Ponta Delgada is a village on the North of Madeira, east of São Vicente, built on a tongue of land due to a landslip. Its main attraction is a church dedicated to Senhor do Bom Jesus, built in 1745, 27 meters high from sea level. On the east side of the church it has two seawater swimming pools where you can relax and enjoy the cliff that surrounds you.

With only 1325 habitants, one of the most popular festivities in Madeira is in Ponta Delgada. Annually, on the 15th of August, thousands of persons get together to celebrate the village patron, Senhor do Bom Jesus.

Photo by Miguel Fagundes

Photo by Miguel Fagundes

Fanal is situated half way up from Ribeira da Janela to the high plateau Paúl da Serra. It is mainly characterized by the centenarians Fetid Laurels (Ocotea foetens) that date before the discovery of the island.

A small but well preserved crater is possible to be seen just a few meters down the road entrance to the ranger’s house of Fanal.

Photo by Hugo Romano

Photo by Hugo Romano

The only camping park in Madeira Island is on the North of the Island, in Ribeira da Janela, close to the river mouth, near an hydroelectric power plant. The nearest village is Porto Moniz, about 5 km distance, where the camping park was before it was moved to Ribeira da Janela.

Photo by Catarina Fagundes

The Municipal Garden is located in the centre of Funchal and occupies an area of 8300 m2 that has been part of S. Francisco Convent. From the convent there is still a marble coat of arms with the guns of the Franciscans and Portugal Kingdom.

The garden started to be built in August of 1880 with its first plants brought from Paris. Its first illumination was carried out by gas but in March of 1902 was replaced by electrical light.

In the beginning the garden was surrounded by an iron gallery that in 1935 was placed in Quinta do Poço, where it still is.

This garden is not only a nice place to rest and amuse its great trees, but also a source of knowledge, for the ones interested in botanics, because each indigenous or exotic plant has its identification (scientific and common name, family and origin). You can find there some indigenous species from Madeira's flora and a great variety of tropical and sub-tropical species. Amongst the endemic plants there is one Apollonias barbujana and four Ocotea foetens. The exotics ones are presented by Cinnamomum camphora, from China, Grevillea robusta, from Australia, Phytolacca dioica, from South America and many Chorisia speciosa.

A special attention is deserved to Agathis brownii, Erythrina lysistemon and Samanea saman. Other uncommon trees are enhanced in the Municipal Garden like Kigelia africana, Gingko biloba and Pandanus utilis. The palm trees are presented by eleven species amongst them Phoenix canariensis and Washingtonia filifera. There are also some Cycadales like Cycas revoluta, Cycas circinalis and Encephalartos transvernosus.

In 1992 an open auditory was built in the garden where concerts and other shows take place. It has a pleasant esplanade bar, a moor with fishes and birds.