Madeira is the island of eternal spring. Tenerife - the island of eternal spring The island of eternal spring read simply Oleg
Today, at the request of one of my readers, we will go to a very beautiful place - to Madeira Island.
Such incredibly beautiful places, of course, also have their own unique scents. I already wrote about fragrances.
What does Madeira Island smell like? This truly paradise smells of honey, fish, flowers and wine.
The unique climate and stunningly beautiful nature attract thousands of vacationers all year round. Madeira is called the island of eternal spring.
The climate here is truly unique. Temperatures in summer are from 22°C to 26°C, in winter – from +16°C to +18°C. And thanks to the Gulf Stream, the water temperature allows swimming almost throughout the year. Real tropics in Europe.
Madeira Island has become favorite place holidays for many famous people Europe. Margaret Thatcher once spent her time here Honeymoon, and 50 years later celebrated her golden wedding here. Agatha Christie wrote her famous “Murder on the Orient Express” here, and Winston Churchill came here not only to relax, but also to enjoy his favorite wine – Madeira.
The famous football player Cristiano Ronaldo was born and raised in Madeira.
Madeira Island is unique. This volcanic island has incredibly luxurious nature, which has turned it into a huge Botanical Garden. There are many exotic tropical plants growing here on this European island.
And once upon a time the entire island of Madeira was covered with dense forests. But in 1419, a Portuguese expedition led by Zarco reached Madeira in search of new lands. They were interested in land for settlement and development Agriculture. But dense forests prevented the implementation of these plans, and Zarku ordered the forests to be set on fire. Fires burned on the island for several years, destroying almost all the vegetation. But the ashes turned out to be a wonderful fertilizer for volcanic earth Madeira, and new plants began to grow here, eventually turning the entire island into a beautiful flowering garden.
The fantastic possibilities of the island’s nature can be understood by visiting the capital’s market. What's missing here! Mango and papaya, bananas, passion fruit...
Even the most outlandish exotic fruits can be found. And all this is grown here on the island.
And of course there is a stunning botanical garden, which is considered one of the best in the world.
And everywhere here you can find a very interesting Strelitzia flower - the symbol of Madeira.
Very popular here hiking on the left. For many centuries, narrow terraces were built on the slopes of hills, the edges of steep slopes, and along the edges of cliffs, which served as an irrigation system. There are paths along these terraces, walking along which you can reach the most beautiful corners of the island.
But there are no real beaches on the island of Madeira. This island of volcanic origin rises above the ocean, and therefore there are no gently sloping shores.
But that doesn’t stop me either good rest in Madeira. Concrete platforms with stairs leading directly into the ocean have been built here.
And in some places there are real natural pools formed by the volcanic rock itself.
One of the main assets of the island of Madeira is its “Golden Wine” - the famous Madeira. But this wine deserves a separate story.
If you decide to go on holiday to Madeira, you can choose the best one right now best tour for yourself on the page
And the best and interesting excursions in Madeira are already waiting for you. All you have to do is choose
Tatiana StrazhevichToday, as part of another excursion to warmer climes and to distant islands, I propose to talk about the island of Tenerife. Unlike, where eternal summer reigns, the island of Tenerife is called the island of eternal spring (Isla de la Eterna Primavera).
Islands, seas and oceans always attract us with their unique romance and thirst for adventure, and the Canary Islands in particular. After all, it was here that Christopher Columbus stopped when he was looking for a way to India, and in the end (and many people know about this) he discovered America. Subsequently, the Spaniards shed a lot of blood in the battles for these islands. Despite everything, the Canary Islands are still under Spanish rule.
So, Tenerife.
It is the largest and most populous island in the archipelago. In addition, the island of Tenerife is the third largest volcanic island in the world.
The weather here, as well as on all the other Canary Islands, is pleasingly consistent all year round. In the winter months, the air temperature in Tenerife does not fall below 10 degrees, and in the summer months - no lower than 20. Summer here, as expected for a tropical island, is hot - the air temperature often reaches 40 degrees. And what is good news is that the water temperature here does not drop below 20 degrees all year round.
Probably, it was the island of Tenerife that was the prototype of the tropical island of Chunga-Changa from the cartoon “Caterok” (“Miracle island, miracle island. Living on it is easy and simple. Our happiness is constant - chew coconuts, eat bananas...Tenerife...”).
Of course, the main income to the Tenerife treasury comes from tourists, of whom there are plenty here. Over three million people from all over the world visit the island every year. Two international airports receive this number of tourists: Los Rodeos, located in the north of the island near the capital of the Canary Islands Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and the southern one, formerly called named after the Spanish Queen Sofia (El Aeropuerto Tenerife Sur Reina Sofia), located in the south of the island in the province Granadilla de Abona. Unfortunately, direct flight there is no way from Moscow to Tenerife and everyone who wants to get to this wonderful island will have to travel this route with a transfer. Most often, flights from Moscow are carried out via Madrid and Barcelona, but there are routes with a transfer at the airport of some other European city, such as Amsterdam, Dusseldorf or Berlin. The bulk of tourists head to the capital of the island Santa Cruz de Tenerife, but besides it there are a number of other resorts on the island, which are located mainly in the southern part of the island. For example this Playa de las Amiricas and Los Cristianos.
