We have just returned from a two-week stay on the island of Madeira, a small pebble lost in the middle of the Atlantic. Madeira has a subtropical climate, with relatively stable weather and temperatures throughout the year, which gives it dense and varied vegetation. It is the ideal destination for those who want a change of scenery without flying too many hours since Madeira is only 3h30 from Paris.
1. Hike in sumptuous landscapes.
Madeira is renowned for its superb hiking. There are dozens of them on the island, listed in the comprehensive guide Rother . There are hikes for all levels, in magnificent landscapes, the subtropical vegetation, the many waterfalls and the mountains have a lot to do with it. Discover the article with the 3 hikes we were able to do with our children aged 8 and 5 (absolutely not walkers):25 Fontes, Pico Ruivo and Caldeirao Verde .
2. Bathe
During our stay, we swam EVERY day in Madeira. Whether in the sea or in the pool, it is very easy to take a dip in the water on the island. Madeira is an island of volcanic origin, there are a multitude of magnificent beaches. While most are made up of large pebbles like that of Madalena do Mar or Ponta do Sol (bring beach shoes or flip-flops and don't forget to taste the ice cream from Baloo!), there are also sandy beaches in Madeira. The only white sand beach (artificial) is that of Calheta and the sublime black volcanic sand beach is in Seixal, a small paradise for surfers.
There are also many seawater swimming pools, we have some tested several, the pretty swimming pool of Camara de Lobos with direct access to the sea, the seawater swimming pool of Ponta Delgada with its games for the little ones, the swimming pools of Santa Cruz with an impressive view of the planes landing and the most famous are those of Porto Moniz in the northwest of the island:the seaside complex is made up of different basins fed by the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. The price of these pools is generally very low, between 1 and 2 euros per person. And to please the kids, you can spend the day at the Gaula aquapark with many slides and water games for 20 euros (2 adults and 2 children).
Pools of Salinas, Camara de Lobos, Madeira
Seixal Beach, Madeira
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Ponta do Sol Beach, Madeira
Pools of Porto Moniz, Madeira
3. Taste the local specialties
If you read the blog regularly, you know that local gastronomy is important in our travels. In Madeira there are 3 unmissable culinary specialties:
– Bolo do caco, a ball of bread made from sweet potatoes, served in all restaurants and even on the street.
– Filet d' banana espada, a fish with protruding eyes and sharp teeth that lives in the depths especially in the waters of Madeira. Served with cooked banana, emblematic fruit of Madeira, it is absolutely tasty. The best we have eaten is at the Mare Alta restaurant in Ponta do Sol , served with a passion fruit sauce.
– The lapas, shells in the shape of a hat and which are served seared in a pan, it is the perfect starter for a good meal or an aperitif in Madeira!
4. Descend the streets of Funchal in wicker sleds.
The Carrinhos were used from 1850 by the inhabitants of Monte to quickly reach the center of Funchal, a few kilometers further downstream. These wicker sleds descend the very steep streets of Funchal by force of arms and braked only by the rubber soles of carreiros. Today it is a purely tourist attraction but very impressive.
The price remains high, to reduce the cost I advise you to park in the car park located at the bottom of the cable car in the historic center of Funchal (low price for the day), to take a one-way trip by cable car, possibly coupled with a visit to the botanical garden (which we have deliberately omitted for economy and because that we see enough flowers and plants on the hike). The departure of the carrinhos is at the bottom of the stairs leading to the Nossa Senhora do Monte church. The price is 30 euros for 2 people. With the girls we were able to ride in a single sled for 45 euros. The descent lasts about ten minutes over 2 kilometers. You will have to travel another 2 kilometers to reach the center of Funchal, either by taxi (prohibitive price given the price already paid for the sleds) or on foot (about 2 kms:1km500 of good descent, 500 meters a little more flat, we took 30 minutes with the girls).
5. Cabo Girao:climb to the top of one of the highest cliffs in the world
Cape Girao is a cliff located on the heights of the charming fishing village of Camara de Lobos. Its height is approximately 580 meters, making it one of the highest cliffs in the world. The view is all the more dizzying when you admire the cultivated land below through the skywalk of the belvedere.
6. Pass by car under a waterfall or swim there
Passing on the old road (ER101) that connects Madalena do mar to Ponta do sol, you cross several old tunnels and come face to face with a magnificent waterfall that flows directly onto the road! The opportunity is too good to get wet!
7. Discover unknown fruits at the picturesque fruit market in Funchal
The Marcado dos Lavadores is an attraction in its own right in the center of Funchal with its colorful stalls and fruit galore. The prices are prohibitive, purely touristic, but walking through the aisles costs nothing!
8. List All Madeira Flowers
There are the famous birds of paradise, agapanthus everywhere, ferns of all kinds, arums, amaryllis, embankments covered with nasturtiums, frangipani and then there are also all those unknown flowers that you discover every day.
9. Learn to speak Portuguese
Unless you have Portuguese parents or grandparents, it is not necessarily the foreign language that we learn at school and yet it could have been useful to you and if you think you can get by in Spanish, think again it has nothing to do with Portuguese. In Funchal (fennel in Portuguese), it is easy to make yourself understood in English or even basic French, but it can get more complicated in some remote corners of the island. Apart from the classic "Olà", "Bom dia", "Obrigado" if you are a man and "Obrigada" if you are a woman, Google translate can be of great help to you then, you could even use it to ask "anti-piolhos" product for your cherubs in a pharmacy!
10. Get lost in the small villages of Madeira
The island of Madeira measures only 55 km from West to East and 24 km from North to South, which is to say that it is not much, but the relief is so steep that it can take you an hour to reach São Vicente at the North and Funchal to the South. To fully enjoy the island and its must-sees and things to do, it is good to spend a week there and get lost in its small villages. We loved the village of São Vicente and reach the village of Santana by the northeast coast, the road is dizzying!
