For a stay in Madalena, you can choose different areas of focus: architectural history, winegrowing culture or activities by the sea. The sights and routes offer different ways to explore the region. Taking a look at their respective features can help you choose the themes that suit your trip.
Churches, Winegrowing and Art
The Igreja de Santa Maria Madalena was built in the 17th century. Its façade is designed in the 19th-century Revivalist style. The church thus brings two different periods into focus: the 17th-century building and its later façade design. Anyone interested in architecture will find a tangible connection to Madalena’s history here.
The Museu do Vinho was founded in 1982 and is housed in a former Carmelite monastery dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. Its history and the historic building offer a different way to explore cultural heritage than the church. In the area around Madalena, the Vinhas da Criação Velha walking trail also runs almost entirely through the protected wine-growing landscape, which is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cultural and historical features of winegrowing along the route include Rola-Pipas, Relheiras, shelters, wine cellars and tidal wells. The museum and the trail thus highlight different aspects of wine culture: the history of an institution and its building in one case, and traces of winegrowing in the landscape in the other.
In São Mateus, in the municipality of Madalena, the Casa do Bom Jesus displays the museum collection of the Senhor Bom Jesus Milagroso sanctuary. In Vila da Madalena, the public art route is extended each year; individual artworks may change. If you are interested in a particular work, check in advance whether it is still part of the route.
Cycling, Swimming and Walking
The Ciclovia da Madalena is an easy, 13.2-kilometre cycle route by the sea between Areia Larga and Cachorro. Its length, difficulty rating and endpoints provide clear guidance when choosing a cycling route. Check local conditions before setting out.
The Zona Balnear da Madalena, commonly known as Areia Funda, offers swimming in the open sea. This gives you a different activity by the sea to choose from alongside the coastal cycling route. The two options differ mainly in whether you want to cover a route or focus on swimming.
The Vinhas da Criação Velha walking trail combines exercise with the area’s winegrowing history: its route runs almost entirely through the protected UNESCO wine-growing landscape and passes cultural and historical features such as shelters, wine cellars and tidal wells. Unlike the Ciclovia, whose length and easy rating are highlighted, the walking trail is defined above all by the landscape and its winegrowing heritage. This can help you decide whether you would rather focus on a cycling trip by the sea or on the cultural landscape.
The Port of Madalena
The Port of Madalena is intended for small vessels up to 50 metres long. This adds another maritime connection to the coastal and landscape themes without detracting from the specific differences between the cycle route, swimming area and walking trail.
Discover more destinations: Carmo, Sao Joao, Arcos, Prainha De Cima, Lajes Do Pico, Baixa, São Roque Do Pico, Santo Amaro.
For the broader travel overview: Pico.