It's February, and for Tenerife it's the month of Carnival. Santa Cruz de Tenerife. For a whole week, a costume performance with the participation of island residents and tourists takes place on the streets of the city. This carnival is the second largest after the carnival in Rio de Janeiro.
Besides the carnival, which takes place once a year, Tenerife is full of attractions worthy of attention.
First of all this Teide volcano. And no matter how far this island is from Spain itself, this volcano is its highest point and the highest point in the Atlantic Ocean. The height of the volcano is about 3,700 meters above sea level, and 7,500 meters above the bottom.
Opera located in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, today is a masterpiece of modern architecture and one of the main symbols of the Canary Islands. The building looks truly magical, and its cosmic contours make you remember the stories of science fiction writers.
Located in the city of Candelaria and shrouded in ancient legends, one of which takes us back to the distant 14th century. This legend says that local residents They found the image of the Virgin Mary and worshiped it until the Spaniards appeared on the island and explained to them who exactly was depicted in the image. Subsequently, several Catholic churches were built in this place.
And finally, pyramids of Guimara, the meaning of which, as well as their origin, still remains a mystery to scientists. Someone attributes to them miraculous properties, the meaning of which was known only to local residents. Others consider these pyramids to be an ordinary pile of stones that local farmers built for fun.
And to top it all off, a great video by Terje Sorgjerd:
This is the wonderful island of eternal spring and carnival of Tenerife.
They say that once upon a time the earth goddess Gaia gave the ruler of Olympus Zeus and his wife Hera three golden apples for their wedding. Hera planted seeds from them...
...on paradise islands, turning them into gardens. These gardens were guarded by the daughters of Atlas, the nymphs Hesperides with wonderful voices. But one day rumors reached Hera that the Hesperides themselves were stealing apples from her. For this, the goddess assigned them a dragon with a hundred heads speaking different languages.
But Paradise islands Since then, they have haunted the sailors who searched for them and died - the Hesperides lured them with their wonderful voices and gave them to be devoured by the dragon.
All this is a legend, but the paradise islands really exist - they are called the Canary Islands and are associated with the legends about the Gardens of the Hesperides and the monastery of the blessed Elysium. And this is not surprising - it is the mild, healthiest climate in the world of these places that allows Europeans to relax while being close to home. Therefore, the Canary Islands have long become a favorite place of pilgrimage for tourists.
In the center of the Canary archipelago is the largest island, Tenerife, which amazes guests with its natural contrasts. Judge for yourself: there are majestic mountain ranges, magnificent fertile valleys, tropical and subtropical forests, volcanic deserts, mountain gorges and sand dunes. There is never winter here, but there is no suffocating heat in summer either - it is always a mild spring, without any special temperature fluctuations! The average annual temperature here is unusually comfortable - 22°C, and there are practically no transitions between seasons. At the same time, the unique climate combination would not be beneficial for vacationers if it were not for amazing nature and relief. One of the wonderful advantages of Tenerife is its beautiful beaches, where you can enjoy the sun and sea all year round. At the same time, there are beaches for literally every taste - volcanic in origin, with black shiny sand, and extensive, with golden sand.
And the relief is given its originality by bizarre natural pools that were created by lava during volcanic eruptions in ancient centuries. Having reached the sea, the lava cooled and formed unique forms, for example, natural puddles and pools of sea water in the north of the island.
The seabed off Tenerife is diverse and unique: it delights with its rich colors and abundance of marine life. This real paradise for divers: sea anemones, stingrays, turtles and two-meter long sea eels are found here in abundance! You can also find other types of fish typical of this area: rock perch, white gar, redfin pagella and vieja parrotfish.
And volcanic eruptions dotted the bottom with stones, decorated it with caves and sand spits and deep slopes descending to the depths of the Atlantic. 350 kilometers of coastline, where sea water maintains an average temperature of 17-25? C, opens up a breathtaking underwater world for diving enthusiasts!
But it’s not just diving and beach tanning that attract vacationers. There are plenty of opportunities for organized leisure time here, including Aqualand Costa Adeje, a water park with attractions for all ages! Loro Parque is more than just a zoo: the stars of the best show here are four fantastic killer whales. IN ethnographic park The Pyramids of Güimar can find all the magic of the pyramids of Tenerife, reminiscent of the pyramids of the Mayan culture. The Eagle Park features a recreated jungle with wild animals and eagle shows.
The Cesar Manrique Marine Park has salt water lakes, swimming pools and everything you need to enjoy the sun in an unusual setting. Large scale models reveal the most characteristic landscapes and architectural structures Canary Islands in the Pueblochico Miniature Park.
