation canals were dug into the mountainous landscape by African slaves and Madeiran settlers. Malvasia vines were brought from Crete and soon the island was a major wine producer. Sugar cane also thrived. By the early 1500s the population of the capital Funchal approached 5,000 and a cathedral was built, which is still standing today. This cathedral is one of the few buildings that remain intact from this period and is well worth exploring. The cedar wood ceiling is built in the Mudéjar style and is one of the finest examples in Portugal.
You’ll also find quite a few Flemish paintings in the churches and museums of Madeira – these date back to the 15th and 16th centuries when the trade in sugar was strong between Madeira and Flanders. Sometimes merchants would accept art works in exchange for their commodities. You will see some particularly fine examples alongside Portuguese art and silverwork in the Sacred Art Museum, housed in what was once the bishop’s palace in Funchal. For a complete contrast visit the Caravel Art Centre, which has bold works by living artists and a gift shop full of unusual handcrafted items such as ceramics, textiles and wooden puppets. Football lovers will enjoy the CR7 Museum, which pays homage to the great Cristiano Ronaldo. It’s full of his trophies and memorabilia, plus a couple of lifesize statues – perfect for an amusing selfie or two.
If contemporary art is your thing, then head west to the town of Calheta where you’ll find one of Portugal’s top contemporary art collections in Mudas, the museum of contemporary art. Here you will find works dating back to 1960 from some of Portugal’s finest artists.
Madeira is famed for its embroidery artisans and Madeiran women have been creating intricate patterns with thread since the 16th century. The practice became more widely known after it was exhibited at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. The famous floral basket patterns which are stitched white on white by hand on to table runners, tablecloths napkins and handkerchiefs are the most popular. It is quite likely that somewhere in the world a statesman or a prince is mopping his mouth with a napkin embroidered on this Atlantic isle. You can find out more about the history of the craft and look at some fine historical examples at the IBTAM museum (institute for embroidery, tapestry, and handicrafts of Madeira) in Funchal.
But culture in Madeira is not just in the museums, it is alive in the spirit of the people and nowhere is this more apparent than in the many festivals that crowd the calendar. Madeirans love to celebrate and there’s a festa for just about everything from patron saints to fruit, wine and flowers. Expect live music, traditional dances and song contests in the streets. You’ll also find stalls piled high with espetada (skewers of beef) and bolo do caco (sweet potato bread). This is when you might see the traditional dress of colourful striped skirts, white shirts, waistcoats and capes for the women, and white trousers and shirts for men. You might also see the brinquinho being played – a reed instrument surrounded by dolls in national dress with castanets on their backs.
Religious festivals often feature statues of saints carried through the town in a procession and the streets decorated with colourful garlands. The New Year’s Eve fireworks in Funchal are spectacular and draw many large cruise ships into the harbour to watch them. Pyrotechnics are also a feature of the Atlantic festival in June where a series of displays are set to live music. The Madeira Carnival is a week-long festival at the start of Lent and involves the locals donning elaborate costumes and parading through the city streets. Equally popular is a flower festival marking the start of spring a couple of weeks after Easter and features a parade of kaleidoscopically-colourful floats. And the festive spirit continues in Madeira throughout summer, as the sunshine and clear skies bring the streets of the capital and the rest of the island to life. The end of the season is celebrated by the Madeira Nature Festival, a week-long programme of events celebrating all things outdoors on the island – from surfing and hiking to sailing and downhill mountain biking.
Whatever time of year you chose to visit Madeira, be sure of this: you will have no trouble finding something going on to give you an insight into this island’s fascinating culture.
Book your Madeira Holiday with British Airways
Return flights from London Gatwick to Madeira and 7 nights hotel accommodation for £259pp. Book by 31 March at ba.com/madeira. British Airways Holidays standard terms and conditions and conditions of carriage apply. For full terms and conditions please refer to ba.com
