Perhaps our entire vacation, from the time we left the Port of Miami on May15 to the time we returned to Fort Lauderdale Airport on June 25, was a dream I had. It was a long, sweet dream, if it indeed was one, and now that I am back to the everyday reality, I want to make sure I remember, record, and tell you about some of the absolutely fantastic thinks I witnessed and learned. Especially about the tiniest kingdom in the world.
Today’s blog is about the story I first heard when we visited the capital city of Madeira, Funchal, on Sunday, May 28, 2023.
This tiny kingdom is called The Principality of the Pontinha and is very near the island of Madeira, just 70 meters away, to be precise. It has an area of approximately 178 sq meters. That’s 1,916 sq feet.
It was founded on October 9, 1903, well over a century ago, and its secession from Portugal was finalized on November 30, 2007, when its population was 4, Prince Renato II, his wife and children. The Prince purchased it from a British family that owned it, but no longer had any use for it. Asking price was $25,000.
Have you ever heard of it? Chances are, like me, you did not.
It is a constitutional monarchy and its currency is Euro, though some sources list Bitcoin as its official currency.
It has a small fortress, roughly like a one bedroom house, but they are no
t hostile. The Prince, a former art teacher, tends to mostly everything himself. He gardens and does house maintenance. He is also the nation’s police and mailman. Oh, well, fairy tale meets real world, I suppose, in Pontinha.
Do not neglect to visit it if you are ever in Funchal. It’s right next to the cruise port. Truth be told, I was way too tired after walking nearly 20,000 steps that day to make the climb.