Siam Park is the largest water park in Europe and the only air-conditioned one open park. Magnificent, well-equipped water attractions, made in the architectural style of ancient Thailand, give an extraordinary feeling of joy, and interesting engineering ideas pleasantly surprise with new accents in the recreation industry. Under the leadership of an outstanding architect and university professor in Bangkok, famous engineers and a world-famous Italian artist, it was possible to create a unique atmosphere of the ancient kingdom of Siam, combined with modern world water attractions and adventures. The opening ceremony of Siam Park in Costa Adeje, one of the most attractive corners of Tenerife, took place on September 15, 2008 in the presence of Her Majesty Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. On the island you can go trekking, rock climbing, mountain biking, paragliding, surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, sailing, diving, deep sea fishing. Here you can watch whales during their migration and mating season!
Despite the fact that the entire island is a unique natural monument, the main attraction of Tenerife is Teide National Park. Here, the volcano of the same name rises above the volcanic landscape of Las Cañadas - the most high point Spain. At its foot lies amazing landscape, reminiscent of the moon! It consists of weathered rocks, frozen lava flows, destroyed ancient craters - you will never believe that this is possible on our planet! It is no coincidence that the films “One Million Years BC” and “ star Wars" And all this - National Park Las Cañadas del Teide is the most visited natural park in the country.
It is to this volcano that the island owes its name - Tenerife means “snow mountain” in the language of the Guanches, the ancient inhabitants of the Canary Islands, who inhabited the island hundreds of years ago. Once upon a time, the Teide volcano was much higher, about 5000 meters high, but in 1706 the top of the volcano collapsed due to a strong eruption and it became lower - now the height of Teide is 3718 m. It is visible from approaching ships almost 200 kilometers away and has long been served as a guide for sailors - it was admired by Columbus and Cook, Bellingshausen and Humboldt!
And Charles Darwin even wrote in his diary: “On the sixth of January we reached Tenerife... The next morning we saw the sun, emerging from behind the bizarre rocks of the island of Gran Canaria, suddenly illuminate the Tenerife peak, while the lower parts of the island were still hidden behind the curly clouds. It was the first of those delightful days that I will never forget."
No matter from which side you approach the volcano, the road will pass through the amazing landscapes of the natural park, reminiscent of the Moon, Mars, or our planet from the time of dinosaurs.
Tenerife is also called “the island with two faces”. Tourists can choose between two different ways of relaxing, since mountain range The island is divided into two climatic zones: the humid north, covered with diverse vegetation, and the arid south. If in the north the air temperature is always several degrees lower, the ocean is more turbulent, and cloudiness and precipitation are unpredictable, then the “fenced” mountain peaks south – perfect place For beach holiday during the whole year.
The fashion of going to the northern part of Tenerife for the winter arose in the 19th century. European doctors recommended their patients to spend time at the resort, because the island’s climate is ideal for treating all diseases associated with age and blood circulation.
The south of Tenerife became a popular holiday destination much later, in the 80s of the last century. Because of high mountains, as if serving as a barrier to the clouds, the southern coast remains cloudless, even when the clouds gather over the northern part of the island. Despite the fact that only a few tens of kilometers separate the south from the north, the difference in climate is colossal - as if you are in a completely different countries! Thanks to this unique climate feature, yachting is very popular here.
Which part of this wonderful island you choose is up to you. And maybe somewhere in the shady thicket you will be lucky enough to see one of the Hesperides nymphs flash by?..
Puerto de la Cruz. It was the first city in Tenerife where tourism was born. Despite the countless number of hotels and restaurants, it has managed to retain its flavor and atmosphere of a truly Canarian city.
One of the main attractions of Puerto is Lago Martianez. Created by the famous Canarian artist César Manrique, this complex of seawater pools is an ideal place for swimming and sunbathing.
Look: Church of Nuestra Señora de la Pena, Chapel of San Telmo, Castle of San Felipe, Customs House, old embankment, which is still moored by small fishing boats.
La Orotava. This town is located in a fertile valley bearing the same name. The ancient quarter of La Orotava, filled with family mansions of traditional Canarian architecture, has been declared a monument of historical and artistic importance.
Look: the churches of Concepcion and San Juan, both from the 18th century, as well as the beautiful houses of Casa de Monteverde and Casa do Los Balcones.
Icod de los Vinos. His old quarter has a special charm reminiscent of the colonial past. Icod gained great fame as a center for the production of Malvasia wine, which in ancient times was considered the best in the world.
Look: the 16th-century Church of San Marcos, the Church of San Agustin, the Church of Las Angustias and the Monastery of San Francisco.
Garachico. This is a colorful city of a semicircular shape with stone and historical buildings, located at the tip of a solidified lava flow.
