A Trip to Madeira - Prazeres

Like I promised on my last article, where I started to explore the west of Madeira, this one is on Prazeres, a small town near Calheta. Prazeres is rather unassuming, just a small town in rural Madeira, between the green valleys and hill of the island. Yet I found my self very thankful for this visit, due to the fact that I got to see Prazeres main attraction: its Educational Farm.

Prazeres

The small town of Prazeres has a very devoted parish, and its priest was the founder of the garden and farm right next to the church, in 2000. Here the rural life that is still very present in Madeira is at its full power, the farm being the epicenter of the towns production and leisure. Next to the church is a radiant garden, filled with many local and exotic plantlife, and the works of local members of the parish (of many ages), like scarecrows and paintings.

You’ll be greeted with a corridor of flowers the lead to the entrance of the farm. But before que enter (or after you leave) you can take a sit a drink something at the café right next to the entrance, in here you’ll be able to taste many of the products made in the farm, by the locals. Like the award winning cider made by the priest, which I tasted and have to admit is really good! Your, if you prefer, tea! There is the tea-house made from leaves planted in the farm.

But now, for the main attraction, the farm itself. The farm is like a miniature zoo, with many different animals, mostly farm animals of course, but there are some exotic species like emus or a llama. The best part of the farm is the interaction with the animals, which are all very friendly, and some of them even roam free and will beg for you to pet them!

It is a really wonderful sight, especially for someone like me who as sent a lot of time in the city, to see this rural ambience all around this small town. I didn’t get to witness any of them but I was told that there are a lot of celebrations in the parish of Prazeres, which I am certain should be heartwarming!

Hope you got interested in meeting this wonderful animals, this was part of my trip to the southwest of Madeira, like Calheta, but since I liked Prazeres so much and took so many great fotos, I opted for making it its own article! For more be sure to check out my A Trip to Madeira series.