The Convent of Santa Clara

The walls of the Santa Clara Convent separate the world from one of the oldest religious orders in Madeira. This convent was founded in 1496 by João Gonçalves de Câmara, Zarco’s (discoverer of the island) grandchild. Dona Isabella, Zarco's granddaughter, was its first Abbess. She established an aristocratic tradition which ensured the wealth of the convent. After her, many wealthy families’ daughters were forced to take "vows" when they were of age. It was such vows that supposedly provided spiritual benefits to them and their families.

The Convent of Santa Clara was rebuilt in the seventeenth century over the foundation of a fifteenth century chapel, where the remains of the first three governors of Madeira are believed to be buried. It includes a courtyard and a chapel, which exhibits an array of spectacular paintings, sculptures and tiles. 

In 1566, French pirates under the command of Bertrand Montluc pillaged the city of Funchal for fourteen days. The nuns had to abandon the Convent and took refuge in Curral das Freiras, or Nuns' Valley, taking with them a "monstrance", which in Roman Catholicism refers to an open or transparent receptacle adorned with precious stones in which the consecrated Host is displayed for veneration. 

Towards the end of the sixteenth century there were about seventy nuns. By the seventeenth century that number rose to one hundred and thirty.  

In 1896, the state handed the Convent over to the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, which opened its doors for worship, as well as to shelter the poor.

Nowadays, the nuns run a kindergarten. It is possible to book guided tours to visit the convent, 

The Convent of Santa Clara is classified as a National Monument.

Opening hours: Monday - Saturday, 10:00 - 12:00 / 15:00 - 17:00

Closed: Sunday and Public Holidays

Contact: Calçada de Santa Clara 15, 9000-036 Funchal / 291 742 602

Terreiro da Luta

Terreiro da Luta is located north of Monte (Funchal) and the area was once the last stop on the only cog railway (Monte Railway) in Madeira. It is also where the Our Lady of Peace sanctuary (Nossa Senhora da Paz) is located.

Between 1893 and 1943, the area was connected to Funchal by Madeira's only cog railway.

The Our Lady of Peace sanctuary (Nossa Senhora da Paz) statue which is supported by 4 roman columns, is located here. It was built after the attacks on Madeira during World War I, which were first felt in Madeira on December 3, 1916 when the German U-boat, U-38, captained by Max Valentiner went into Funchal harbour on Madeira and torpedoed and sank 3 ships, CS Dacia (1,856 tons), SS Kanguroo (2,493 tons) and Surprise (680 tons). The commander of the French Gunboat Surprise and 34 of her crew (7 Portuguese) died in the attack. The Dacia, a British cable laying vessel, had previously undertaken war work off the coast of Casablanca and Dakar, was in the process of diverting the South American cable into Brest, France. Following the attack on the ships, the Germans proceeded to bombard Funchal for two hours from a range of about 2 miles (3 km). Madeiran cannon artillery returned fire and eventually forced the Germans to withdraw.

On December 12, 1917, two German U-boats, U-156 and U-157 (captained by Max Valentiner) again bombarded Funchal, Madeira. This time the attack lasted around 30 minutes. Forty, 4.7 inch and 5.9 inch shells were fired. There were 3 fatalities and 17 wounded. In addition, a number of houses and Santa Clara church were hit.

A priest, José Marques Jardim, promised in 1917 to build a monument should peace ever return to Madeira. In 1927 at Terreiro da Luta he built a statue of Nossa Senhora da Paz (Our Lady of Peace) commemorating the end of World War I. It incorporates the anchor chains from the sunken ships from Madeira on December 3, 1916 and is over 5 metres tall. 

Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse

Opened in 1922, the lighthouse is situated on the westernmost tip of the island, a cliff rising 290 metres above sea level.

Erected at Ponta da Vigia, 290 metres above sea level, the Ponta do Pargo lighthouse was first lit on 5th June, 1922.
Dominating the top of the cliff, the tower is 14 metres high and its light is at an elevation of 312 metres above sea level.
The lighthouse received electricity in 1989 and ten years later, in 1999, the regional government declared it as having local cultural value in the region.
A small museum centre was created in 2001 where a range of articles relating to Madeira’s lighthouses are on exhibition, from photographs to documentation; this museum gathers in one place the story of these monuments that are so important in the history of the islands.

Madeira Aquarium

Diving in an aquarium is a special and exclusive activity practised in just a few places in the world. Madeira happens to be one of them!
What makes this activity so privileged is that, in order to enable this activity, aquariums must have special conditions particularly in terms of water filtration and water temperatures.
The Aquarium of Madeira also distinguishes itself by having the ocean on its doorstep, so the aquarium can be filled with salted sea water as well as the natural pools of Porto Moniz.
The Madeira Aquarium was opened in 2005, in Fort St. John the Baptist, in Porto Moniz.

