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August, 2014 Discover in Madeira a destination with a tourist tradition spanning 200 years, whose singular beauty and mild climate enchant all its visitors. You can go for the freshness of Laurissilva Forest on Madeira island, or for the golden sun on the magnificent beach of Porto Santo island and enjoy pleasant and unforgettable adventures! Madeira elected Europe's Leading Island Destination For the second year in a row, Madeira Islands were elected by the "World Travel Awards” organization as Europe's Leading Island Destination for 2014. Madeira competed in this category alongside with tourist destinations such as the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Sardinia, Malta and Cyprus. The World Travel Awards takes place annually and recognises, awards and celebrates excellence in all sectors of the tourism industry worldwide. Votes followed an evaluation undertaken mostly by tourism professionals and travel agents located in over 200 countries worldwide. Learn more about Madeira Islands acknowledgements at: visitmadeira.pt August, a month of festivities Arraiais are popular festivities, usually with religious roots, which are decorated with many lights and flowers; include entertainment by folkclore groups, philharmonic bands and by local or mainland musical groups. In these festivities there are “despiques” (improvised songs) sung among the pilgrims who come to fulfil their promises to their patron saints. In some cases, these become the locality biggest events that overlap with the local parish patron. Most festivities are held annually, during all weekends in August, with the various municipalities of Madeira and Porto Santo breaking into joy, colour and music, and where you can taste the typical Madeiran meat kebab and the traditional "bolo do caco" bread. The following festivities take place during this month: Nossa Senhora do Monte (at Funchal and at Lamaceiros, Porto Moniz), Our Lady of Grace (Calheta, Câmara de Lobos and at Graça, Porto Santo) at Porto da Cruz (Our Lady of Guadalupe) and Serra d'Agua (Our Lady of Help). The São Vicente festivity takes place at the end of August, and in Ponta Delgada, on the first weekend of September. Summer Water Jump | Paul do Mar August 23rd On August 23rd, the village of Paul do Mar, in the municipality of Calheta, hosts a new edition of the "Summer Water Jump", an initiative organized by MADproductions in partnership with Freeride Madeira. This is a competition of acrobatic jumps into the water, a true test of the athletic abilities of each participant in the four categories of this event: "Summer Water Jump King", "Best Trick", "Big Air Jump”, and "Best Crash". This event promotes extreme activities and healthy life for youth, promoting Madeira Island as an excellent destination for extreme sports. Sign up now! Find out more at: www.summerwaterjump.com Madeira Wine Festival at the end of this month! Starting on August 31st, the Madeira Wine Festival will carry on until September 7th. At this event, the old customs of Madeira's population from the early settlement of the island are recreated and the socio-economic importance of Madeira wine is reminded. The festival begins in the town of Estreito de Câmara de Lobos with live vintage. Grape picking, the parade of the grape gatherers, the treading of the grapes and the rest of the typical Madeira Festival ritual are experienced with enthusiasm by all who attend the festivities. In the Centre of Funchal there are various allegorical and decorative shows, as well as folkloric performances. See the micro-site here for more information. Discover 4 centuries of history in the Jesuit College "History of a Monument” is on display until August 31st, depicting the four centuries of the Jesuit College, an important institution that has adapted to the changing times. The Jesuit College was created by Royal Grant on the 20th of August of 1569 by His Majesty King Sebastião, for the evangelization and establishment of the ideas of the Counter-Reformation, or Catholic Reformation, resulting from the religious schism (Protestant Reformation) that took place in this period. At this exhibition, the visitor discovers the 400-year history of this magnificent space, which has served as a school as well as quarters for British troops during Napoleonic wars. Visit the website of the Jesuit College. Sugar Cane Museum opens to the public The Calheta Sugar Cane Mill [Engenho da Calheta], founded in 1901 and located on the Western south coast of Madeira, further enriches its treasures with the opening of a museum which displays one of the early and most important productive activities in the region: the sugar cane culture. The Museum recreates the history of the mill by displaying some pieces from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries that were part of it, as well as industrial archaeological artefacts. A bilingual film is also shown, with images depicting the production process of the sugar cane. With Prince Henry as the motivator and first producer of sugar cane, and as a result of its establishment in the Region, not only did the Madeiran economy improve, but the Expansion and the Portuguese Crown were sponsored too. With the competition from sugars produced in Spain (Canary Islands), Brazil and Africa (São Tomé and Angola), Madeira's sugar industry fell into decay. Today, the canes are used for the production of aguardente (sugar cane rum) and molasses, iconic products that are indispensable for the creation of two of the most desirable gastronomy experiences in the region: the typical honey cake and poncha. Currently, four sugar cane mills still exist in Madeira - Fábrica de Mel de Cana Ribeiro Seco (Funchal), the Society of Cane Mills of Calheta (Calheta), the Cane Mill Company of the North (Porto da Cruz) and the New Cane Mill (Calheta Industrial Park). Learn more about the Madeira Museums, which demonstrates the wealth of history and tradition, by visiting the Madeira Tourism website: Museums 2 Improve your health and well-being! On Porto Santo beach, the pleasure of sea bathing combined with tranquillity and the quality of the sand make the island an exceptional holiday destination. Warm and crystalline waters combined with the therapeutic properties of its sands offer various forms of therapy. The treatment for orthopaedic, rheumatic and physiatric diseases is just some of the treatment options offered at this destination. Sea water is rich in calcium, iodine and magnesium, ideal to treat a mineral deficiency caused by stress and fatigue, and another reason this destination is so unique. Feel the therapeutic sand and seawater of Porto Santo surrounding your body, and visit the only thalassotherapy centre, which takes care of you and your health. Find out more at Porto Santo website: www.visitportosanto.pt 3 .

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