
Transport in Madeira Islands, Portugal
Transport in Madeira is developed at a high level. Funchal and Porto Santo have international airports and seaports. Public transport in Funchal are buses and taxis. The bus ticket can be bought either directly on the bus or in advance at the main bus station. Funchal is divided into transport zones. Tourists can purchase a pass for two trips in zones 1, 2 and 3 and a week pass for all zones. Regular buses and minibuses run between settlements. Their route is serpentine, not through tunnels, so it’s much longer. But this has its own advantage – you can admire the scenery of the island.
According to USVSUKENGLISH.COM, taxis can be easily recognized by their yellow color. Every taxi driver has an official price list for fixed routes, approved by the local government and the Regional Taxi Drivers Association, which hangs on the back of the driver’s or passenger’s seat. Taxis can be caught right on the street or found at a special parking lot. For luggage weighing more than 30 kg, the taxi driver may charge an additional fee. Outside Funchal, taxi fares are based on mileage.
The cost of renting a car for one day ranges from 30 to 200 euros. Upon receipt of the car, the client either leaves his credit card number or a deposit. To rent, you need an international driver’s license and a “green card” – an international certificate of civil liability insurance, which can be purchased at the offices of insurance companies in Russia. The driver must be at least 22 years old and have at least a year of driving experience.
Plant and Animal World in Madeira Islands, Portugal
Madeira is covered with lush vegetation. Relic forests that covered Europe in the pre-glacial period have been preserved on its territory. Currently, these forests are under the protection of UNESCO. Along the coast there are banana plantations, thickets of mangoes, pineapples, passion fruit, avocados. There are more than 2 thousand species of flowers on the archipelago, among which the most common are orchids and bougainvillea.
Of the animals on the islands, there is a hare, in coastal waters – sea lions. The rest of the fauna is represented by birds.
Banks in Madeira Islands, Portugal
Most banks are open on weekdays from 8:30 to 15:00, some also work on Saturday from 9:00 to 13:00. Exchange offices are open from 9:00 to 13:00 and from 14:00 to 17:00.
Money in Madeira Islands, Portugal
Until 2002, Madeira’s currency was the Portuguese escudo, from January 2002 the country switched to the euro. There are 100 cents in one euro. There are euro banknotes in circulation in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros and coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents. Until the end of 2012, the National Bank will exchange national banknotes for euros free of charge.
In Portugal, American Express, MasterCard and Visa credit cards are widely accepted, Cirrus and Plus credit cards are not accepted.
Rate: 1 Euro (EUR) = 1.05 USD
Political State in Madeira Islands, Portugal
Since 1976 Madeira has been an autonomous region of Portugal. It has its own Government and its own Parliament, quite independent from Portugal. The Madeira Regional Parliament is an elected body that legislates in Madeira in relation to the budget, and its duties are stipulated in the Constitution. The Madeiran Government, however, cannot override the decisions of the Central Government in Lisbon and cannot violate the political integrity of Portugal. 5 members elected by popular vote represent Madeira in Lisbon.
Despite the autonomous status of Madeira, most of the laws enacted by the Central Government and the Portuguese Parliament fully apply to Madeira.
Population in Madeira Islands, Portugal
The population of Madeira is 350 thousand people, of which about a third live in Funchal. Most of the inhabitants of the island are Portuguese, a small part is represented by immigrants from the British Commonwealth.
Language:
The national language of Madeira is Portuguese. English is taught in schools and is widely used in everyday life.