Description São Vicente

The municipality of São Vicente is located on the north coast of the island of Madeira and has about 6000 inhabitants spread over an area of ??78.70 km².

São Vicente is a region characterized by green nature and abundant forest, traced by volcanic forces and erosion on its beautiful slopes. One of the most representative symbols of the picturesque parish of São Vicente is the small chapel built inside a basalt rock, at the mouth of the stream that runs through the village.
 
Its predominant economic activities are based in the primary and tertiary sectors, specifically in agriculture and services, with emphasis on tourism.
 
Taking advantage of the geographic characteristics of the land, a garden was also built with predominance of endemic plants, which presents a series of pedestrian paths, harmoniously combined with water courses.
 
The Rota da Cal Museum Center, located in this parish, consists of a pedestrian path that takes about 30 minutes, from the limestone quarries to the museum.
 
From the Encumeada viewpoint, in Ribeira Brava, we have magnificent panoramic views of the mountain range that crosses Madeira and various areas of São Vicente, namely the Laurissilva Forest.

In the parish of São Vicente we find an extensive area of ??the Laurissilva Forest. The importance of Laurissilva is due both to its representation in terms of the diversity of flora and fauna species and to the respective state of conservation. The Laurissilva Forest was classified as a UNESCO Natural Heritage Site in 1999.
 
This municipality is divided into the parishes of Boaventura, Ponta Delgada and São Vicente.