Look: Castle of San Miguel, built in the 16th century next to the sea to repel pirate attacks; Church of Santa Ana, Palace of the Counts of La Gomera, monasteries of San Francisco and Santo Domingo.
La Laguna. La Laguna is included in the UNESCO list World Heritage. She is the most Old city on o. Tenerife and its first capital.
Look: Casa de Lercaco (Museum of History), Casa del Corregidor (City Hall), Salazar and Nava palaces.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife. This is the capital of Tenerife and a beautiful city with gardens, alleys, parks for walking and boutiques of the world's most famous brands. Greenery is an integral part of it, as are the street sculptures scattered throughout the city.
Throughout the southern and west coast, from where you can constantly see exotic neighboring island La Gomera, new resort centers have emerged such as Costa del Silencio, Los Cristianos, Americas Beach, Los Gigantes and other small towns.
One of the most modern areas of the southern part of the island is Costa Adeje, where you can find a large number of exclusive hotels. There are impeccable beaches with all amenities, such as El Duque, Fanabe or Troya.
The calm embankment, as well as the squares and streets of the city, where there are many cafes, bars and high-quality restaurants, deserve special attention.
Look: Ada Gorge, the Church of Santa Ursula, the churches of the monastery of Guadalupe and San Pablo, Casa Fuerte (XVI century).
Somewhere in Russia the air temperature is already well below -30, in Rostov it is snowing, and Moscow is covered with frost every morning instead of snow that never falls.
I, a Siberian by birth, like fair winters and hot summers. The Siberian climate is honest, clearly defined and delineated. Winter is just winter. Snow and -30. Summer means summer. Sun and +30. And short transition periods from winter to summer (spring) and back (autumn).
However, not the entire planet is so lucky. In Antarctica (or "on Antarctica"?) endless winter It's always hot in Africa...
Stop.
Not all of Africa is always hot. There is a piece of Europe next to it, in which eternal spring has established.
And this is the Canary Islands.
Anyone who honors me remembers that I have already confessed my love for Canary Islands V .
I won't show off by calling myself a "nook and cranny specialist." Like most Russians who have visited this archipelago, I have not been to Fuertoventura or Lanzarote. Not to mention the end of the world - El Hierro.
I visited La Gomera and vacationed in Gran Canaria. And I visited Tenerife several times, traveling around this island along, across and diagonally. True, the last time I was there was four years ago, but it’s ticked off in my plans for the future “To visit Tenerife again and, at the same time, visit the other islands that I haven’t been to yet”
It is quite possible that if I had visited not Tenerife in 2008, but, for example, Egypt, I would have fallen in love not with Spain, but with Africa. But from a very young age, I wanted to go to Tenerife, and even at the beginning of the Turkish and Egyptian boom, I did not feel any craving for “full-inclusive” and “Russian-style holidays”. In the 90s, the word “Canaries” smelled of something special, unknown, foreign, extra-class, and so on. My parents visited Tenerife in 1996, and to say that this was an event for an ordinary Barnaul family is to put it very modestly. It was an EVENT.
Today, few people can be surprised by such banality. Top bloggers, in search of the island, climb into the most exotic holes of our planet, but I don’t pretend to any glory with my photos, especially since the romantic aura from the word “Canaries” has since subsided, the islands have become much closer than before. And many “Turks” and “Egyptians”, tired of sunbathing and eating, moved to this next level of tourist travel, so, most likely, I will not surprise many who come here.
Yes, I don’t set such a goal. But my post will be watched by my beloved parents, for whom a trip to Tenerife has become the main trip of their lives, except for the distant, distant 80s, when they escaped from the USSR to Bulgaria.
And knowing how bright that journey became for them in 1996, which, unfortunately, was darkened by the death of my grandmother ( and, of course, they couldn’t get to the funeral - even now planes don’t fly to Moscow every day, and even more so to Barnaul and Rubtsovsk - my father’s parents lived there), knowing that after the trip my father said very pessimistically that “they’ve been there and it won’t work out again,” I had a dream - not only to visit there myself, but moreover, to one day bring my parents there.
And in March-April 2010 it happened. I will use the photographs from that trip to warm myself up on the eve of tomorrow's winter.
By the way, so far I have not visited either Turkey or Africa as a tourist. And indeed, nowhere else except various parts of Spain. Unlike my wife, who visited many more places as a tourist, including Turkey and Egypt :)
Everything is simple with my vacation. Spain - Altai region:) And I look at the rest of the world from the windows of the plane, delivering other bloggers to different nooks and crannies.
If you find fault with geography, then the Canary Archipelago belongs to Africa. But politically - to Europe, as part of Spain. True, periodically local population recalls the uncivil behavior of the conquistadors, but things do not go further than indignation.
When planning a vacation, we do not use the services of tour operators. We book accommodation ourselves - usually apartments with a kitchen, and without fail - a car for the entire stay. We prefer to buy and cook our own food, so the most we include in the price is breakfast, and not always.
