Madeira overview

Madeira is quite literally an exotic Floating Garden. Discovered in 1419 by Portuguese navigators it is located 560km off the West African coast in the Atlantic Ocean and is approximately 57km in length and 26km wide. Madeira offers many places of historical interest and natural beauty, from small undiscovered villages, churches and museums to immense mountains with lush plantations, flora and fauna.

The Madeiran Archipelago consists of the exotic floating garden of Madeira, the sand and sea worshippers' island of Porto Santo and the uninhabited islands of the Selvagens and Desertas.

The Island of Eternal Springtime, Lovers' Isle, Pearl of the Atlantic, Floating Garden of the Atlantic are just a few of the epithets awarded to Madeira, the largest of the islands. Madeira is the tip of a gigantic mountain protruding from the ocean depths and the variations in altitude provide a variety of natural habitats from stunning coastal scenery to soaring mountainous peaks. The central area is volcanic in origin although you need have no fears - the last eruption is thought to have occurred 1.7 million years ago!

Funchal

Located on the south east coast of the island in a picturesque bay, Madeira's capital, Funchal, lies between the deep blue of the ocean and the lush green of the mountains behind. Approximately half of the island's population lives in Funchal; the centre of town is especially busy where the 16th century streets attempt to cope with 21st century traffic! Most of the hotels are located west of the city centre at Funchal Lido - an important tourist area with shops, restaurants and cafes. The style is changing, however, with colonial mansions being converted into luxurious hotels although many enclaves and the port still retain an old fashioned feel mixed with the commercial buzz of its working environment.

Funchal's port area provides a fabulous vantage point to gaze at the rich (and sometimes famous) as cruise ships moor up for their overnight stops. A short walk from the port is the old part of town, interesting to meander through during the day and excellent to visit in the evening when the cafes and restaurants spill out onto the streets allowing you to enjoy alfresco dining.

During the day the streets and old squares of Funchal are alive with flower sellers. With the blue sea in front, the greenery of the mountains behind and the pavements alive with the vibrant colours of the Birds of Paradise, Arum lilies and Amaryllis flowers, you can wander for hours. There is interesting 16th century architecture, a smattering of worthwhile museums and, if you love to shop, you can easily while away a morning or afternoon in the designer shops or at the local market which is well worth a visit - packed with local produce and heaps of freshly caught Espada (Scabbard Fish).

Carnival and Festivals

The preference for festivals over work is perhaps nowhere so pronounced as on Madeira. In addition to the islands four major festivals, Carnival, the Flower Festival, the Wine Festival and its internationally renowned New Year's Eve celebrations, the islanders have a busy schedule of public holidays, saint' days, local parish festivals and small celebrations.

Madeira hotels

Quinta das Vistas Palace Gardens

Magnificently situated on the brow of a hill and surrounded by mature gardens

Quinta do Estreito Vintage House

Nestling amongst vineyards on the southern slopes of the main wine producing area Quinta do Estreito is set in a peaceful location

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Quinta do Monte Hotel & Panoramic Gardens

The elegantly restored Quinta do Monte can be found in the historical leafy village of Monte high above the capital, Funchal

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Quinta Perestrello Heritage House

Beautifully restored to a traditional style this 150 year old Quinta is located just off the main road at the resort centre

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Casa Velha do Palheiro

In an elevated position some 20 minutes drive from Funchal, Casa Velha is a peaceful country retreat

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Choupana Hills Resort & Spa

Designed as the ultimate holiday hideaway, nestled high on the hillside overlooking the Bay of Funchal

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CS Madeira Atlantic Resort And Sea Spa

CS Madeira Atlantic Resort & Sea Spa offers a deluxe ocean front setting close to the resort centre of Funchal

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Estalagem da Ponta do Sol

Estalagem da Ponta do Sol is spectacularly perched on a cliffside overlooking the traditional village of Ponta do Sol

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Four Views Oasis

Caniço claims to enjoy one of the best climates on Madeira. It is found on the south coast half way between Funchal and the airport

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Girassol

At the heart of the resort centre, the Girassol is particularly noted for its thorough and thoughtful service

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Jardins do Lago

Located in an elevated position overlooking Funchal stands this elegant Quinta

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Melia Madeira Mare Resort & Spa

Melia hotels and resorts are delighted to have recently opened the brand new Melia Madeira Mare Resort and Spa Hotel.

