Machico
The spot where Portuguese navigators first landed on Madeira in 1419; this bayside town has a golden-sand beach, an old church and a small fort.
Machico was Madeira's first settlement, where the Portuguese navigator João Gonçalves Zarco landed in 1419. In the town center stand the 15th-century Church of Our Lady of Conception, the Chapel of Miracles and the yellow Fortress of Our Lady. The golden-sand Praia de Machico lies within the bay, where the water is calm. To the east is Madeira International Airport, where you can watch planes descend low over the sea. Machico is about 25 km from Funchal and is often scheduled with Ponta de São Lourenço and the Madeira Whale Museum on an eastern day trip.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Madeira Whale Museum
- Ponta de São Lourenço
- Cristo Rei do Garajau
- Palheiro Gardens
- Balcões Viewpoint
- Madeira Botanical Garden
- Monte Palace Tropical Garden & Monte Toboggan
- Santana Traditional Houses