Meet Christopher Columbus on Madeira’s sister island - Porto Santo

A scene from a period drama perhaps or a film about the famous man’s life? No, it’s better than that. It’s a scene played out with great warmth, excitement and passion every year during the week-long Christopher Columbus Festival in mid-September on the Portuguese island of Porto Santo, smaller sister to Madeira and once home to Columbus.

I was privileged to be on the stunning island this year to see the celebration that transported us all back to the Age of Discovery. It is the place where the great Italian navigator lived between 1479 -1481 honing his skills as a map maker and explorer. The festival is an enactment of Columbus’s return to the island after his maritime travels.

I loved seeing the carrack (ship) get closer to the gathered crowd and was caught up in the excitement of the festival performers who treated us to traditional and classical music, expressive dance and very inspiring words from the festival narrator. It was a Romantic scene in the best sense of the word with a backdrop of tunes, sometimes dramatic and other times distinctly haunting and a celebration that was enthusiastically embraced and enjoyed by many of the island’s residents and tourists, like myself.

The beautiful beach which runs from the island’s main town of Vila Baleira where we had gathered, along the south coast of the island, is a glorious, golden and pristine 9 km stretch. It had become the stage as ‘Colombo’ greeted his wife Felipa Munnis Perestrelle, the daughter of Bartolomeu Perestrello Lord and Governor of the Island of Porto Santo and himself a navigator and explorer.

Then, led by the noble couple, a lively procession set off into town for the fun to continue. There were more street performances with stilt walkers, actors, jugglers and mounted noblemen on gorgeous horses.

Locals and visitors mingled and wandered around the medieval-style and modern-day tents and stalls offering plenty of souvenirs as well as food, including traditional pork kebabs cooked on open barbeques.

However, my son, Evan, who was filming the vivid scene, and I decided to enjoy a gorgeous meal at an outside table in the town square at the restaurant Baiana. Specialising in Italian-style cuisine, we ate heartily while watching the festival performers entertain.

The eaterie is just steps away from the Porto Santo Museum, housed in the stunning building that is thought to have been the home of Christopher Columbus. It’s small but fascinating and we found out many details about the island’s history, not least a problem with pirates (but more of that later), its Columbus connection, his life and adventures, and treasures from the past.

We could have partied into the night, but with more of the island to discover, we returned to our hotel fairly early to sleep on the images of a truly memorable day.

We both found Porto Santo to be a revelation and were keen to discover more. Our very knowledgeable guide Sofia was glad to oblige.

We had arrived on the Golden Island, 11km long and 6km wide, by the early morning ferry from Madeira. It takes just over two hours and carries not only locals, workers and tourists, but also essential cargo and supplies. The Madeira archipelago is actually nearer to the African coast, just 310 miles, than to Portugal, 610 miles, which governs the islands. Therefore the Atlantic can at times be rough, but we were blessed with a smooth, fun and picturesque journey travelling by uninhabited islands, including nature reserves.

On arrival in the port, our tour guide Sofia picked us up for a jeep tour of the island and the first striking thing about Porto Santo is that, in contrast to lush, green, more populated Madeira, where we also spent a couple of days, this volcanic terrain is more desert-like. In fact, weather patterns ensure that it doesn’t rain a lot here and the temperature stays warm all year round. That was good news for us. The tour gave us panoramic views of the coast and the stunning turquoise, crystal clear sea and the island interior with its airport runway and golf course designated by Seve Ballesteros. As we travelled to the highest point on the western side of the island to Pico de Ana Ferreira, we marvelled at the cathedral-like hexagonal columns created by slowly cooling volcanic lava. While we travelled by jeep, we passed many cyclists and hardy trekkers walking the many trails around the island.

We saw traditional windmills and made a stop at a restored homestead, showing how families lived a basic, sustainable life on the island. But in the 17th century these families were constantly in danger from marauding pirates. Women and children were often hidden in the deep grain stores to keep them safe.

The most devastating raid was in 1617 when Algerian pirates plundered the island, enslaving 900 inhabitants, burning homes and farms. But bringing history up to date, a fascinating fact that also came up was that the island’s drinking water is provided by an eco desalination plant.

We ended our tour at the charming restaurant on the beach at the rocky southern end of the beach at Calheta. A fish dish I can recommend is black scabbard fish with banana, a traditional favourite and much like our own fish and chips - banana optional!

We stayed at the excellent, all-inclusive Pestana, right on the beach. Our rooms were large, roomy and with fabulous views of the sea and the beach with fine, mineral-rich golden sand that has a healing effect on the body - especially those with arthritis. Rich in iodine, calcium and magnesium, the fine sand is highly beneficial for treating rheumatism and bone diseases. The totally clear, warm sea water, 17ºC and 22ºC year round, is so enjoyable too.

At Hotel Porto Santo, the first hotel to be built on the island in 1962, we indulged in that famed wellness dividend. Hot Sand Therapy (psamotherapy), is available in the visually stunning spa, but we opted for some equally healing water therapy. It was a tranquil haven and we left feeling fully relaxed and healthier!

A walk in the gorgeous gardens in the shade of palm trees added to the effect.

This tiny island was having a mesmerising effect on us. There’s just something wonderful about being this remote. It not only feels like a special place, it certainly is.

Barely had we boarded the plane to travel back to Funchal, Madeira and our flight home to the UK than we arrived (25 minutes later) at Cristiano Ronaldo Airport - named for one of the island’s most famous sons. With an iconic runway that is literally suspended over the sea, this made it even more exciting.

Activities to enjoy

Boat trip: Take a glass-bottomed boat trip to snorkel in the fabulous waters around the island. We spotted a variety of species congregating around the rocks. Our guides on board were fun and informative. Dolphin and whale spotting is also popular. The best time of year for this is between April and September/October.See https://mardourado.pt.

Where to eat

Panoramic views: After being picked up from our hotel for a short ride to Panorama restaurant sitting high above sweeping views of the island, this was an experience not to be missed. It’s obviously very popular so we were glad we’d booked ahead. It has a really cosy and fun atmosphere and a varied menu, including steak, octopus, fish and vegetarian offerings.

Delightful oasis

Mini-zoo: Quinta das Palmeiras (Palm Tree Farm) is a great place to visit for adults and children. The beautiful botanical garden with hundreds of plants and trees as well as small animal and bird exhibits - we loved the parrots - has been a labour of love by its owner who created it from scratch. It’s a relaxing way to spend a couple of hours.

Travel facts

For more information on Porto Santo and Madeira, visit https://visitmadeira.com/en/

For information on the Columbus Festival: https://visitmadeira.com/en/whats-on/events/columbus-festival/

See https://en.lazermar.com for more details.