I can’t imagine myself on a vegetable holiday - sleeping, eating and lying in the sun, necessarily getting sunburned three times in two weeks. I like to wake up, throw a breakfast prepared to my taste into my body, map out the next route in the navigator, get into the car and drive the next hundreds of kilometers. My standard “travelling” around the islands is 1000 km per week, and a significant part (taking into account the specifics of choosing vacation spots) is serpentine.
Unlike my mother, I like to drive through the mountains - it's a free opportunity to see breathtaking landscapes. It was difficult the first time - in March 2009 we vacationed on the southern part of coastal Spain, then moved to Tenerife. And it was difficult not because of the “fear of mountains”, but for a banal reason - I got behind the wheel a few months before, and had not yet received sufficient experience and confidence.
But after the first time, both experience and confidence grew sharply. Now I know for sure that if you are careful, attentive, look at the signs and predict the navigator's readings, then a trip around Spain turns into a walk. Good roads, clear markings, signs on the sides of the roads, duplicated with paint on the asphalt. Normal neighbors downstream.
So, if you have doubts, and because of them you are still going on excursions by bus, afraid of falling behind at the next stop - away with fears! Serpentine from the window of your car is much less scary than from a tall bus driven by a fearless native.
The island of Tenerife is unique for its climate. He's different! And the main creator of the weather here is the Teide volcano, business card islands. It is located approximately in the middle, rising 3718 meters above the sea, and 7500 meters above the bottom of the Atlantic, being the most high peak Atlantic Ocean. Mountains delay north winds, forming clouds in the northern part of the island, due to which significant amounts of precipitation fall there. This part of the island is very green.
However, tourist area is located in the south. Here the area is practically bare, but there is very little rainfall throughout the year. In the southeast, winds constantly drive waves, which has made El Médano a favorite destination for wind surfers. And in the southwest it is almost always calm. Therefore, this part of the island is the most touristic.
The island is not very far from the equator, so the sun shines almost vertically here... However, the air temperature is on average +26 degrees, which deceives tourists, and they burn out "once... twice". The thing is that the island is washed by cold ocean current, which neutralizes the scorching sun, turning the climate on the island into “eternal spring,” as marketers write.
Of course, the temperature changes plus/minus throughout the year. I visited Tenerife at the beginning of March, in April, in September - and you could always wear a T-shirt and swim in the ocean. However, I must say right away - do not expect the temperature of fresh milk from the ocean. It is always cool there (see above about the cold current). Temperature +20..+24 degrees. At the beginning of March it is cooler, at the end of September it is a little warmer. But never warm enough to climb into to warm up.
And I like it even better - you go into the waves, tremble... and get a sharp increase in tone. But then you get used to it, and you don’t want to go out.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the beaches. They may be a disappointment for those who first visited the Maldives or the Dominican Republic. It should be noted that without human intervention there would be practically no beaches there at all. This is a volcanic island! Only one beach with yellow sand in the northeast of the island was created by nature - thanks to winds from the east, sand was blown from the Sahara Desert, and man helped complete what he started - bringing the missing sand.
Most of the beaches (except for the rocky ones) have black volcanic sand, which is a real pleasure, especially for small children. It tends to get clogged in all possible human places, and is quite difficult to wash off. But it will scrub your body, be healthy!
And, of course, it gets very, very hot in the sun - be careful!
The excitement in the ocean is quite decent. Of course, there are a few small beaches, well protected by breakwaters, however, most beaches allow sufficient high wave get to the shore. It’s even more interesting for me, but I wouldn’t recommend letting small children stay away from you. My eldest son (he turned 9 years old the other day), Artemka, being 4 years old, is very active child, took a moment... and disappeared. Thank God - I found him, sobbing, quite far from us, but close to the shore... Lost, you see. And we were so scared!
By the way, all beaches throughout Spain are free and free for everyone to enter. So, if you can only get to a beach through a hotel, don’t hesitate to get there, even if this hotel is not yours.
There are many different places on the island that are interesting enough to visit. Let me remind you that it is easy to implement any plans - if you always have a car at hand.
What is a hackneyed "must visit" - Loro Park, Siam Park, Monkey Park. The miniature park, Pueblo Chicco, will not leave you indifferent.
For nature lovers, I would recommend the following routes:
1. Drive around the island, no matter clockwise or counterclockwise.
2. Drive from south to north through the Teide valley, pine forests, go down to the northern airport, leave it behind and climb into the northeastern mountains - here you will find whole thickets of relic laurels (careless guides, trying to collect as much as possible more tourists, they say that these can only be found on La Gomera - that’s a trip, not for the faint-hearted), you can admire the two sides of the island from the tops, and then go down to Teresitas beach. The one with the yellow sand.
