Machico

Located in the northeastern part of the island of Madeira, Machico is a historic city and a popular place for divers. The closest airport is in Madeira that is located in 7 km. Machico was the first capital of Madeira from 1440 to 1496. There is a marine reserve on the coast. Machico offers scuba diving, snorkeling, cave diving and wreck diving for divers of all experience levels. The waters are rich in marine life, that includes a variety of species like barracudas, monkfish, dolphins, rays and even mantas.The most popular dive-sites are Three Marias is the largest volcanic cone and Baixa da Cruz reef that are both planted with black coral.