Funchal Distinguished by CIVITAS

In 2013, Funchal won the title of "City of the Year" awarded by CIVITAS. This award highlights the most innovative and ITAS

7 Wonders of Portugal

In 2010, over 600 thousand Portuguese voted our Laurel Forest as one of the 7 Wonders of Portugal in the "Forests and Woodlands " category. Porto Santo won the prize in 2012 in "Dunes Beaches" category. It is remarkable that in so little space we have one of the most beautiful forests in Portugal and at the same time, one of the most beautiful dunes beaches.

World Biosphere Reserve

In June 2011, Santana - one of Madeira's municipalities - was recognized by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) as "World Biosphere Reserve". The region sees, once again, the richness of its heritage being recognized worldwide.

UNESCO

In 1999 UNESCO recognized Madeira Island as Natural Heritage of Humanity. 

Walking along a Levada, going hiking, climbing or canyoning surrounded by a scenario dated from the Tertiary Period is a unique experience.
The magnificent Laurel forest that largely covers the island is one of Madeira's biggest attractions.

Best Island Destination in Europe

In November 2009, CED (World Centre of Excellence for Destinations) categorized Madeira Island as a Destination of Excellence. It was through the “System of Measures for Excellence in Destinations”, that Madeira received the highest score in the categories of Accommodation, Mountain, Landscape, Diving, Culture, Heritage, Safety and Shopping. The same system also highlighted the categories of Environment and Landscape, Transport, Welfare, Spa and Support Services.

Madeira Wins World Travel Awards

Madeira Islands, elected in 2013, 2014 and 2016 as "Europe's Leading Island Destination", are for the fourth year competing for the World Travel Awards (WTA).

Its opponents are the Canary Islands, Cyprus, the Balearic Islands, Crete, Guernsey, Jersey, Malta and Sardinia. Votes for this first stage of the competition, where Madeira is included as European Region, are already being taken, with voting deadline set for August 6th. The island that wins the voting process in this category will move onto the next stage - the worldwide competition, the voting for which will be held in the last quarter of 2017.

The WTA awards are allocated through an online voting process, and the votes coming from tourism professionals count as two votes, whereas general public votes count as one. The voting process is simple and involves a subscription, which ensures that each person votes only once. It should be noted that in order to be accepted as a tourism professional, one must use a company email and never a personal email.

Twenty-four years in the search for excellence, awarding brands and locations that stand out in the various regions of the world, every year WTA gives out worldwide recognition awards that add value to all those who work in and are dedicated to this industry.

To vote for Madeira go to https://www.worldtravelawards.com/vote

World Guinness Book of Records Grants Madeira Title

Guinness World Records™, an organization that certifies the records achieved worldwide, attributed to the 8-minute fireworks show that marked the passing of the year in Madeira, from 2006 to 2007, the title of “Greatest Fireworks Show in the World”. Madeira held this title until 2012.

A 6-km long and 2.7-km wide ellipse of fireworks around the city of Funchal was the record reached. The fire erupted from 37 stations (31 onshore and 6 offshore platforms) strategically placed in the beautiful and unique amphitheater of the city bay. The show involved 17 tons of fireworks and 660 300 shots at a rate of more than 8 thousand shots per minute.
This event was achieved by Macedo's Pirotecnia, a well-known national and international brand.

National Geographic Highlights Madeira

Madeira has succeeded in appearing among the 10 best destinations to visit for a summer holiday, according to the list published by National Geographic magazine (NGM).

NGM went on to assert that Madeira is renowned for its pleasantly mild temperatures, colourful gardens and delicious wine. It added that Madeira is a subtropical paradise. Moreover, NGM highlighted the island’s famous Levada watercourses, which create beautiful paths that feature stunning views across the lush mountains and valleys of the archipelago. Nonetheless, the magazine reminded tourists that the Levadas present various levels of difficulty and therefore, exercising caution when choosing a route was crucial.

Nevertheless, NGM described the open channels carrying water to the population as an unmissable visit for all tourists with a sense of adventure.