Funchal
In 1419, Tristao Vaz Teixiera and Joao Goncalves Zarco discovered the island of Madeira, on which was established the exquisite city of Funchal. This is a city of incredible lights and sights, a place of dreamy sunsets and gorgeous scenery. The wildlife is remarkable, and the museums are outstanding. Although Funchal is quite built up, the surrounding area is remote and made up of dense jungle. Madeira is an architecturally diverse city with many interesting landmarks.
The island itself is located in the Madeira archipelago and belongs to Portugal. Madeira is 530 miles southwest of Portugal, and is only one of two inhabited islands in the region. Funchal is a coastal city, and is definitely the most active city on Madeira. Nearly all the fun and exciting activities on Madeira are located in Funchal, and the restaurants here are splendid. You are sure to be pleased by the fine dining facilities, good shopping, and active nightlife. There are a number of very nice stores, lively bars, and nightclubs. One of the world's highest ocean cliffs is found on Madeira, and there are plenty of places to hike, explore, and see all kinds of terrain. Madeira redefines the word vacation, as there are so many leisure spots laced throughout Funchal. The Golfe de Madeira golf course is outstanding; the course itself is actually outdone by the fabulous scenery that encompasses the greens. The hills and coastline of Madeira are extraordinarily beautiful, and the climate on the island is lovely. Funchal is bordered by sparkling blue waters that only get more beautiful the more you look at them.
Las Palmas, Canary Islands
Located on the circular island of Gran Canaria, Las Palmas is one of three distinct areas that exist in this region. Las Palmas is the capital, and is home to 370,000 inhabitants. It is a shipping port and a thriving, fast-paced business center. The south coast is completely different, with glorious white-sand beaches that stretch for miles. Next is the interior of the island, which is rural and fairly plain.
Las Palmas is the largest and most active city in all of the Canary Islands. A multicultural and diverse region, tourists, sailors, shoppers, and heavy traffic make it an incredibly bustling port city. The city is lined on one side with docks that house huge container ships. On the other side, four-and-a-half mile long Canteras Beach stretches down the shore. Las Palmas connects two waterfronts of the Gran Canaria Peninsula that stretches for six miles. The northern end of the peninsula is the portion that sees the most action. However, the southern end is where the majority of noteworthy and interesting sights are located. The Plaza Santa Ana is a great place to start your tour of Las Palmas. The bronze dog statues in the plaza are intriguing, and have an interesting history. Ancient explorers found a rare breed of dog on the Grand Canaria Island, and they named the island after these dogs, not after the yellow songbird, as one might presume. This particular breed of mutt is named Canum in Latin, hence the name Canary. Years later, however, the aforementioned birds were, in fact, named after the island.
There is a surprising amount of fantastic nightlife and dining facilities on the island, mostly located in Las Palmas, and you will not be disappointed with the great selection of restaurants, discos, and hot night spots. The fabulous sights and nature areas on Las Palmas are complemented by the wide array of activities available once the sun sets.
Vigo
Galicia is a Celtic-like region located in the mysterious northwest of Spain. It is green, dense, and misty, with destinations ranging from tranquil beaches to incredible mountains and medieval villages. Vigo is a small, subdivision of Galicia, and is situated on the picturesque western coast of Spain. This is Spain's most Atlantic territory, and perhaps the most fascinating area in the entire country. Galicia stretches from the isolated Castilian plains to the gorgeous seacoast. Vineyards can be found everywhere, and the wildest mountain range in all of Spain, the Picos de Europa, is located here, as well.
Spain's northwestern region is so scenic that it is not odd to see tourists holding multiple cameras. The lush diversity of Galicia is breathtaking, and it remains somewhat isolated from foreigners. Typically, travelers to Spain wish to be amidst the bustle and party life of Barcelona and Madrid, but to miss Galicia is to miss out on seeing one of the purest forms of intrinsic geographic beauty in the entire world. The nearby city of Santiago de Compostela is home to a cathedral that supposedly houses the remains of St. James the Apostle. For over 900 years, travelers and pilgrims have visited this ancient, historically significant location. Shrines, churches, and hospitals of the past are scattered throughout the northwest.
Gallego is the official Galician language, and it is closely related to Portuguese. The majority of road signs are in this form of Castillian Spanish. Several distinctions such as this differentiate Galicia and the northwestern region from the rest of Spain.
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