3. From the south, through the village of Maska, drive all the way north, and turn onto the road to the Teno lighthouse - the westernmost point of the island. Yes, you will have to drive along a closed road (there is a sign “No Trespassing” with the inscription: further travel at your own peril and risk”), under the cliffs hanging over the abandoned road, abundantly strewing the asphalt with pebbles of various sizes. But, once you escape, you will see dizzying views beautiful views on the rocks, sky and sea.
By the way, the road to the village of Maska is called the “road of death”. Marketing, nothing more. Excellent road, with a fence. The only thing that distinguishes it from the rest of the Tenerife serpentine road is that in some places it is quite narrow and in order to pass tourist buses you have to back up. Well, in some places the slope is a little more than usual. By the way, having chosen the route to Cape Teno, we did not pay attention to the fact that it goes through Maska. And, in general, they did not understand where the “road of death” was. Moreover, I will say that all the most beautiful things will be revealed to the tourist who goes further and does not look at the incomprehensible houses of this unremarkable village.
The best way to get to Masca is by water - you can book a trip on a glass-bottomed catamaran. It will be really interesting, unlike visiting the village overland.
In general, you can simply map out routes - the Internet is full of reference books on all kinds of "miradors" - and find them in person. This is interesting in itself, as opposed to stupid wallowing on black sand under the vertical rays of the sun.
And after daytime travel, just when the sun goes down lower, around 4 pm, finally come to the beach, when the bulk of the “redskins” are already starting to pull up to the exit, afraid to miss the evening “all-inclusive”.
And after the beach, return to the apartment, wash off the black sand, set the table on the terrace overlooking the sea, and drink an ice-cold sangria while watching the sun set directly on the island of La Gomera.
I love Tenerife, and I will definitely visit there more than once.
It remains to summarize the story with photographs, I hope that they will bring a bit of sun, sea and south to our first day of winter.
In one of the parks, I don’t remember where exactly.
My nephew, Sergei (now taller than me), and my son Artemka.
In 1996, my parents rented a hotel room in this area and swam in this artificial lake, so we could not help but visit it in 2010.
Eddie Medano. A paradise for windsurfers.
Typical landscape in the green part of the mountains.
Loro Park. Really worth a visit
Gorillas walk there almost within walking distance. Powerful creatures.
A phenomenal penguin colony in which the climate of Antarctica is recreated.
The main population of the park are parrots.
Not long ago, a mega-water park, Siam Park, opened. Recommended for lovers of crazy water slides.
But others will also find entertainment for themselves.
30 meter "slide". Falling from it, you fly through a pipe inside the pool. With sharks, or something.
Water slalom for those who like to race.
The dragon is also an attraction
Father says hi.
A shallow lake on which an artificial ninth shaft is periodically formed.
And this is the heart of the island, the Teide volcano
This area has a very unique landscape, fantastic.
Finger of God.
Lunar landscape
Tenerife pines.
And again the ocean.
Armas sailed to La Gomera.
A piece of typical coastline.
And again Loro Parque. In addition to flowers, trees and animals, it hosts various shows. The fur seals will not leave anyone indifferent - this is the funniest show in the park.
And this is the most grandiose performance! Orca show! Mast visit!
And, of course, nowhere without dolphins
There is also an aquarium
Madeira is an amazing blooming green island in the Atlantic Ocean, where a modest, leisurely and patriarchal life takes place. For its exceptionally mild climate, tonic and restorative, Madeira received the name of the island of eternal spring. My visit to the island was in January, and it’s spring here.
Translated from Portuguese, "Madeira" means "forest, tree." Indeed, the forest covering the island is diverse, or rather, there are 145 species of trees! Palm trees and beautiful subtropical flowers and fruits also grow here in large numbers. Orchids, callas, bouganvilleas, hydrangeas, magnolias, azaleas, and lilies bloom at any time of the year. The symbol of the island is the Strelitzia flower, which looks like a fantastic red bird.
First impressions and meetings
Impression. January 22. The airport in Madeira is one of the ten most dangerous airports in the world, as it requires pilots to perform special maneuvers. Before landing, the plane must first be directed towards the mountains, and almost at the very last moment, abruptly change the direction of flight and enter the runway. I saw and felt all this on the Easy Jet airline plane that took me to the island from Lisbon. Our landing was successful, unlike the Boeing 727 landing in November 1977, which killed 131 people.
Interesting fact - international Airport Madeira was renamed in 2016 in honor of football player Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo was born in the island's capital, Funchal, in 1985. And even earlier, a bronze monument was erected in the city and a museum was opened in his honor, and one of the squares of Funchal was named after the football player.
Meetings. At the airport I was met by a young German named Beno. My friend Alexander Sobetsky from Ukraine asked him about this. It’s interesting that I met Alexander earlier, when he hitchhiked me along the Lviv-Kyiv highway. Then Alexander said that he used to live in Madeira and expressed his readiness to help when I planned a visit to the island. And now, after two years, he kept his word and practically organized all 4 days of my stay in Madeira.
