Floresta Laurissilva
Green Space
Laurissilva is a subtropical humid forest typology made mainly of trees of the Lauraceae family and endemic to Macaronesia: Madeira, Azores, Canary Islands and Cape Verde archipelagos. The distribution across southern Europe and North Africa did not withstand the temperatures of the Ice Age. The Laurissilva Forest chose Madeira to live in 20 million years ago and constitutes one of the most beautiful treasures of the island, occupying 20% of the territory.
A World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999, its mossy green mantle, tree trunks and rocks characterise this kind of forest. Consisting of centenary trees, like Loureiro, Til, Barbusano, Vinhático and Folhado, the Laurissilva forest is also a place of seductive flowers such as orchids, pink geraniums and the emblematic blue rocks as well. Concerning the fauna, the Trocaz Pigeon, the most prominent sower of Laurissilva trees, and the Bis-bis stand out.
The best way to get to know this environmental heritage is to have direct contact with it through, among other options, Parque Florestal das Queimadas, trails in Paúl da Serra, Chão de Louros and Chão da Ribeira, and a visit to Funchal Botanical Garden.
