Madeira, more than an island of flowers
Posted on November 23, 2022
When you think of Madeira, you think of flowers! But the Portuguese island, located west of Morocco, has much more to offer. Madeira is only 57 km long and 20 km wide, but you will find a diverse range of landscapes. Do you like nature and walking, but also like relaxing on the beach? Then Madeira is the island you should add to your travel wish list!
Funchal
Looking for a central point to stay in Madeira? Then the capital Funchal is the place to be! There are many hotels in and around Funchal. We stayed at the Four Views Monumental Lido Hotel, in the touristy part of the city. The center is just a 20-minute walk away. Here you can wander through the streets of the old center, as a football fan visit Cristiano Ronaldo's CR7 Museum and walk around the market. For us, however, the literal and figurative highlight was a ride on the Toboggan.
From the small town of Monte you can take a two-kilometer ride on the Toboggan. Monte can be reached via a cable car from Funchal. The roads in Madeira are extremely steep and that is why the Toboggan has been used since about 1850, previously to bring raw materials down and now used exclusively for tourism. The sled (made of wood and reed) reaches a speed of 50 km per hour! The men, dressed in nice suits, guide the sled and take you to the end point in 10 minutes!
Camara de Lobos & Cabo Girão
You can easily rent a car in Funchal and explore the island! Do you want to do this efficiently? Divide the island into four parts: north, east, south, west and you'll come a long way! Not far from Funchal you will find the nice town of Camara de Lobos. Here you will find beautiful street art and art made from old materials from fishermen. The Skywalk is just a two-minute drive from Cabo Girão. From this glass plateau you look out over one of the highest cliffs in Europe! (580 meters high).
Porto Moniz & Seixal
Due to the rough sea on the north side of the island, you will find natural swimming pools along the entire coast. An hour's drive from Funchal you will find the town of Porto Moniz. This village is known for its beautiful natural swimming pools filled with salt water. The entrance to these pools is a few euros and from here you have a beautiful view of the sea and steep cliffs. Porto Moniz is definitely worth a visit and enjoy a few hours of the sun and the natural swimming pools.
Seixal is known for its beautiful black beach! A piece of Hawaii in Europe. Put on your slippers and enjoy a wonderful zen moment in this bay.
Pico Ruivo & Santana
You can't leave Madeira without climbing Pico Ruivo! Pico Ruivo is 1862 meters high! You can choose from a tougher and more difficult hike or one that is a bit easier, but still tough. For this last option, park your car at Achada do Teixeira. From here it is another 2.8 km to the top, where you literally rise above the clouds. Don't go to Pico Ruivo too late in the summer, so you don't get too hot while walking and don't have to share the beautiful view with too many others.
After a wonderful walk, a stop at the village of Santana is a must! Here you will find Palheiros, typical triangular houses that symbolize the island. There are shops in the Palheiros.
Ponta de Sao Lourenco
Ponta de Sao Lourenco is located in the far eastern tip of Madeira. In this area you can once again enjoy beautiful walks and enjoy spectacular heights and beautiful colors. If you have long hair, don't forget to bring an elastic band, it's windy here!
25 Fontes Falls
The levadas are typical of Madeira! A levada is an irrigation canal and in total there are more than 3,000 km of levadas in Madeira. A popular hike in the interior of Madeira is the PR6 25 Fontes & Risco waterfall hike. This easy hike takes you to two beautiful waterfalls. Due to lack of time we only walked to the 25 Fontes waterfall! But don't miss the Risco waterfall.
Eating out 'nut-free' in Madeira
Papa Manuel Lido Restaurant & Pizzaria
In Madeira you can eat out without any worries. From our hotel in Funchal we walked onto the boulevard where there are dozens of restaurants. All these restaurants have beautiful views and delicious nut-free options on the menu. Papa Manuel is located on this boulevard where you can enjoy Italian food for a reasonable price. Upon arrival you will immediately receive an appetizer consisting of broad beans and olives.
You have the option to indicate what you want on the pizza, this makes the restaurant allergen friendly. The staff speaks good English and the food is served quickly. The restaurant excels in serving lots of delicious Tiramisu!
The Portuguese cuisine
Casa das Espetadas is a cozy restaurant where you can enjoy Portuguese cuisine.
In the courtyard you can enjoy a delicious dinner with Portuguese fish and meat dishes. The service is very friendly and speaks good English. Any allergens are no problem and this is really taken into account. At Casa das Espetadas you can dine nut-free and gluten-free, there is also plenty of choice for the vegetarians among us!
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