Lombada - Ponta do Sol, Madeira island

Madeira island climate allied to its irregular relief has influenced the agriculture to be diversified. This diversification has become one of the main characteristics of Madeira’s landscape. One can notice a stair formation depending on the altitude. This is, on a low floor tropical species like banana, sugar-cane, custard apple, papaya and passion fruit can be found. On an upper height Mediterranean products are planted, like fig or loquat trees, vineyards and some cereals, while deep in the valleys other fruit trees find their habitat (cherry, apple and plum trees). Though, while tropical cultures can only be found until 300 meters high, Mediterranean plants can be cultivated down to sea level.

Chão da Ribeira - Seixal, Madeira island
Photos by Catarina Fagundes

Porto Santo is a very dry island with some problems with water captation. The type of soil and springs make the irrigation system different than the one in Madeira. On lower altitudes water comes from the subsoil or open water tanks in the plantations it selves.

Photo by Catarina Fagundes

There are only a few water springs with enough water for irrigation and it is brackish water, but there are some other springs, not so voluminous, with fresh water, which the best one, in terms of water temperature and sodium free, is the one in Fonte da Areia.

Photo by Catarina Fagundes

Around the island you can find some water reserves, where some birds stop for a rest.

Photo by Catarina Fagundes

Since the 16th century that banana plant exists in Madeira, though it has not been always the same species. In the middle of the 19th century, with the migration of Madeira people, the dwarf banana was introduced and farmers started to produce it systematically.

Photo by Catarina Fagundes

In the 20th century, this was the most important agricultural product in Madeira, reaching 50 thousand tons/year production. One fifth of the banana production was consumed by locals and the rest was exported to mainland of Portugal.

Photo by Catarina Fagundes

Today we can still see, in the warmest parts of the island, a line of banana’s plantation stretching along the coast, up to 300 meters of altitude, but the production of this fruit has decreased considerably in the last 20 years.

Photo by Catarina Fagundes

Every year a flower grows, covered in red leaves, in a new plant, from which a bunch of bananas will appear. The banana plant is hermaphrodite, capable of self-reproduction, but each plant produce only one bunch of bananas and while this is happening, small plants start sprouting from the routs of mother plant. These small plants will then prevail to the one that originate them.

Photo by Tânia Pestana

Though Madeira banana is smaller and with a less impressive looking than the South-America’s ones or the ones that appears in the European’s markets, they are much tastier and sweeter.

Due to the volcanic origin of Madeira archipelago topography is full of elevations and depressions of land.

The 5 highest mountains of Madeira island are:
- Pico Ruivo that makes 1862 meters is the biggest rise of the central mountain range that crosses Madeira longitudinally.
- Pico das Torres (Towers peak) with 1851 meters is placed in the way of Madeira.
- Pico do Arieiro with 1818 meters is mounted the oldest meteorological rank of the archipel. An ample and magnificent landscape of empolgantes is enjoyed of the interior of the island.
- Pico do Juncal with 1800 meters
- Casado with 1725 m, in Curral das Freiras (Nun’s Valley).

The 2 highest peaks of Porto Santo island:
- Pico do Facho that makes 516 m.
- Pico Branco (White peak) with 450 m.

The highest point of Desertas Islands is Pedregal in Deserta Grande that has 442 meters and of Selvagens Islands is Pico da Atalaia, in Selvagem Grande, with 153 meters high.

Photo by Catarina Fagundes

Photo by Catarina Fagundes

Around Madeira Island there are several rocks disconnected from mainland, some of which helped to name the villages next to them. For example, the one of the islets of Ribeira da Janela (Window River, in English), Alto Islet, has a hole on it, like a window and that is the reason why the village is called Ribeira da Janela.

On the contrary, some are named with relation to the borough they belong, as the Islet of São Jorge or the Islet of Campanário.

All these islets have volcanic origin and so their colour is very dark.


Ilheu Alto e Ilheu da Rama - Ribeira da Janela

Photo by Catarina Fagundes


Ilheu Mole - Porto Moniz

Photo by Catarina Fagundes