Location:

The Madeira Archipelago is situated between latitude 32º22’20"N and 33º7’50"N with its longitude between 16º16’30W and 17º16’38"W. The island of Madeira has a surface area of 459 square miles (741 km²), 57 km (35 miles) long and 22 km (13 miles) wide. The island is 500 km (310 miles) from the African coast and 960 km (596 miles) from the European continent, which is the equivalent of a 1 hour 30 minute flight from Lisbon. The archipelago, discovered by the Portuguese in 1418, is made up of the islands of Madeira, Porto Santo and the uninhabited islands of Selvagens and Desertas.

Climate:

These islands, because of their privileged geographical position and mountainous relief, have a surprisingly mild climate. Very mild average temperatures, 22ºC in the summer and 16ºC in the winter, and a moderate level of humidity, confer upon these islands exceptional subtropical features. The seawater temperature is also very mild, because of the influence of the warm Gulf Stream, presenting averages of 22ºC in the summer and 18º in the winter.

Language: Portuguese

Population: 255 000 people live on these islands according to data collected in 2001. Half of the population lives in the capital (Funchal). Population density is very high, reaching 337 inhabitants / sq km in Madeira and 112 per sq km in Porto Santo.

Currency: € EURO

Time: Madeira follows Portuguese time with Summer time. Clocks advance one hour in the last Sunday of March and go back one hour in the last Sunday of October, according to the regulations of the European Union.

Electricity: The electric current is 220 volts.

Water: There is plenty of water of an excellent drinking standard. Porto Santo uses treated desanalized seawater, but all of it can be consumed.

Mail: The main post office, or "Correios de Portugal", is at the centre of Funchal, at the Avenida Calouste Gulbenkian. There are daily collections at 11:00 and 15:00 from the post boxes placed all over the island.

Chemists- Chemists are open from Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 13:00 and from 15:00 to 19:00, on Saturdays from 9:00 to 13:00. In addition, at the door of every pharmacy you will find advisory notes about the pharmacies currently open.

Hospital Centres: There are 67 health centres situated around the Madeira Island, and one at Porto Santo. In Funchal there are two hospitals.

Police: The police presence is very discreet. If you need help, dial 112. There is a Lost Property section in Funchal, at Rua da Infância, 28, Tel.: 291 208200

Safety: Madeira is one of the safest holiday destinations in the world. If you take the minimum sensible precautions, you probably won’t experience any problems. Most of the hotels have safes or deposit boxes where you can keep your valuables.

Tips: In hotels and restaurants the bill normally includes service. The normal rate for good service is 10%.

Camping Parks: There are two official camping sites on the Madeira archipelago, one in Porto Moniz and the other in Porto Santo, in the town of Vila Baleira.

National Hollidays

 

On the 1^st of July the Autonomous Region of Madeira celebrates its holiday. Religious festivities, with variable dates, are also celebrated in the Islands.

Madeira Tourist Offices: The Regional Department of Tourism has eleven offices