My Escapes Portugal Madeira Escape to Lush Green Madeira Funchal Felt Like Latin-America!

Funchal Felt Like Latin-America!

Madeira is Portuguese, but it's actually closer to Africa than to Europe.
Interestingly, it has a strong Latin American colonial look and feel.
At times I felt like in Brazil or even Cuba. Funchal didn't feel continental European at all. It's more like an exotic Latin American island.

The old buildings reflect Portuguese architecture from the colonial times (buildings in Funchal resemble those found at various locations of the World, including Brazil, Goa, Malaysia, Oman etc.).

For example, I've found that the Sé, the yellow São Tiago fortress, the São João do Pico Fortress, as well as the old churches, some of the houses, the cobbled streets generate a totally unique exotic atmosphere... one that's somehow non-continental European, but certainly Portuguese (still, different from what you can see in mainland Portugal).

Why do I say it felt like Cuba, Brazil, Venezuela or even the Caribbean?

The palms, the colours, the architectural shapes, the old streets and even the misty green mountains act together in synergy and generate this Latin American-like exotic feel.

But I'll leave you with a set of photos, they speak for themselves...

Besides these photos above, I also recommend the ones I've taken of Funchal's fortresses.
The forts are some of Funchal's best assets and it would be a shame not to check them out when you're on the island.

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