Ben was supposed to take me to a fellow countrywoman from the Zhitomir region, Valentina, who now lives in Funchal with her daughter Oksana. On the way into the city, Ben showed me a beautiful spot on the coast with a beach between the cliffs below and views of the capital in the distance. There is also a large statue of Jesus Christ, similar to the one in Rio de Janeiro.
Valya greeted me very warmly and prepared Ukrainian borscht. I was given a whole room where I felt great all the days of my stay in Madeira. After breakfast, Valya took me to the center of Funchal, showed me a park overlooking the harbor, in which there was a huge a cruise ship.
After that, I continued to walk around the city on my own. Funchal is scattered on the slopes of the mountains, and the center is located below, on the ocean.
Getting to know Funchal
Funchal is the capital of the autonomous region of Madeira. It is a colorful city with stunning mountain views. There are no traffic jams, almost no crime and little other nonsense. There is delicious coffee, good weather and comfortable living conditions. The city has a pleasant atmosphere and residents lead a leisurely life. Smiling, handsome young people walk the streets, and the parks and embankment are full of walking townspeople with dogs. The houses are decorated with flowers, the streets are tiled with white markings, as is customary in Portugal.
In the center of Funchal there are many tourists who sit in cafes and drink coffee while listening to pleasant music. An atmosphere of joy and safety reigns.
I toured some of the sights of the capital. For example, built at the end of the 17th century, the Palace of the Regional Government contains panels of polychrome tiles for 300 years. And the fortress-palace of St. Lawrence is a monumental complex considered the most impressive example of civil and military architecture on the island of Madeira. The cathedral is considered the oldest religious building on the island. It rises right in the center of the city.
After lunch I went out to the embankment to admire the ocean. They say you can sometimes see whales right here, but I wasn't lucky today. All I saw was a full harbor of yachts and a huge cruise ship in port. Also at the port stood old sailboat, which is an original copy of the Santa Maria, the caravel of the explorer Columbus.
Along the embankment I came to the old part of the city, where from afar my attention was attracted by an ancient yellow building. This is Fort San Tiago, built in 1614, which currently houses a museum of modern art and a pleasant restaurant overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
For some time I stood motionless and peered into the distance, wanting to see whales, but there were none. Screaming seagulls circled overhead, begging for food.
Let's look at Funchal from above
There was about three hours and I decided that I would have time to climb to the upper part of the city, where some green park was visible among the clouds. That's where I went cable car, which intrigued me even more. But I still went up on a bus, which jerked its way up the narrow streets.
I got off the bus next to that green park, which turned out to be lush as well. In general, Monte Park is the most popular among tourists and various exotic plants grow here.
I was allowed into the park for free with my NSJU journalist ID, but there was only half an hour left before closing, so I only had time to quickly walk around and take a quick look.
I decided to go down on foot, although the local guys tried to persuade me to ride a toboggan and a basket sleigh.
But this entertainment is more suitable for extreme sports enthusiasts. By the way, tobogganing is a Maderian folk sport, when you are lowered down in a wooden sleigh at a decent speed (up to 48 km/h) along the asphalt by two carreiros in straw hats. The route is about 2 km and will get you there in about 10 minutes, the risk of this kind is worth 25 euros. Would you go?
I walked down Torrina Street without any extreme, passing luxurious summer country houses. And what a magnificent view of the ocean from above. I will never forget the sight of a huge cruise ship sailing into the distance at sunset. My day also ended and at Valya’s house a Ukrainian dinner with potatoes and pleasant communication awaited me.
Let's go to Santana
January 23. For a trip to Santana, in the north of the island of Madeira, I gathered good company: Valya with her daughter Oksana, Andrea - a friend of Oksana, and also the Portuguese Francisco, our driver. This trip was specially planned for me, to show Beautiful places and Theme Park.
Along the way, we stopped several times at viewpoints to get a good look at the mountains and ocean. Green mountains against the backdrop of the blue Atlantic are a very beautiful sight. And the cannons under the oak tree on the edge of the cliff are completely original. Mimosa smells everywhere, and eucalyptus smells higher up in the mountains.
The weather changes very often. It happened that we entered a tunnel - the sun was shining, we left it - it was already raining. The January weather in Madeira is very capricious, but this did not spoil the overall positive impression.
Coffee time was organized in Santana. The Portuguese Francisco turned out to be a cheerful and interesting conversationalist. He loves Ukrainians very much and is aware of all the events in our country. I decided to stay in Santana and spend time in Theme park, and in the meantime the group will go to the ocean shore for a barbecue.
Santana is a pleasant and cozy city. Every house has many, many pots of flowers, the whole town is simply buried in flowers. On the rooftops, locals dry corn and pumpkin seeds. Grandparents tirelessly dig into their gardens. No sooner have one potato crop been dug up than a new one is planted. And potatoes in Madeira are the size of an average eggplant, and the holes for them are made with sapa, which is 4 times larger than ours. Well, it’s the same village as our villages, albeit more beautiful.
