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Madeira |
Eat and sleep
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Useful information
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Other opinions
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Since several decades fully dedicated to tourism, everything in Madeira is concentrated in your appreciation of the island.
Profiting and enhancing its natural beauty, men have been extremely careful in the island development, trying to preserve its look and increase the traffic conditions. Hotels concentrate in Lido, the southwest area of Funchal, though you may find accommodation almost everywhere. Unfortunately, the only reasonable beaches are in the north coast, more exposed to the caprices of ocean and weather, and the hotel area is rocky. However, all the island is now some minutes away, and driving around is becoming quicker and safer. Travelling eastbound from Funchal, we could see Portela, Santo da Serra, Santo António, Santana, Machico and São Lourenço cape. Westbound we had Câmara de Lobos, Estreito, Ribeira Brava, Serra de Água, São Vicente, Seixal, Porto Moniz, Paul da Serra, Rabaçal and Encumeada |
Câmara de Lobos
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All the island is prepared to show its beautiful spots, with men and nature combining to get the best final result. The steep hills are very helpful to open wide views, and flowers give the final touch. However, some point have a special charm, such as Câmara de Lobos, not far from Funchal, embracing a small harbor protected by the high mountain. We had there a very good dinner, but (silly me!) I didn't retain the restaurant´s name. |
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Maybe the most remote location in the island, Eira do Serrado stays in a deep valley squeezed between the biggest mountains of the island. I only saw it from the distance, but that was enough to make me feel a sort of claustrophobia. How did they live before the new and practical road? |
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Encumeada is a famous location in Madeira, because it adds to a natural beauty the circumstance of being the only point in the island allowing to see the north and south coasts. As a matter of fact, in most times clouds turn the views impossible, but even the clouds may be, sometimes a show for themselves. More details in Serra de Água notes. |
Estreito
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In the hills behind Câmara de Lobos the village gets the name of Estreito, which means strait, maybe because it follows a narrow valley. Its reputation comes from several restaurants |
Fajã dos Padres
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Fajã is the name given to the narrow strips of land adjacent to the sea, and created by the erosion of the slopes. One of the most famous "Fajãs" is "Fajã dos Padres", below Cape Girão, in Câmara de Lobos, and only accessible from the sea or by a lift. There´s a restaurant down there, but the lift only operates during the day. |
Funchal
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Living for (and from) tourism for decades, Funchal was carefully embellished. That, together with the natural beauty makes it... beautiful. A good place to stay some days, travelling around in the short trips needed to visit the picturesque points of the island. |
Girão cape
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One of the greatest promontories in Europe, 580 meters high, Cabo Girão, in Câmara de Lobos provides greats views over the southern coast. It's one of the inevitable visits. |
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Machico is the most industrial and less touristy area of Madeira, but its general look respects the common characteristics of the island. |
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We had no time to visit Ponta do Sol, but we've been in its area, atop the mountain, in Paul da Serra and Rabaçal.
The top of the island is wild, with dramatic landscape dotted with cows pasturing in a flora that should be preserved, what means a discrete local conflict. With good roads, the visit is easy and doesn't demand much time, unless you want to explore one of the "levadas". Specific page in Ponta do Sol |
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Landscape in Paul da Serra It's worthwhile to go up the mountain to see the absolutely different look of the landscape, in the platform where most of the water carried in the "Levadas" is caught. Yellow is the dominant color, the road becomes straight and leveled, and, though the governmental efforts to eliminate cattle in the area to preserve the endemic flora, we may see lots of caws, some of them in apparent freedom. |
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Flora Used to admire the luxurious vegetation in almost all the island, crossing Paul da Serra may seem a waste of time, due to its poor vegetation. However, it is completely different, with some endemic species, whose protection is forcing the government to forbid the cattle that we may see at ease in the area. I'm not a botanical expert to explain the details, but the couple of hours spent in the top of the mountain were also very interesting. |
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Cattle To preserve the endemic flora regional government has forbidden cattle in Paul da Serra area. Well... forbidden... you know... people have to live... |
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One of the highest points of the island, this is a common and easy visit from Funchal, only a few minutes distant. The views are breathtaking, sometimes with the clouds at your feet, enhancing the dramatic landscape. More details in Funchal |
