5 Fun Facts About Madeira Island

Madeira Island, Portugal is volcanic, lush, and absolutely spectacular with its rocky cliffs and coastal landscapes. It’s an island of natural beauty and community, but there are some interesting facts about Madeira Island that will help you get to know this island escape and make plans to visit soon!

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View of Funchal on Madeira Island from Cabo Girao

1. Madeira Island is closer to Africa than it is to Europe. Located just 280 nautical miles from the African coast, it is more than 500 miles to Lisbon, Portugal. This location is part of what makes Madeira Island so fascinating—the blend of African, Portuguese, and Spanish cultures is apparent in the food, music, and traditions you’ll find on the island.

2. The island has the world’s largest fireworks display for New Years Eve. They even made it into the Guinness Book of World Records in 2006! This is one of the coolest facts about Madeira Island, because although it’s smaller than New York City (4 times smaller than Rhode Island!), they take festivities and celebrations seriously with this mega NYE fireworks display.

Looking down from the glass skywalk at Cabo Girao

3. Madeira Island is home to Europe’s tallest sea cliff. It’s called Cabo Girão and it’s more than 1,900 feet above sea level. While that’s impressive on its own, considering the small size of this island, it’s really got an amazing topography and the rugged cliffs make the coastal views truly incredible.

Tunnel-an-der-alten-Kuestenstrasse-Antigua

4. There are more than 25 miles of tunnels throughout the island. Most of these tunnels were built throughout the 16th century, but the construction didn’t stop until and all the way up to the 1940s. But if you’re thinking these tunnels have a secret purpose, think again. They were built to help with building and maintaining the hundreds of miles of aqueducts, called Levadas, that cover the island.

Via De Ferada Madeira Island

5. There are more than 1300 miles of hiking trails on Madeira Island. That’s a great excuse to lace up those hiking boots and get walking when you visit! Although the island itself is small, the rugged terrain and diverse scenery make it one of the coolest places to hike, especially if you don’t mind some elevation gain.

Want to Learn More Facts About Madeira Island?

From the world’s biggest fireworks show to the 25 miles of winding tunnels that run underneath the island, Madeira is such an awe-inspiring place. You can read more about Madeira Island and my other trips in Portugal here. Want to see more of Madeira Island? Check out this video on the best things to do.