Best of European Union » madeira portugal http://www.best-of-european-union.eu Travel through the most beautiful places in Europe Sun, 08 Sep 2013 13:36:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6 Paul da Serra – unexpected plateau in the middle of the mountains of Madeira | Portugal http://www.best-of-european-union.eu/2012/02/10/paul-da-serra-unexpected-plateau-in-the-middle-of-the-mountains-of-madeira-portugal/ http://www.best-of-european-union.eu/2012/02/10/paul-da-serra-unexpected-plateau-in-the-middle-of-the-mountains-of-madeira-portugal/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:05:22 +0000 Julius http://www.best-of-european-union.eu/?p=6174 If you are on Madeira (Portugal’s island) and wish to transfer to Scotland, or Brittany, for a while, just come to the plateau of Paul da Serra. It has an area of ​​6×17 km and is completely unexpected element in the middle of the mountains of Madeira. Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by […]

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]]> If you are on Madeira (Portugal’s island) and wish to transfer to Scotland, or Brittany, for a while, just come to the plateau of Paul da Serra. It has an area of ​​6×17 km and is completely unexpected element in the middle of the mountains of Madeira.

Paul da Serra, Madeira, Portugal
Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Jean & Nathalie

Those who visit Madeira and hike through the island, soon discover that everything on the island is either downhill or uphill. Plane landscape can not be find here. However, Paul da Serra will surprise you. It is a huge plane. Another World.

If the weather is nice, you can see both a northern and southern coast of the island. But it is very occasionally and rather do not expect to be so lucky.

Do not underestimate the clothes, as here on the plateau may be a lot colder than at the sea. Also fogs can be formed very quickly and remain long enough. Therefore, be prepared for those natural changes. It is also recommended to go on guided tours.

Levada, Madeira, Portugal
Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Jörg Schmalenberger at wikipedia.com

Paul da Serra attracts tourists by its unusual landscape and beautiful scenery. At the road to Porto Moniz you can get into a nice valley of Rabacal. Here you can choose from two popular hiking trails leading along the irrigation canals Levadas. The first route is easy, it’s more comfortable for walking. After fifteen minutes you get to the Risco waterfall. The second route is more challenging. The steep climb takes you to 25 Fontes (which means to 25 springs). The whole tour takes about three hours. Both routes are very attractive and should be included in all the maps of Madeira.


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]]> http://www.best-of-european-union.eu/2012/02/10/paul-da-serra-unexpected-plateau-in-the-middle-of-the-mountains-of-madeira-portugal/feed/ 0 Laurisilva forest on the island of Madeira | Portugal http://www.best-of-european-union.eu/2010/10/28/laurel-forest-on-the-island-of-madeira-portugal/ http://www.best-of-european-union.eu/2010/10/28/laurel-forest-on-the-island-of-madeira-portugal/#comments Thu, 28 Oct 2010 21:59:09 +0000 Julius http://www.best-of-european-union.eu/?p=1964 Laurisilva forest on the island of Madeira is a rest of formerly widespread laurel forest. It contains the largest surviving relict of the defunct laurisilva forest that was once widespread across Europe. This forest is considered the center of plant diversity where you can find numerous rare, relict and endemic species, like bryophytes, ferns or […]

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]]> Laurisilva forest on the island of Madeira is a rest of formerly widespread laurel forest. It contains the largest surviving relict of the defunct laurisilva forest that was once widespread across Europe. This forest is considered the center of plant diversity where you can find numerous rare, relict and endemic species, like bryophytes, ferns or flowering plants. Laurisilva forest also has a very rich fauna. Endemic species include the Madeiran long-toed pigeon and some 66 species of vascular plants.

Laurisilva forest was classified by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage in 1999, and it is still the only natural UNESCO site in Portugal. Such a forest exists now only on the Atlantic Islands, forming the so called Biographical Region of Macaronesia – Madeira, Azores and Canaries Islands, however the most extensive laurisilva forests remain on the island of Madeira.

Close to the Laurisilva forest you can visit also Santana 12 km, Ponta Delgada 7 km, Machico 23 km, Pico Ruivo 5 km, Pico do Arieiro 8 km, Madeira 3.8 km, Fortaleza do Pico 15 km, Monte 14 km or Madeira Theme Park 11 km.


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]]> http://www.best-of-european-union.eu/2010/10/28/laurel-forest-on-the-island-of-madeira-portugal/feed/ 5