Madeira Lido Tours

Faial is a small, picturesque village located on the north-eastern coast of the Island, named after a local tree known as faia ‘myrica faya’. Settlers first colonized Faial around 1519 and were mostly Moorish & Gallician. During the first settlement when sugar plantations were at their peak, water mills were built in the rivers of Ribeira do Faial and Ribeira Seca to crush sugar cane. Today, these ruins may still be seen under the bridge.
Faial was also known for its bridges, the largest being 130 metres and known as Ponte das Sete Bocas (bridge of the seven mouths) but unfortunately back in 1984 the bridge collapsed during a severe storm.

Faial’s main industry is agriculture; the best example is perhaps the custard apple “annona Cherimola”, as it’s the most commonly produced fruit. In 1990 to promote it, an exhibition took place that has now become a big event every year in March, famously known as Festa da Anona.