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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... |
Pico do Areeiro |
Portela
Porto Moniz
Ribeira Brava
São Vicente
Serra de Água
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