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Pestana Carlton Madeira

Enjoying a prime sea-front location, Pestana Carlton Madeira is one of Funchal’s best established hotels

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Pestana Casino Park

Situated on a cliff-top overlooking the Bay of Funchal, the five star Pestana Casino Park is located near to the Santa Catarina Park

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Pestana Grand

Pestana Grand offers wonderful views out to the Atlantic Ocean and to the famous Cabo Girao cliffs

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Pestana Promenade

Pestana is delighted to have recently opened the brand new Pestana Promenade Ocean Resort Hotel.

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Pestana Village & Miramar Garden Resort

Pestana Miramar Hotel shares the grounds with the popular Pestana Village Hotel and is situated on the premises of the historic and elegant Hotel Miramar

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Porto Mare

Adjacent to its sister hotel, the popular Eden Mar, in the main resort area of Funchal

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Porto Santa Maria

Porto Santa Maria is located on the ocean front next to a beautiful 17th century fortress and is surrounded by sub-tropical gardens

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Quinta Bela Sao Tiago

Originally built in 1894, this property has been transformed into a good standard 4 star hotel retaining all of its traditional qualities

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Quinta da Bela Vista

Located only eight minutes drive from the Town Centre in a quiet residential area with spectacular views over Funchal

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Quinta da Casa Branca

Away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre situated in a residential area and close to the shops and restaurants

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Quinta da Penha de Franca

Quinta da Penha de Franca located in a central part of Funchal overlooking the port and next to a tiny church

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Quinta Splendida Wellness & Botanical Garden

Built as a manor house in the early 19th century, Quinta Splendida has been very carefully restored according to the original plans

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Quintinha de Sao Joao

Nestling in the grounds of an historical estate with mature gardens of lush trees and shrubs lays the Quintinha de São João

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Reid's Palace

Reid's is a long-standing member of The Leading Hotels of the World and owned by Orient-Express Hotels

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Royal Savoy

Situated on the ocean front in the bay of Funchal, Royal Savoy occupies an enviable position

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Suite Hotel Eden Mar

Loctaed within the resort centre of Funchal and adjacent to the lido, this spacious modern suite hotel has recently been fully renovated

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The Cliff Bay

The Cliff Bay enjoys a superb location perched on the cliff top with the majority of rooms overlooking the Ocean

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The Vine, A Divine Hotel

Close to the Cathedral and the historic area of Funchal with restaurants and shopping within walking distance,

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Madeira sightseeing

Walking

Madeira is an island of exceptional natural beauty and has always been recognised as a walkers' paradise. Two thirds of the island is designated a conservation area where rare flora and fauna abound and in 1999 UNESCO classified the ancient Laurissilva Forest as a World Heritage Site.

Exotic species including strelitzia, authurium, cymbidium orchid, wild camellia, mimosa, agapanthus, poinsettia and hydrangea are among the thousands of flowers that bloom each year and for tree lovers' there are jacarandas, frangipanis, eucalyptus and australian flame trees. Vineyards and banana plantations abound alongside avocado, fig, guava, pineapple and market vegetables.

Levada Walking

To appreciate fully Madeira's spectacular scenery and varied topography, you really need to walk a part of the levadas; a 500-mile network of irrigation channels that feed water down from the mountains. Paths and steps were built alongside the man-made water channels for maintenance purposes and it is these tracks that now form the island wide web of levada walks. Yoo can simply buy a map and follow your own trail but you may find it easier and more enjoyable to join a walking tour organised and led by professional hikers. Levada walks are graded from simple strolls to more challenging and longer walks. Please note that stout walking shoes are recommended.

