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:

May 27, 2018Travel Sunday: San Francisco
Mar 26, 2021The wild heart of Tasmania
Oct 11, 2023National Fossil Day
Feb 19, 2022Mount Logan in Yukon, Canada
Jul 21, 2025Coral Reef Awareness Week
Jun 11, 2025Greater flamingos, Lüderitz, Namibia
Apr 4, 2018Mexican giant cardon cactus
Dec 17, 2021Bournemouth beach huts
Oct 25, 2019The lemurs of Madagascar
Jun 17, 2023International Surfing Day
Mar 2, 2023Negratín Reservoir, Granada, Spain
Jan 9, 2018Great Fountain Geyser, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
May 31, 2021Here we honor the women who ve served
Jul 4, 2022Independence Day
Jan 14, 2024Whooper swans in Lake Kussharo, Japan
Mar 7, 2018Chapel of St. Michel on Lake Serre-Ponçon, Hautes-Alpes, France
May 31, 2018Leaves of Grass
Jul 13, 2025Iceland for International Rock Day
Nov 4, 2019Stepping stones in Tollymore Forest Park, Northern Ireland
May 12, 2024Happy Mothers Day!
Oct 6, 2022International Geodiversity Day
Jun 17, 2022Grand Teton National Park
Sep 11, 2020In honor of those we ve lost
Apr 30, 2021The Spirit of Harlem by Louis Delsarte
Feb 25, 2020Jazzed for Mardi Gras
Jul 9, 2019Jaguar in the Pantanal wetlands
Jun 3, 2022World Bicycle Day
May 13, 2023World Migratory Bird Day
Jul 22, 2025Badlands National Park in South Dakota
Aug 25, 2019A desert arts pop-up, just popped up