How was life like back then in PORTO DA CRUZ? (Madeira)

The parish of Porto da Cruz was created on 26 September 1577. The origin of the community's name came from the fact that the original discoverer affixed a steel cross at the port, in order to better identify the location to ocean travelers. Cultivation and harvesting of sugarcane occupied the activities of early settlers. The aguardente factory, completed after 1858, was part of this industry, converting the grapes and juice into a local spirit, uniquely cultivating the American caste of grape in this territory. Due to the diseases that devastated much of the European grape production in Madeira in the 19th century, American grape varieties such as Isabel, which are more resistant to diseases, were introduced in the mid-19th century as rootstock. This made the production of European grape varieties less susceptible to diseases. However, due to the high resistance and productivity of these American varieties, they began to be produced on their own (without being grafted), leading to the production of dry wine. This wine quickly gained market popularity among the population, mainly due to its lower commercial value. OUR SMALL TOUR COMPANY: Hit The Road Tours is a small, passionate adventure tour company in Madeira island specialising in personalised experiences from half day tours to 7 day multi-day expeditions. We love what we do and do it well :)) Get everything you need on our website: https://www.hittheroadmadeira.com/en/ ► FIND US on Facebook: https://bit.ly/39aixF4 ► FOLLOW US on Instagram: https://bit.ly/35WVhs7 ESSENTIAL READING; • 10 Tips for Visiting Madeira in 2022: https://bit.ly/3AR12qJ ESSENTIAL VIEWING; • HIKING IN MADEIRA:    • The Do’s and Don’ts of HIKING in MADEIRA -...   • DRIVING IN MADEIRA:    • Driving in Madeira - How bad could the roa...   • LIVING IN MADEIRA:    • Why I love living in FUNCHAL, Madeira. (Li...   WONDERING ABOUT THE WEATHER IN MADEIRA? https://bit.ly/3ASDO3C SUPPORT US; • BECOME ONE OF OUR PATRONS:   / hittheroadmadeira   • SEND US A TIP: https://www.paypal.me/hittheroadmadei... Madeira’s got everything you need in 2023, don’t even think about it, just book it! Let’s Hit The Road! #Madeira #MadeiraIslands #Travel #VisitMadeira #PortodaCruz