Madeira Theme Park
The theme park in Santana is a museum under open air, divided into separate areas, a visit to which combines a story about the history of Madeira with the pleasure of contact with nature. They let me into the park again for free, but I promised the director to write a report, which is what I’m doing now. They armed me with a map of the park, gave me a ticket and wanted to assign a guide, but I refused.
Here you can see, visit and touch traditional Madeiran houses, as well as outbuildings such as a mill, barn or bakery. The main visiting card of the park is the traditional triangular houses with thatched roofs. Inside the islanders' home there is a simple furnishing - a kitchen with utensils, a bedroom with a wooden bed and an image of the Virgin Mary.
In addition to historical buildings, the park has a number of installations, children's playgrounds and attractions.
In the middle of the park there is a lake into which streams flow, across which there are cute wooden bridges.
I also watched two films - about the history of Madeira and about the nature of the island. To watch it, I was strapped into a chair, which I didn’t immediately understand. But, during the second film, when the lights were turned off and, to enhance the impression, the chair under me began to move according to the plot, I understood everything. For example, riding a horse, looking down from a hang glider, or a hole in the road were accompanied by corresponding movements of the chair.
There were practically no visitors and I had to look for a mini-train driver to take me for a ride around the park. As if saying goodbye, I drove through all the places where I had just walked on foot. On the way out, I thanked the director and left autographs on my business card for some of the employees. At 16-00 I met my travel companions and we returned to Funchal.
In the evening I also managed to visit the museum of the football player Cristiano Ronaldo. Not far from the museum, on the embankment there is also a monument to Ronaldo. It is noticeable that it is very popular on the island, especially among teenagers.
At the port, I went to Fort de Nossa Senhor Conceijao, which rises on a cliff 10 meters high. At the entrance I was met by a man who asked for 2 euros for entry. When I said that I was a journalist, he let me in for free. At the top there is a platform for viewing the ocean, and inside the room there are items related to navigation. But the most interesting thing is that this piece of rock with a building claims independence from Madeira. Local authorities perceive this idea with sarcasm, but do not in any way prevent the owner of the fort from expressing his position.
Trip to the Valley of the Nuns
January 24. In the morning I took bus number 81 to the mountains, to the village of Curral das Freiras. This village is located in the crater long ago extinct volcano, in the deepest valley of the island. Preserved here convent St. Clare's from the 16th century, which in the past served as a refuge for nuns from frequent pirate raids.
The path to Curral das Freiras was not easy. The bus rushed up the narrow winding roads, where in some places it was impossible for two cars to pass each other. The road is simply scary, because in some 30 centimeters there is a deep abyss. And the driver confidently drives the bus at the maximum permissible speed. When turning, your palms, mice and everything else sweat. There are no plains in Madeira; there was nowhere to even build an airport.
I went out on the rock of Eiro to the Cerrada, at an altitude of 1,094 meters.
The bus continued on, but it was interesting to look down from observation deck at Curral das Freiras. The views from the observation deck are stunning, but you need to catch moments to take photos, as the clouds cover and reveal the valley every few minutes. From a dizzying height one can see the Curral das Freiras, sandwiched on both sides by ridges and the most high peaks- Ruivo and Arieiro. The wind blew me off my feet, but the mesmerizing view from the height did not let me go for about an hour until I froze.
I decided to walk down the paved path to the village, which seemed so small from above.
I had to jump over the rocks like mountain goats. Along the way I met only a few tourists, and after 40 minutes I was already in the center of Curral das Freiras and looking up at the cliff from which I had just descended. It turned out to be much warmer below; the difference in altitude of 800 meters was immediately felt. But I still warmed myself up with tea, after which I returned to Funchal by bus along that same terrible road.
Upon returning to the capital, I went to the embankment again, but there were still no whales... I was waiting for them like polar bears on Spitsbergen, but today they were in a different place. But I believe that in the future my dream of seeing whales at close range will definitely come true.
I'm leaving Madeira
The 25th of January. I am very grateful to my fellow countrymen Valentina and Oksana for their warm hospitality, but it’s time to say goodbye. At 7:30 am Beno stopped by to take me to the airport. It's called, where you took it, you returned it there)) In the morning the city is still asleep, there are almost no cars on the road, but there is such a beautiful ocean that it was a pity to leave.
I have a flight to Lisbon with the same English airline Easy Jet. I noticed an overly strict attitude towards the norm hand luggage and placing it on shelves in the cabin. The flight attendants personally corrected everything and distributed it evenly. There was a little nervousness on takeoff as I thought about the short runway ending with an overpass and a drop into the ocean. But our pilot lifted the plane professionally. And when I saw rare clouds below against the background of the blue Atlantic, I completely calmed down and fell asleep.
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