Back to the library

Madeira and the Azores

Madeira and the Azores: a chapter of the Trip to Portugal Book, with the words, places and habits that make a first trip easier.

11 cards · Geography

Start learning

Each Zap teaches up to 5 new cards, so you learn the chapter a few at a time.

Checked by the Brain Zap team · reviewed 27 Oct 2026

Sources: Visit Portugal (official tourism site), Portugal (Encyclopaedia Britannica)

Preview

  • Capital of Madeira

    Show answer: Capital of Madeira

    Funchal

    Learn more: Its name comes from funcho, fennel. Cristiano Ronaldo was born here in 1985.

  • Madeira's water channels, now walking trails

    Show answer: Madeira's water channels, now walking trails

    Levadas

    Learn more: Dug from the 1400s to carry water to farms, they make level paths through the mountains and forest.

  • Madeira's ancient laurel forest

    Show answer: Madeira's ancient laurel forest

    Laurisilva

    Learn more: Laurel forests once covered much of southern Europe; Madeira's is the largest left.

  • Fortified wine that ages in heat

    Show answer: Fortified wine that ages in heat

    Madeira wine

    Learn more: Heat and air would spoil most wines, but they give this one its nutty taste and very long life.

  • Number of islands in the Azores

    Show answer: Number of islands in the Azores

    9

    Learn more: From Santa Maria to Flores, they lie on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where tectonic plates meet.

About this topic

Far out in the Atlantic, Portugal has two groups of volcanic islands. Madeira is steep and green, with its capital Funchal, its laurel forest and old water channels you can walk along. The Azores are nine islands on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, with crater lakes, whales offshore and Mount Pico, the highest mountain in Portugal. The map of the mainland doesn't show them, so this chapter's pictures are emoji.

This is a chapter of the Trip to Portugal Book. Each card asks one question, with a hint before you answer and a short reason after; on some, the place glows on the map or the word is read aloud.

All 11 cards

  1. Capital of Madeira

    Funchal

    Learn more: Its name comes from funcho, fennel. Cristiano Ronaldo was born here in 1985.

  2. Madeira's water channels, now walking trails

    Levadas

    Learn more: Dug from the 1400s to carry water to farms, they make level paths through the mountains and forest.

  3. Madeira's ancient laurel forest

    Laurisilva

    Learn more: Laurel forests once covered much of southern Europe; Madeira's is the largest left.

  4. Fortified wine that ages in heat

    Madeira wine

    Learn more: Heat and air would spoil most wines, but they give this one its nutty taste and very long life.

  5. Number of islands in the Azores

    9

    Learn more: From Santa Maria to Flores, they lie on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where tectonic plates meet.

  6. Biggest city of the Azores, on São Miguel

    Ponta Delgada

    Learn more: It has the Azores' main airport, and more people than any other town on the islands.

  7. Portugal's highest mountain, in the Azores

    Mount Pico

    Learn more: On clear days its cone rises above the clouds; the vineyards on its lava fields are a UNESCO site.

  8. Twin blue and green lakes in a São Miguel crater

    Sete Cidades

    Learn more: Legend says the lakes are the tears of a blue-eyed princess and a green-eyed shepherd.

  9. Furnas stew cooked by the volcano's heat

    Cozido das Furnas

    Learn more: Pots of meat and vegetables are lowered into steaming holes in the ground for about six hours.

  10. Azores outing that replaced the old whale hunts

    Whale watching

    Learn more: Old whaling lookouts now spot sperm whales and dolphins for the tour boats.

  11. Azores time compared with Lisbon

    1 hour behind

    Learn more: The Azores keep their own time zone, an hour behind the mainland and Madeira.

More geography decks

All geography decks