The Garden of Paradise

In the last century, many prominent figures built “quintas” or “quintinhas” in the hills above the capital to relax or while away their time under the bougainvilleas. At the time, Madeira was a resort destination where the nobility came to recuperate. Empress Sisi stayed there, and the last emperor was buried there.<br> It is in one of these quintinhas that you can relax and enjoy the “Island of Flowers.”<br>We’re on an island, and with a little luck, you’ll be able to spot whales or dolphins (April through October) or, at the end of the year, witness the magical fireworks display—one of the largest in the world (6 km in diameter, 17 metric tons of explosives, 8,000 explosions in 8 minutes) (a tip: the best view is from a boat)<br>Villa in a park accessible by all types of vehicles.