Gardens of Madeira

Madeira's subtropical climate plus a wonderful combination of indigenous and imported plants combine to produce gardens that are the envy of horticulturists from all over the world. Garden-lovers must visit the Botanical Gardens in Funchal, the public gardens and the Tropical Gardens at Monte, and the beautiful Quinta do Palheiro Ferreiro gardens.

Monte and Camacha

A cable car from Funchal rises high above the city to Monte where you can visit the twin towered Church of our Lady of Monte and the beautiful public gardens. Return to Funchal by traditional toboggan, cable-car or on foot. Most of the wicker products sold in Funchal are made in and around the sleepy village of Camacha where you can watch weavers at work before purchasing picture frames, baskets and peacock-thrones!

Island Tours

There are various routes around this beautiful island. An eastern island tour includes Pico de Arieiro, the third highest peak offering magnificent views, the village of Santana famous for its traditional thatched roofed houses, the vineyards at Quinta do Furao, and the small fishing village of Machico. A western island tour takes in Camara de Lobos, a picturesque village once captured on canvas by Sir Winston Churchill, Cabo Girao, reportedly the highest sea cliff in Europe, Paul da Serra, a magnificent plateau at 1,600 metres and Porto Moniz, famed for its natural rock pools.

Golf

Madeira is home to two championship courses and both offer stunning yet very different views. The Palheiro course looks out over the Bay of Funchal and gardens, and the Santo da Serra course has views over the neighbouring islands and valleys below.

Madeira cuisine

In Madeira you can eat healthily and heartily, and relatively inexpensively. There's a ready supply of superb fish and locally grown vegetables and no end of tasty fresh fruit.

Typical starters include Portuguese vegetable soup, caldo verde, and fish and bread soup, acorda. Main courses for meat lovers include lamb stew with fresh vegetables and potatoes, estufada de carneiro and skewered beef, espetada, which is normally served with polenta (fried maize), milho frito. The locally caught Espada, Scabbard Fish, can be enjoyed simply grilled with lemon, or the more traditional battered version served with deep fried locally grown bananas!

Cake, Wine and Maracuja

For dessert, its difficult to beat the fresh fruit or the local bolo de mel, Madeira honeycake. Made from molasses its squidgey, dark and delicious. And of course one of the great treats of eating in Madeira is the chance to sample the local wine which is much more varied in flavour than the sweet wine usually associated with the name. Madeira wines are labelled according to one of five types of grape used: Sercial, pale in colour and very dry; Verdelho, golden colour with a medium dry taste; Bual, dark gold and medium sweet; Malmsey, the original grape which produces a sweet wine with a rich chestnut brown colour; and Tinta Negra Mole, a red grape which occupies the biggest percentage of wineyards on the island.

Soft drinks include fresh fruit juices, one of which, Maracuja, is a particularly delicious passion fruit nectar.

Eating out in Madeira

While it is true that some of the finest restaurants on the island are still found in the hotels, Madeira now offers a wide variety of restaurants from basic rustic style tipico eateries - which limit themselves to traditional Madeiran dishes - to classic restaurants where there is a more international flavour to the menu.

Afternoon tea at Reid's Palace

As Prince Leon of Lignac said "There are many hotels, there are few good hotels and there is only one Reid's". Reid's Palace is undoubtedly one of the world's most famous hotels and afternoon tea at Reid's is to Madeira what the changing of the guard is to London. Served since the hotel opened in 1891, every afternoon, tea, scones, sandwiches and a choice of delicious "fancies" are savoured in sumptuous surroundings to a delightful piano accompaniment.

Reservations for afternoon tea can be made via the hotel reception.

