"Happiness is planning a trip to somewhere new with someone you love." –Unknown
It seems like our new adventures get further and further apart. I think we've gotten a bit lazy about planning new trips. We enjoy where we are in New York and Pennsylvania so much that it's hard to actually make plans and experience new places...but here we go. To celebrate Stan's upcoming big birthday we're going to Madeira to experience new food, new culture and new sights. We're excited to explore this amazing little island in the Atlantic Ocean.
Madeira sits off the southwest coast of Portugal. Although Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago, it's actually closer to Africa than Europe. Sitting 434 miles west of Morocco. The Madeira archipelago was discovered in 1419 and settled in 1420, when Portuguese sailors were blown off course by a storm and landed on an island they named Porto Santo (holy harbor). The larger island of Madeira, which means wood, was settled a bit later.
Madeira's volcanic origins and subtropical climate draw visitors to its unique landscapes, from the Laurisilva forests, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to the network of levadas (irrigation channels) that provide stunning walking paths. The islands offer a blend of natural beauty, adventure and tranquility, making it a paradise for nature lovers, hikers and those seeking a serene getaway. We plan to fill our next ten days with all kinds of wonderful new sights and adventures.
Here are just a few of the sights we hope to see while we are in Madeira.
We have a lot of things on our wish list to see and do. We know we won't have time to do them all. Madeira is only 35 miles long by 14 miles wide, so we should be able to see a lot. We plan to do a little hiking, a little exploring and a lot of relaxing. See our trip map at this link.
A short video showing just how beautiful Madeira is.
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