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Maybe the best sightseeing point over Funchal is Pico de Barcelos, 335 meters above sea level. It stays close to town, and allows wide views over the most populated part of the coast - from Funchal to Câmara de Lobos. It is also possible to see the Desert islands More details in Funchal |
Portela
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wouldn't have gone to Portela, if I wasn't driven by friends - I had never heard about it. It would be a pity, since this is one of the best sightseeing points in the island. Really gorgeous, even Fernanda forgot the cold of the day to join the flowers. |
Porto Moniz
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Located in the northwestern tip of the island, this is my favorite place, with a great landscape and a wise use of natural conditions to create a few pools in the sea. Not to be missed! More details in Porto Moniz |
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Situated atop the island, in a wild area, Rabaçal is not pretty, but it seems to have the most interesting of the interesting "levadas" of the island. Unfortunately, we had no time to follow one of them. |
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Levadas Before visiting Madeira I read a lot to prepare the visit. I understood that "levadas" are a must see, and tried to find a compromise between the best ones and my available time. No way. The best ones seem to be here, in Rabaçal ("Risco" and "25 fontes"), but demand a full day. It is in my agenda for the next visit. |
Ribeira Brava
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I was curious about this city, one of the most damaged in 2010 flooding. Workings are visible, but without any inconvenience for tourists. As a matter of fact, Ribeira Brava was the place where we had more fun. |
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Traditional house seem to be all that Santana has to show. Not much to justify, in a timed visit, one hour driving, so I limited myself to my friends descriptions and pictures, and went elsewhere. PS - Those who went there said that they are only a couple of abandones houses in display for tourists. |
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A stop Santo António was only a stop to taste poncha. Does it have more? Yes, I know that the landscape around it is nice, but... what else? |
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Poncha
Tourism made famous two local cocktails: Nikita, a long drink based in cream, and Poncha, a strong short drink with alcohol and honey, both sweet. Though some places claim "the best of..." it is possible to taste them almost everywhere now, so, if you are not driving... 
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I wouldn't go there, but I was taken there. Santo da Serra is a somewhat plane area in a generally steep island, and that's why (maybe) it became the destination of golfers in Madeira. A new project to protect biodiversity is the most visited highlight, in a village that is also known by its cider production. |
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Biodiversity farm We had lunch in a farm that is managed by the government, and pretends to protect the island's biodiversity. A well kept space with a small zoo, it is a special place for kids, but also nice for adults. It seems that there are golf and horses nearby, but I didn't see them. |
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Cider Cider is a well known drink from apple, not appreciated in Portugal. As a mater of fact, inland, it will be difficult to find it out of the malls specialized in imported articles. The only Portuguese place that I know where cider is produced and appreciated is in Santo da Serra. Of course, all tourists passing there are invited to taste, and all Portuguese leave saying that... they don't miss much at home... |
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The northeast end of the island makes a strong contrast with everything else - rocky and arid, it has a few endemic plants, protected as a natural reserve. It has a small beach, the only with black sand in the island, good to swim. |
São Vicente
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I just passed twice in Seixal, only this time stopping for a while. A nice village in the north and wild coast of the island, it shows signs of recent development. The beach is... impossible (seixo means pebble) and people lives mainly from agriculture and... tourism, of course. The many waterfalls do help! |
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Véu da Noiva
In my first visit to Madeira, we passed under a waterfall that hits the road near Seixal. I tried to show it to my friends, this time, and reading about "Véu da Noiva" - bride's veil, one of the most famous waterfalls, I thought it was it. Wrong! It is a common waterfall, far from the road, and the one that I would like to see must be located in one of the closed segments of the old road. 
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Old Road It's remarkable the contrast between the old road that follows the north side of the island and the modern one. Seixal provides good sights but it is a pity that, for security reasons, most sections of the old road are closed to traffic. |
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Ribeira da Janela I read that one of the most beautiful villages in Madeira was Ribeira da Janela, by the same river, but with an altitude of more than 500 meters. Well, I didn't visit, didn't see its camping park (the only one in Madeira, they say) only crossed the river's mouth at sea level, when travelling from Seixal to Porto Moniz. Next time... |
Serra de Água
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Dramatic place Serra de Água is the place where the recent flooding is more visible. The views from the hills, specially from Encumeada are gorgeous, but when you approach the valley the drama is impossible to disguise, despite the large scale works. |