Madeira offers

Casa Velha do Palheiro

In an elevated position some 20 minutes drive from Funchal, Casa Velha is a peaceful country retreat

4 offers

Choupana Hills Resort & Spa

Designed as the ultimate holiday hideaway, nestled high on the hillside overlooking the Bay of Funchal

6 offers

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CS Madeira Atlantic Resort And Sea Spa

CS Madeira Atlantic Resort & Sea Spa offers a deluxe ocean front setting close to the resort centre of Funchal

9 offers

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Estalagem da Ponta do Sol

Estalagem da Ponta do Sol is spectacularly perched on a cliffside overlooking the traditional village of Ponta do Sol

2 offers

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Four Views Oasis

Caniço claims to enjoy one of the best climates on Madeira. It is found on the south coast half way between Funchal and the airport

6 offers

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Girassol

At the heart of the resort centre, the Girassol is particularly noted for its thorough and thoughtful service

3 offers

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Jardins do Lago

Located in an elevated position overlooking Funchal stands this elegant Quinta

9 offers

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Melia Madeira Mare Resort & Spa

Melia hotels and resorts are delighted to have recently opened the brand new Melia Madeira Mare Resort and Spa Hotel.

8 offers

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Pestana Carlton Madeira

Enjoying a prime sea-front location, Pestana Carlton Madeira is one of Funchal’s best established hotels

6 offers

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Pestana Casino Park

Situated on a cliff-top overlooking the Bay of Funchal, the five star Pestana Casino Park is located near to the Santa Catarina Park

7 offers

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Pestana Grand

Pestana Grand offers wonderful views out to the Atlantic Ocean and to the famous Cabo Girao cliffs

6 offers

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Pestana Promenade

Pestana is delighted to have recently opened the brand new Pestana Promenade Ocean Resort Hotel.

5 offers

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Pestana Village & Miramar Garden Resort

Pestana Miramar Hotel shares the grounds with the popular Pestana Village Hotel and is situated on the premises of the historic and elegant Hotel Miramar

4 offers

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Porto Mare

Adjacent to its sister hotel, the popular Eden Mar, in the main resort area of Funchal

8 offers

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Porto Santa Maria

Porto Santa Maria is located on the ocean front next to a beautiful 17th century fortress and is surrounded by sub-tropical gardens

3 offers

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Quinta Bela Sao Tiago

Originally built in 1894, this property has been transformed into a good standard 4 star hotel retaining all of its traditional qualities

7 offers

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Quinta da Bela Vista

Located only eight minutes drive from the Town Centre in a quiet residential area with spectacular views over Funchal

5 offers

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Quinta da Casa Branca

Away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre situated in a residential area and close to the shops and restaurants

2 offers

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Quinta da Penha de Franca

Quinta da Penha de Franca located in a central part of Funchal overlooking the port and next to a tiny church

3 offers

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Quinta Splendida Wellness & Botanical Garden

Built as a manor house in the early 19th century, Quinta Splendida has been very carefully restored according to the original plans

2 offers

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Quintinha de Sao Joao

Nestling in the grounds of an historical estate with mature gardens of lush trees and shrubs lays the Quintinha de São João

6 offers

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Reid's Palace

Reid's is a long-standing member of The Leading Hotels of the World and owned by Orient-Express Hotels

6 offers

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Royal Savoy

Situated on the ocean front in the bay of Funchal, Royal Savoy occupies an enviable position

7 offers

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Suite Hotel Eden Mar

Loctaed within the resort centre of Funchal and adjacent to the lido, this spacious modern suite hotel has recently been fully renovated

6 offers

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-

The Cliff Bay

The Cliff Bay enjoys a superb location perched on the cliff top with the majority of rooms overlooking the Ocean

7 offers

-

The Vine, A Divine Hotel

Close to the Cathedral and the historic area of Funchal with restaurants and shopping within walking distance,

8 offers

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Quinta das Vistas Palace Gardens

Magnificently situated on the brow of a hill and surrounded by mature gardens

6 offers

-

Quinta do Estreito Vintage House

Nestling amongst vineyards on the southern slopes of the main wine producing area Quinta do Estreito is set in a peaceful location

6 offers

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-

Quinta do Monte Hotel & Panoramic Gardens

The elegantly restored Quinta do Monte can be found in the historical leafy village of Monte high above the capital, Funchal

6 offers

-

Quinta Perestrello Heritage House

Beautifully restored to a traditional style this 150 year old Quinta is located just off the main road at the resort centre

4 offers

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