Travel Guides > Traditional Activities and Popular Culture Madeira

Traditional Activities and Popular Culture Madeira

During the settlement of the Archipelago of Madeira, there were a large patch of indigenous forest, that is, the Laurissilva Forest, many bird species and small reptiles. At that time, there were many people from Portugal Mainland and foreigners from other countries, who came to the Archipelgo to do some trading. Madeiran people emerged from a fusion of these two people, who were the first settlers of Madeira Island. During this period, and due to the micro-climate, many crops were introduced. The majority of the population dedicate themselves to the production of bananas, sugar cane, horticultural crops and other vegetables. These agricultural activities had an important role for the sustainability of the Archipelago. Therefore, locals built irrigation channels, known as "Levadas", to bring water from the high mountain springs to the slopes and valleys, and terraces (poios). Besides, the archipelago is also well-kown for its regional products, namely the Madeira Embroidery, Handicraft, Tapestry and Wickerwork. Regarding its gastronomy, Madeira has amazing typical regional dishes, worth of trying. The most famous gastronomic specialties are "Espetada" (beef cubed hung in a bay leaf stick),"carne de vinho e alhos", black scabbard fish, tuna fish, fried corn, grilled chicken, "bolo do caco", fresh limpets. Madeira and Porto santo also have a wide variety of traditional sweets and desserts. Locals and tourists are fond of honey cane, honey cake buiscuits, chocolate cake and "queijadas".