The fort was built between 1730-1752 to protect the North Coast from the attacks of pirates. Over time, it deteriorated in ruins. In 1998, the works of restoration of the fort began.
Currently the Madeira Aquarium has 12 tanks with about 70 species and many of them are endemic.
The main objective is to recreate the characteristic habitats of Madeira (next to each tank there is a board with information about the resident species), protect marine species and raise awareness amongst locals and tourists.

The most impressive tank contains about 500,000 litres of salt water.

Painted Doors in the Old Part of Funchal

A mermaid sitting on a swing on the seabed while staring at a dolphin. A naked angel flying below clouds and armed with a bow and arrow. A sign reading  “You Are Under Surveillance” above a couple and child whose heads are covered in paper bags. These are some of the many scenes and words painted onto the deteriorating doors of Rua Santa Maria in the Old Part of Funchal.

In 2010, José Maria Montero had an idea — to have artists paint the doors of abandoned shops and homes. He asked over 100 artists, most of them island natives, to participate in the Arte Portas Abertas project, and gave them simple instructions: pick a door and create whatever you want on it. Not limited to paint, some artists used clay, metal, ceramic tiles and even the keys to a computer keyboard to create art on 161 doors. One artist used iridescent glass and stones to create a sunset over a pebbled beach. Another sculpted hundreds of tiny faces onto the surface of a door.

The youngest participant was only nine years old. The oldest was sixty-five.

The doors have opened up the street to creativity and prosperity and the artists themselves are made up of professionals, amateurs, teachers and students - everyone who simply wants to express themselves through art.

The Old Part of Town has very much had a major facelift in such a way that what was once rundown and vacant is now bustling with cafés and tourists.

Monte

Since the nineteenth century until the Second World War, Monte has always been a prime location thanks to its favourable climate. It has several “quintas”, surrounded by tropical gardens, which formerly operated as hotels. A train circulated from Funchal to Monte (Terreiro da Luta being the last stop) between 1893 and 1930. In Largo da Fonte you can still see the proof left by this once popular method of transportation.

The suburb of Monte is situated about five hundred meters above Funchal. One of the many option in reaching Monte is to go up by cable car. Upon arrival at Monte, nearby is the famous Monte Palace Tropical Garden with beautiful flowers and a touch of oriental culture. Another attraction is undoubtedly the Monte Toboggan run, where you can get whisked away to the city in a large wicker car on two skis, accompanied by two "carreiros" (typical men in white uniforms and straw hats). 
To reach the Church of Nossa Senhora do Monte, one must climb an impressionable 68 steps that are known for being inclined. But it's worth the effort. The Church of Nossa Senhora do Monte was built in 1741, but soon after was destroyed by a violent earthquake. From this catastrophe, locals only managed to save a Pieta in silver, which today is kept as a relic. The fully reconstructed church was inaugurated on December 20^th 1818.Next to the chapel is a grave containing the remains of Emperor Charles I of Austria, who took refuge on the island after World War 1. He arrived in Funchal on February 19, 1921 and died a year later due to pneumonia.

Every year on August 15 the Assumption of Mary is celebrated, where a procession is held through the streets in honor of Our Lady of Monte.

Desde o século XIX até à segunda Guerra Mundial, o Monte foi sempre um local nobre graças à excelência do seu clima. Possui várias quintas, rodeadas por jardins tropicais, que antigamente funcionavam como hotéis. Entre os anos 1893 e 1930 circulou um comboio desde o Funchal até ao Monte, finalizando o percurso no Terreiro da Luta. No Largo da Fonte ainda é possível ver as marcas que este meio de transporte deixou.

O Monte situa-se a cerca de quinhentos metros por cima do Funchal. Uma opção é subir de Teleférico. À chegada ao Monte encontra mesmo ao lado, o famoso Jardim Tropical Monte Palace,  com belas flores e um toque de oriental. Uma outra atracção é, sem dúvida, os Carros de Cesto, onde se pode deixar levar até à cidade, acompanhada por dois "Carreiros" (homens tipicamente fardados de branco e com chapéu de palha).

Para alcançar a Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte, é preciso subir 68 inclinados degraus. Mas vale a pena o esforço. É uma igreja construída em 1741, mas pouco tempo depois ficou destruída devido a um violento terramoto. Depois da sua reconstrução, foi inaugurada dia 20 de Dezembro de 1818. Dessa catástrofe, só conseguiram salvar uma Pietá em prata, que hoje em dia é guardada como relíquia. Na capela ao lado existe a sepultura com os restos mortais do imperador da Áustria Carlos I, que se refugiou na ilha após a 1ª Guerra Mundial. Ele chegou no dia 19 de Fevereiro de 1921 à cidade do Funchal e faleceu um ano depois devido a uma pneumonia.

