Exploring the Pearl of the Atlantic Apr 21, 2021

Exploring the Pearl of the Atlantic

We"re taking in a view of the island of Madeira, by far the largest island in the Madeira archipelago, which sits 320 miles off the coast of Morocco in the North Atlantic. Known as the "Pearl of the Atlantic," Madeira is part of an autonomous region of Portugal. It boasts a diverse forest ecosystem, endemic flora and fauna, and the largest living stand of laurel trees in the world. It"s a great place to hike, too. Trails run alongside irrigation channels, called levadas, that move water all over the island. Walks range from easy strolls in the countryside to precarious hikes along mountain ridges or into remote parts of the forests. Afterward, the calorie-depleted can dig into a local delicacy like peixe espada com banana (fried local fish with banana) and sip on Madeira wine. Saúde!

© Hemis/Alamy

palette

Today in History

Apr 21, 2018Celebrating National Park Week, April 21-29
Apr 21, 2019The Easter Bunny’s story
Apr 21, 2020Where do those colors come from?
Apr 21, 2022First day of summer
Apr 21, 2023Procida, Italy
Apr 21, 2024National Park Week continues
Apr 21, 2025International Dark Sky Week

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jul 22, 2022Our Lady of the Rocks
Jun 30, 2021An impactful day
Aug 21, 2021Ambassadors of the airwaves
Oct 23, 2022Mute swan
Nov 13, 2021Ronda, Spain
Nov 14, 2024Manarola, Cinque Terre National Park, Liguria, Italy
May 24, 2025European Day of Parks
May 30, 2021Who s hiding in the kelp?
Oct 13, 2021Celebrating a young girl s age-old discovery
May 20, 2021Happy Bee Day to you
Sep 16, 2020It s Independence Day in Mexico
May 15, 2020The last thing seen by Wile E. Coyote
Oct 3, 2019Love on ice
Nov 29, 2018A Christmas market with a long history
Dec 9, 2022Muskoxen in Dovre-Sunndalsfjella National Park, Norway
Jun 4, 2020A bridge too Fawr
Feb 9, 2018Speed skaters in the Gangneung Oval, Pyeongchang, South Korea
May 29, 2024World Otter Day
Jul 7, 2018The Grand Départ: Tour de France begins
Dec 26, 2024Boxing Day
Mar 5, 2021Reflecting on one of the world s strangest rivers
Jan 24, 2025Thorrablot: The Icelandic midwinter festival
Jun 6, 2018Feature Attraction: 85 years at the drive-in
Jan 25, 2020Happy New Year! (Again!)
Feb 12, 2018National Museum of African American History and Culture
Mar 25, 2020It s Tolkien Reading Day
Jul 11, 2022World Population Day
Mar 20, 2024National Cherry Blossom Festival
Mar 15, 2025Ides of March
Mar 22, 2020Celebrating World Water Day