Madeira: The Atlantic Orchid

A tropical archipelago with a wonderful subtropical climate and breathtaking scenery, Madeira is justifiably known as 'the floating garden' or 'Pearl of the Atlantic'. It is located in the North Atlantic Ocean, some 560 miles (900 kilometers) from continental Portugal and about 370 miles (600 kilometers) from the coast of Morocco; an outpost of Europe in the Atlantic Ocean. Forming part of the Archipelago are the inhabited islands of Madeira and Porto Santo plus small groups of uninhabited islands, the Desertas and Selvagens. The Island of Madeira is the largest of them.Madeira has a variety of rare attractions besides its luxurious blue skies and sea and its imposing valleys and mountains where plant life is abundantly diverse. The Island is famous for Madeira wine, embroidery artisans, 'Bolo de Mel', exotic flowers, tropical fruits, striking scenery and its spectacular New Year's Eve fireworks, considered the biggest in the world by the Guinness Book of Records. Add all this to its mild climate and it's easy to see why the 'Paradise Island' has become the inspirational holiday destination of the 'old world'.