Todos os anos, no dia 15 de Agosto é celebrada a Assunção de Maria, onde fazem uma procissão pelas ruas em honra da Nossa Senhora do Monte.

Porto Santo

Porto Santo owes its name to the fact that a vessel found safe port on this island after a violent storm during the Middle Ages. This confirms that the island had already been named Porto Santo before the Portuguese began settling there in 1418. It was, in fact, the first Portuguese discovery of the 15^th century. This island marked the beginning of the great age of the discoveries launched by Prince Henry the Navigator.

Porto Santo was re-discovered in1418 by the Portuguese explorers João Gonçalves Zarco, Tristão Vaz Teixeira and Bartolomeu Perestrelo. The latter was appointed the first Capitão Donatário of the island.
Soon afterwards, Christopher Columbus, the Genovese discoverer, visited the island and married one of Perestrelo’s daughters, Filipa Moniz.

Colombus prepared his voyage of discovery to America in a dwelling which today is located in the centre of Vila Baleira namely, Casa Museu Cristóvão Colombo.

In 1446, Prince Henry the Navigator donated Porto Santo to Perestrelo.

It became a municipality in 1835.
In 1996, Vila Baleira officially became a city.

A Ilha do Porto Santo foi o primeiro descobrimento português realizado no século XV. Aqui se deu início à grande epopeia dos Descobrimentos iniciada pelo Infante D. Henrique. Anos mais tarde, Cristóvão Colombo, passou algum tempo na ilha a preparar a viagem da Descoberta da América.

A ilha do Porto Santo foi descoberta, em 1418, pelos portugueses, João Gonçalves Zarco, Tristão Vaz Teixeira e Bartolomeu Perestrelo, mais tarde, designado primeiro Capitão Donatário desta ilha.
Alguns anos mais tarde, Cristóvão Colombo, passou algum tempo na ilha, tendo casado com uma das filhas de Bartolomeu Perestrelo.
Doado em 1446 por D. Henrique a Bartolomeu Perestrelo, o Porto Santo foi elevado a concelho em 1835.
Em Agosto de 1996 a sua capital, Vila Baleira, foi elevada à categoria de cidade.
Existem duas teorias na atribuição do topónimo " Porto Santo" à ilha, semelhantes no acontecimento que originou o nome, mas com dados diferentes relativamente à data e origem dos navegantes.
Conta uma lenda popular que remonta a 1418, que João Gonçalves Zarco e restantes navegadores, ter-lhe-iam dado tal nome pelo facto de a ilha lhes ter servido de refúgio no decurso de uma terrível tempestade.
Já a segunda versão, historicamente sustentada, aponta que, ainda na Baixa Idade Média, uma embarcação teria encontrado porto seguro nesta ilha, depois de uma violenta tempestade. Assim sendo, confirma-se que antes dos portugueses terem iniciado o seu povoamento em 1418, já a ilha tinha sido batizada com o nome de Porto Santo.
Certa é a data que marcou a chegada ao Porto Santo dos portugueses, Zarco e Tristão Vaz Teixeira - 1418. Com essa viagem e nesta ilha marcaram o início dos descobrimentos ultramarinos.
Outro importante dado histórico da ilha, constitui o facto de Cristóvão Colombo nela ter habitado, após o seu casamento com Filipa Moniz, filha de Bartolomeu Perestrelo. Numa casa situada no centro de Vila Baleira, hoje Casa Museu Cristóvão Colombo, o navegador genovês preparou a viagem da Descoberta da América.

The Lizard Flea Market

The Lizard Flea Market takes place every Saturday morning at Travessa do Acciaioli, just next to the Madeira Storey Centre. Its main purpose is to revitalize Funchal’s Old Town as well as to raise funds for the CRIAMAR association (Social solidarity association that assists in the support and development of children and young adults.) At the flea market there are several tables where many inexpensive small treasures and souvenirs can be purchased for as little as 5 euros. 

O Mercado das Lagartixas

O Mercado das Lagartixas relaiza-se todos os sábados de manhã na Zona Velha, Travessa do Acciaioli, junto ao Madeira Story Centre. O principal objectivo deste projeto é revitalizar a Zona Velha do Funchal bem como arrecadar fundos para a associação CRIAMAR (Associação de Solidariedade Social que ajuda no apoio e desenvolvimento de crianças e jovens). Existem várias mesas no mercado onde podemos encontrar pequenos tesouros e souvenirs para comprar.