Magical Madeira
Madeira is somewhere to consider for your next holiday if you want somewhere warm but not just somewhere to laze on a beach. Madeira doesn’t have much by way of beaches, but what it does have is stunning scenery, real charm, friendly locals and lots to do if you’re an active type of person (or even if you’re not – there are some spectacular drives to be had around the island, up from sea level to 2000 meters high in the mountains).
For those unfamiliar with this island, it is located in the Atlantic Ocean, about 1000km South-West of Portugal and 700km West of the continent of Africa. It’s a volcanic island (hence the lack of beaches but plentiful mountain views). The island is, in fact, the top of the volcano which is otherwise hidden from view by the Ocean. Twenty percent of the island is covered in evergreen forest with unique flora and fauna to be found. Many parts of the island are actually protected nature reserves, but one place you are sure to find plenty of the island’s natural beauty is walking along the levadas through the forest in Rabacal.
Madeira offers warm summers and mild winters, always a comfortable temperature. It tends to rain between October and March, but not so much that it would spoil your holiday. That said, the weather in the North and South of the island does differ, with the rain falling mostly in the Northern parts (north of the central mountains). The temperature can vary enormously, too, even over the space of just a few kilometers. On the plus side, that means that if you’re having a bad weather day in the place you’re staying, a short car journey in another direction might well give you sunshine and high temperatures.
The capital of Madeira is Funchal and tends to be the destination of choice for most holidaymakers. It has plenty of hotels, shops, restaurants, museums, exotic public gardens and many bars make it a popular choice for tourists. If you decide to join them, you really should take a stroll along the marina, stopping in any number of gorgeous, well-maintained parks for a bite to eat, or visiting one of the museums located nearby, like the wine museum, or the Museum of Christopher Columbus, the wine museum.
All the paths along the marina are made with small lava stones and it makes for a lovely walk.
Or visit the market, called the Mercado dos Lavradores, or take the cable car (the Telefrico) up 500m above Funchal to let you see the whole of the capital, with its houses packed together on the hillside looking rather like an amphitheatre from that height. And when you’re up there, visit the church of Monte, beneath which you can ride a wooden toboggan (yes, really) which is steered by men from Madeira wearing traditional dress, to take you back down to the capital.
Another great place to visit in Madeira is Porto Moniz in the North-West of the country. There, you can take a dip in one of the ‘natural swimming pools’, which are formed from rocks (a bit like a barrier reef made of lava) trapping sea water – you get to swim in the sea at high tide, basically, experiencing all the waves and salty-freshness without being out at sea (which isn’t advised in winter because of the strong current), and it is heated by the earth’s natural energy.
If you want to take in the island from the comfort of your car, drive along the coast road, the ER101, which circles the island along the dramatic coast. It can be a bit hairy at times as the road does have some sharp bends on steep slopes with lots of steep bits too but you do get a lovely view of the Atlantic.