Madeira, a kaleidoscope of colors in the middle of the Atlantic

A kaleidoscope of colors along the streets, in the small villages that crowd its coast, in the farmers' markets full of delicious tropical fruits (the Mercados Dos Lavradores in the capital Funchal is beautiful), in the skies that light up at night with majestic fireworks. Flowers of astonishing uniqueness and centuries-old trees are its most precious wealth together with the friendliness of the people. It is no coincidence that the Madeira archipelago takes its name from the wood that is obtained from the trees of the forests scattered everywhere. In Portuguese, in fact, Ilha da Madeira, derives from "madeira" which means, precisely, wood. The largest island of the archipelago of the same name is a handkerchief of Portugal in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, closer to Africa than to Europe. To it is added the other inhabited island, the small Porto Santo whose golden beaches are truly enchanting all year round, and then three small uncontaminated and uninhabited paradises (islands of volcanic origin: Deserta Grande, Bugio and Ilhéu Chão) today a protected Natural Park, little more than rocks, a privileged refuge for the monk seal.