Misty Mountain Hop

Madeira
As a child of the seventies I grew up watching the iconic television sequence of long tall palm trees miraculously parting to allow the smooth lines of the Thunderbirds 2 emergency rescue vehicle to ease past, on it's way to blast off from an exotic fantasy island. The steep cliffs and intense greenery of Tracy Island perfectly complimented the 60's buildings of the International Rescue Head Quarters and the images will forever be emblazoned into my memory.

Funchal, Madeira

So apologies in advance for comparing the island of Madeira and it's capital Funchal to that seminal sixties image.....because once you see it, it can’t be unseen! But I say that with complete fondness.

We visited the Portuguese island in March and enjoyed an array of weather from dull and overcast to sparkling sunshine with a few spring showers thrown in for good luck. You'll also find the weather and temperature can fluctuate wildly depending on your altitude and proximity to the coast, so be prepared with a good selection of layers. 

Funchal, Madeira

The hotels of Funchal exude a reverence reserved for a bygone age. There's the sprawling estate of Reid's Palace, famous for it's afternoon tea and it wouldn't be a surprise if James Bond dropped in for a Martini. The art deco hotels of the lido promenade cling to the edge of the island as the coastline lurches up and down playing havoc with your calves. At strategic points, lifts drop you down from the clifftops into freezing cold pools touching the sea. The lido experience is akin to swimming through a slush puppy but the youthful exuberance of the clientele, that are obviously enjoying their later years suggest this experience is good for the body and mind.

Lido Promenade, Funchal, Madeira

We were staying just to the west of Funchal and as you head into the city from this direction the first major tourist attraction you’ll encounter is the statue of Madeira's most famous son, Christiano Ronaldo outside his CR7 hotel.  As a Manchester United supporter (who witnessed Ronaldo’s incredible debut for United all those years ago) I couldn’t help but smile at the confidence of his image strategically placed with the beautiful harbour of Funchal as a backdrop. The proportions of the statue certainly don’t diminish the man’s reputation, even in the  shadow of the main cruise ship terminal and the gargantuan superliners docked there.

Cristiano, Funchal

Funchal enjoys a wonderful waterfront and you can get a good bearing of the city within a couple of hours exploring on foot. Saying that, we found there was more than enough to discover in the city and the immediate surrounding area to keep us happily occupied for a week.

Whilst all the usual major brands are represented there is a more eclectic shopping experience to be found in Funchal. There are numerous art galleries and pop-up shops. We found a delightful ceramics place run by two charming Finnish ladies

Funchal, Madeira

The back streets of the old town heave with restaurants and bars and you will be spoilt for choice. But do book ahead as the more popular ones do get full. And if you enjoy making a little effort to go out for dinner, as opposed to beach wear, then this Portuguese island will suit you down to the ground. You won’t feel out of place. The local beer is a lager called Coral beer and I would recommend enjoying a pint in the sunshine on the roof of the Farmers' Market, Mercado dos Lavradores.

Rei da Poncha, Funchal

No trip to Madeira is complete without a visit to the great bar Rei da Poncha which serves up the famous local Poncha, an alcoholic drink of honey and lemon, accompanied by monkey nuts. It is great fun and the staff are very welcoming. If this popular bar is too busy then pop into the adjacent Snack Bar California. It’s a bar for locals and as such with every beer you’ll get free chips and lovely free garlic pork nibbles. Fantastic.

Sao Tiago fortress, Funchal

If you are looking to celebrate a special occasion their are several restaurants to choose from and the Restaurante Do Forte based in the Sao Tiago fortress is a good option, if only for its splendid location dominating the east of the shorefront. It does have good vegetarian options.

Cable car, Funchal

The city of Funchal sits at the base of steep lush and green hills which provides protection for the city and cultivates a host of fabulous gardens. You don’t have to venture far from the seafront before the inclines starts to kick in and the steep roads and paths lead to many miradors offering great views of the city and beyond. A calf-crunching twenty minute hike from the front is the Miradouro da Nazare, the Viewpoint of Nazareth. You can then head east winding through the windy roads of the back capital, sometimes taking short cuts on the Levadas. These are the network of canals and channels that were built hundreds of years ago to move water from the mountains to the crop fields. By hook or by crook (even google maps failed us) we managed to find the Fortaleza do Pico, the large fort that overlooks the city. It's famous for it's gardens and the view of the city. It has a very pleasant café and we had certainly earned our cappuccino and pastel da nata by the time we’d climbed up there.

Madeira Botanical Gardens, Funchal

Should the thought of a near vertical walk not be your thing, you can always take the cable car. The popular cable car station is on the seafront and will whisk you up above the rooftops of Funchal to the pretty village of Monte. Make sure you check out the Carreiros do Monte and the starting point of the crazy wooden toboggans. The Monte toboggans sledges have been around for several hundred years as means of a quick route down the hills of Monte to Funchal. These days the previous public transport remit is now solely for the enjoyment of tourists willing to brave the hectic decent.

Madeira Botanical Gardens, Funchal

From Monte a second cable car journey descends into the Madeira Botanical Gardens which is far more interesting than the name suggests. If you are going to visit one garden in Madeira this is the one to see.

Venturing further afield from Funchal, a walk along the the lido promenade will lead you towards the rocky beach, Praia Formosa. At the end of the beach is a very pleasant, raised walking promenade which hugs the cliffs and delivers you to the small fishing village of Câmara de Lobos. The pretty harbour has a small lighthouse, perched on the high rocks above the harbour and there are plenty of restaurants to sample the fresh seafood.

 Câmara de Lobos, Madeira

To the west of Funchal is the dramatic Cape Girão (Cabo Girão). The easiest way to get there on public transport is to jump on the yellow ‘hop on hop’ off tourist bus and follow the one way route around Funchal centre and then switch buses at Câmara de Lobos. There is a spectacular glass bottomed viewing platform at the cliff face but the highlight was the journey there.

The smaller bus snakes its way around the dramatic southern cliff hugging rounds of southern Madeira. Away from the capital white and terracotta houses are impossibly splashed across the steep green hill sides at crazy angles with no visible means of approach.

Cape Girão, Funchal

We had a busy week on Maderia and enjoyed some fabulous food in Funchal.
This island still warrants lots more exploring and we can't wait to come back.

Funchal, Madeira