Machico

Welcome to Machico, pronounced mah-SHEE-ko, a city that holds the distinction of being the first point of contact between the Portuguese crown and the island of Madeira. As we stand here, we are at the site of the official…

We stand now near the historic shoreline where the course of Atlantic history was altered. On July 1st, 1419, the ships of Joao Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira first appeared on the horizon. …

Before the Portuguese officially claimed the island, a more romantic and tragic legend had already associated this place with an Englishman named Machim, from whom the name Machico is likely derived. The story, a veritable Romeo…

Commanding a strategic position overlooking the bay is the Forte de Nossa Senhora do Amparo, a triangular defensive structure built in 1706. Its bright yellow facade makes it an unmistakable landmark today, but in the eighteenth…

One of Machico's most unique modern features is the Praia de Machico, famous for its soft, golden sand. What makes this beach truly remarkable is that every grain of this sand is an immigrant; it was imported directly from the…

The Capela dos Milagres, or Chapel of Miracles, is one of the most spiritually significant sites in all of Madeira. Built in 1420, it was one of the very first chapels established on the island, purportedly on the site where the…

As we move into the heart of the city, we encounter a lighter, yet equally fascinating side of Machico’s culture. The town is known for its wide, tree-lined boulevards and the 'Machico Forum,' which serves as a cultural hub with…

As our journey through Machico comes to an end, I hope you feel the deep resonance of this place. From the first tentative steps of Zarco and Teixeira to the romantic tragedy of Machim and Anna, Machico has always been a place of…