On the eighth day of our cruise we will disembark on Funchal, Maderia, Portugal. We have hired a fantastic local to be our guide to the top of the hills where we will be married privately on the cliffs off Sao Lourenco. 

A little about Funchal:

Funchal (Portuguese pronunciation: [foon-jal]) is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. The city has a population of 111,892, making it the 6th largest city in Portugal, and has been the capital of Madeira for more than five centuries. Because of its high cultural and historical value, Funchal is one of Portugal's main tourist attractions. It is also popular as a destination for New Year's Eve, and it is the leading Portuguese port on cruise liner dockings.

The name is from the Portuguese word "funcho" (fennel) and the suffix "-al", to denote "a plantation of fennel".

A little about Sao Lourenco:

This peninsula is volcanic in origin, and is mainly made of basalt, although there are also some limestone sediment formations. At the end of the Point there are two islets: the Cevada, Metade or Desembarcadouro Islet, and the S. Lourenço Point, Farol or Fora Islet. The stone partition marks where the Regional government’s land begins, and is part of the Madeira Natural Park. The peninsula is classified as a partial natural reserve and the Desembarcadouro Islet is a total natural reserve. All the land and sea by the North coast, up to a depth of 50m, is part of the European network of important community sites - Natura 2000.