Rubicund

I`m in Madeira at the moment and the weather is fantastic. We´re staying at the Porto Santa Maria hotel which is very good and right by the cable car up to Monte and the gardens. The Old Town is right by us with it´s choice of restaurants, some good, some Ok and some not, but it´s very handy. This hotel is perfectly placed.

The island has improved out of all recognition since our last visit in terms of the roads and we drove through the tunnels yesterday from North coast to Funchal in less than half an hour. That was unheard of way back when. We did an Eastern circuit of the island before cutting across the mountains in just over half a day including lunch.

However, I´m not sure that there´s enough to hold you for more than a week, unless you like to lie in the sun and eat and drink. Not that there´s anything wrong with that! A week is probably about right if you like to be active and there´s some great walking routes across the mountains a nd levadas (the old irrigation channels).

I´ll be checking my e-mails so will pop in on Fodors whilst we´re here if anyone has any questions, but we leave on Monday, so won´t check after Sunday.

dutyfree

Thanks Rubicand for your updates! Are you staying on Madeira only or going over to Porto Santo too?
How long would you add for a family over the Christmas break holiday that would would give us time to explore and enjoy each other ?
Should we stay only in Funchal or pick another city to stay at too?
Best areas in Funchal to stay?
Appreciate any input.

Gordon_R

It's highly questionable whether the additional cost/hassle of doing a side trip to Porto Santo is worth the effort. It's <u>very</u> quiet and undeveloped, and is known mainly for its golf and sandy beaches: there really isn't much else to do. Many local Madeiran families travel there for their summer holidays, and in recent years direct flights from mainland Europe have been introduced in an effort to boost the nascent tourist industry. There are quick but expensive flights on Sata Airlines between Madeira and Porto Santo, or you can take the Porto Santo Line ferry (2h15m each way), but I'm not sure how regular the ferry service is at Christmas time. I've also heard reports that the crossing can be pretty rough.

http://www.sata.pt/en
http://www.portosantoline.pt/index.php?lang=en&itemid=1

<i>Should we stay only in Funchal or pick another city to stay at too?</i>
I answered this earlier - there are no other "cities" in Madeira, just smaller towns and villages of which I recommended several.

<i>Best areas in Funchal to stay?</i>
Most of the hotels are located to the west of the city along Estrada Monumental (the so-called "hotel zone"). It doesn't sound particularly promising, but most of these hotels are mid to high end places and there is an attractive ocean-front promenade linking them. It's not like the over-developed concrete tourist towns you see in Spain. Plenty of restaurants in the area as well. On the other hand, the Old Town (Zona Velha) is arguably better if you don't have your own transport. The Hotel Santa Maria where Rubicund is staying has a terrific location.

Rubicund

Gordon_R is absolutely correct, Porto Santo is not worth the effort. Funchal is a small place, not really a city. It´s sprawled up the hillside in recent years, but I´d want to stay in Funchal itself.

The Estrada Monumental area is full of good hotels and restaurants, but there´s not much atmosphere. It´s all been built over the last10 years or so so a lot of glass and concrete. We drove through it this morning on the way up to Cabo Girao but I´m glad we chose to stay at the Porto Santa Maria for its location.

Unless you´re a sun worshipper and happy to stay on a sunbed for two weeks, with the odd excursion oput, Madeira is fine for a week. Any more than that and I´d start to go stir crazy.

There´s quite a lot of work going on on the shoreline near our hotel and acrooss to the West, with new anti erosion works being instituted along the beach. These are due to go on for some months yet. If you want the beach then stay further West, but if it´s not an issue for you, then the Zona Velha is fine. Now the roads are so good, one location and it has to be Funchal is fine.

Gordon_R

Rubicund - how is Cabo Girao these days? Last time we were over (Feb last year I think it was), it was a mess - they'd started to build a new visitor centre/observation deck but run out of money due to the recession. It's a shame because the highest sea cliffs in Europe are well worth seeing.

Rubicund

Hi Gordon_R

It looks like it´s all finished. There a brand new steel and glass observation deck with a see through walkway and chest high railings! You enter through lockable gates and walk down a slope and to the right to where the deck is. There were lots of walkers there a couple of days ago all having a picnic lunch.

When we last came to Madeira many years ago, the observation area was a stone patio with a knee high wall to keep you from plunging 2000 feet or so. It still seems a long way down even with the new area.

dutyfree

You guys have got me rethinking Madeira now because you said that there wouldn't be much there for more than a week?
I am trying to find a place for 12-16 days over the Christmas holiday that would include history,great food and wine,culture for two adult kids with their parents.
Past holidays have been Cyprus,the Canary Islands,Morocco,Egypt and Jordan.
Any suggestions if we want to fly out of the UK? Thanks!

