The Lovely Town of Machico, on Portugal's Madeira Island

[Kelly Wilson]

Madeira Island is among the islands in the Madeira Archipelago and was discovered by the Portuguese in the early 1400's. It's still part of Portugal today, and also is a popular holiday destination with travelers from around Europe. The stunning seaside surroundings with a background of rising mountains, mixed with a rich heritage and also creative society, make it a fascinating area to go to and also stay awhile.

Machico

When the Portuguese initially resolved the island, it was split into two components. Funchal, the present hub of Madeira Island, came to be the facility of the western part, and Machico the eastern side. Unlike Funchal, Machico developed slowly and silently right into a largely farming community. There's a beautiful 15th-century church, the Igreja Matriz, and likewise the charming Chapel of Wonders (Capela dos Milagros).

When arriving in Machico, jumps right away to see the modern-day pebble-and-synthetic-yellow-sand beaches with appropriately equipped resort areas. Beyond the welcoming coastline, this church, which is quite possibly offered by dining establishments, is very abundant in heritage, starting with the matrix Church, located in front of the Municipal government and dedicated to Our Lady of Conceição.

It is claimed that this temple was erected by the family of captains-donees of the island. Certain is that this 15th-century-to-very-early-16th-century landmark still preserves the historic characteristics of the late Gothic and Manueline eras, including opulent interior scultpures.

As soon as in Machico, one can likewise go to the fort of São João Baptista - built in 1708, with a neo-Gothic church committed to the saint that offers the name to the citadel - and the Church of Our Lord of Miracles, a Baroque church built on the site of a chapel of the 15th century that was destroyed by the flooding of 1803.

Another point of interest is the church of Piquinho or Caramanchão. Opened in 1967, this holy place is dedicated to the client São José whose calling forth is made in honor of a small chateau, which as soon as fed on the summit of a hillside on Sitio do Piquinho, with a historic church dedicated to this saint of the 18th century.

Machico has a variety of other churches worth a visit, including Our Lady of Conceição, Preces in Ribeira Grande, São Roque, and Our Lady of Grace.