Local Information
The island of Madeira was discovered by Tristão Vaz Teixeira, Bartolomeu Perestrelo and João Gonçalves Zarco, two Portuguese explorers, in 1419, which dubbed the island ‘Madeira’ (“wood” in English) due to the abundance of this raw material.
Noticing the potential of the islands, as well as its strategic importance, the colonization of the islands began in 1425.
At the beginning of its settlement, some agricultural crops, such as cane sugar, were introduced, which quickly afforded the Funchal metropolis frank economic prosperity. This meant that, in the second half of the fifteenth century, the city of Funchal became a mandatory port of call for European trade routes.
The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were marked by the emergence of a new culture that would boost the Madeira economy again: wine.
Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Madeira flourished for the birth of the tourism sector, quickly becoming a mandatory reference for the European aristocracy that has set temporary residence here, attracted by the natural therapeutic qualities of the island.
In 1976, Madeira became an Autonomous Region of Portugal.From the Official Madeira Tourism website
How to get here
The island of Madeira is located in the Atlantic Ocean, about 520km (320 miles) from the African coast and 1000km (620 miles) from the European continent.
A flight to Madeira takes about 1h30 from mainland Portugal and just over 3h from the main European airports. Many airline companies, including ‘low cost’ companies, fly regularly to Madeira. Madeira Airport is located in Santa Cruz, 16km (10 miles) from the city of Funchal. It takes approximately 20 minutes to get to Funchal by car.
Arriving
Taxi: The airport taxi stand is located outside the arrivals area of Madeira Airport, level 0. It is an economical option if you are traveling in a group.
Bus: The company responsible for bus transportation from the airport is SAM. After you leave the arrivals area, follow the main road and keep on the right-hand side. After approximately 100 meters you will find a bus stop. The ticket to Funchal is payable on board.
Aerobus: The Aerobus is a frequent express bus service between the airport and Funchal. Prices: €5 (one-way ticket); €7,50 (roundtrip). TAP Portugal passengers can travel free upon presentation of their boarding card. For more information, please check the Madeira Airport website.