Gordon_R

You said on your other thread:-
"...<i>I am not looking for a beach resort holiday but rather a destination that can be reached from the UK and within 3-5 hours</i>..."

and

"...<i>Our family is looking for a place that doesn't completely close down during the Christmas holidays and one that the weather might be anywhere between 50-70F. Looking forward history,sea and mountains,independent traveling and great food or wine</i>..."

That does narrow things down a lot, and since you've already been to Cyprus, the Canaries, Morocco and Egypt/Jordan, I'd say Madeira is a very good choice that ticks all your boxes. I don't think you would not run out of things to do/see in 12/16 days, provided you have your own transportation (rental car) and are not really unlucky with the weather. But each to his/her own...

dutyfree

Thanks Gordon as I was getting nervous about the wrong decision and have already started ordering Madeira maps and guidebooks!We would be getting a rental car so we can be more flexible so will hope for good weather and good wine ?

Gordon_R

This is an excellent book for anyone interested in driving tours and levada walks in Madeira:-

http://www.amazon.com/Madeira-Landsc...+guide+madeira

dutyfree

Thanks Gordon!

SashieZo

Not sure if you consider 2011 recent, but we spent 4 nights in Madeira and loved it. Not sure if you read my trip report, but here it is.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...tra-lisbon.cfm

The wine is very good, and if you like fish, you will be very happy. And we were always served a shot glass of madeira on the house, whatever restaurant we went to, no matter the time.

lowcountrycarol

Bookmarking.

dutyfree

Trying to find a place in Madeira for my family of four-checked out the above hotels but for two rooms and ten plus days it would be well over 6600 euros!!!!

So I am looking on other sites to rent a house,villa,etc. Some of the rentals are in a "village" called Palheiro Village or Ajuda or San Goncalo. Any thoughts as to what direction I should be looking in for a 12 day stay over the holidays?
Some of the pictures are showing looking at the cruise ships in the harbor-NOT! and others talk about being in a resort type setting where I cannot see us being happy.
So confused but already booking.com says that 40% of all Funchal properties are booked for that period.HELP!!!!

dutyfree

Anyone familiar with the area called Canico that is east of Funchal? I would really like to be as close as possible to Funchal for the fireworks on December 31st but if not can you drive to see them?

Cali

dutyfree, I posted some info from my sister on the Funchal, Madeira post. Don't know if it will help you or not.

dutyfree

Thanks!

Gordon_R

Which hotels did you find at €6600 for 2 rooms/10 days? That's way off the scale. I did a very quick look at hotels.com and was able to find the same accommodation in several good 4/5-star hotels in Funchal in the range €2500 to €3500, though several places do already appear to be fully booked - as mentioned before it's a <b>very</b> popular winter destination for northern Europeans, and the longer you leave it, the more restrictive the options will be... Check out the Pestana Carlton Madeira, Quintha Perestrello, Porto Mare hotel all available and in this price range for example.

Canico is fine, just not much there apart from a few resort-type hotels, but if you had a car, it wouldn't be a problem to drive somewhere to se the New Year fireworks in Funchal Bay. Palheiro Village is a golf resort type place - again OK if you have a car but not convenient for where the main shops and restaurants are.

dutyfree

GordonR-I was looking at a villa on tripadvisor that was advertising itself for about 3000 euros a week and with a hotel needing two rooms it was about 400-500 euros for two rooms a night. I am looking for a place that would allow those who want to get up early and those who want to stay up late the option of doing both without interfering with others. I would really like a house,condo or flat as opposed to a hotel situation where you might not even have a fridge (got to keep the wine cold ?)
We will have a car but would like to linger over a dinner or drink in Funchal and possibly be able to walk back home? Is parking a hassle in downtown Funchal?
I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to help me plan this trip! The airfares are getting out of sight so need to put a fork in this ASAP!

Gordon_R

OK understood. I have no personal experience of villas as we always use hotels. Parking in central Funchal is not too difficult provided you use car parks - there are several shopping centres with underground car parks, and there's an inexpensive multi-storey car park right on the edge of the Old Town (everything is easily walkable from there). The streets however are mainly narrow and busy so on-street parking is difficult: if you choose a villa in central Funchal itself, then you'd better make sure it has it's own off-road parking.