We are in Madeira right now. We stayed in Arco da Calheta at an Airbnb for a week and then in Funchal for just one night to see the New Year’s Eve fireworks. While the town is charming, especially right now with the lovely Christmas lights, I am so glad we made the decision to rent a car and stay in a more peaceful area for the majority of our trip.
I loved the freedom of being able to move at our own pace, and honestly our Airbnb in Arco da Calheta was maybe my favorite part of Madeira. We stayed on a historic banana farm called Torre Bella Gardens, and it was so peaceful and beautiful, with ocean views right outside our window, spectacular sunsets and sunrises, a huge garden with swings to roam, and all the fruit we could eat, including silver bananas, papayas, star fruit, avocados grown right on the farm. It was also a much better bargain than the well-located but small hotel room we are now in here in Funchal.
We drove all around the island and particularly enjoyed the 360 degree views from the Capela de Nossa Senhora de Fatima church in Sao Vicente, lunch at Restaurante Sao Cristovao overlooking the magnificent Miradouro Sao Cristovao, and my favorite, Fanal. We went around 4:45 pm and hung around until the fog rolled in about an hour later, which made for great photographs in different light conditions. We also enjoyed a morning at the Miradouro above Curral das Freiras, followed by lunch at Sabores de Curral (with many chestnut specialities) overlooking the mountains.
If we had had more time, I would have liked to take the car down to the small village at Achadas da Cruz on the west coast. We stopped to see the view at the top but didn’t have time to wait in line to go down to the bottom.
I can’t speak to vegetarian options, but we had excellent meals at Muralha Terrace Restaurant and Grill in Ribeira Brava (fish soup was incredible), A Tendinha in Funchal (amazing bargain of a meal), and Santo Antonio in Camara de Lobos. We enjoyed the vibe at the beachfront restaurants and gelato places in Calheta. We also drove the harrowingly steep road to Santo da Serra Farmers’ Market. Not a huge selection and get there early to avoid parking challenges, but I enjoyed trying the different fruit, especially the pineapple banana tasting Monstera fruit. We also enjoyed a brief stop at the small banana museum in Ponta do Sol (worth an hour or so?)
While we enjoyed both the Monte Tropical Gardens and the Botanical Gardens, I loved the wilder places in Madeira more. As a person of Asian descent, I found the Monte Tropical Garden’s “oriental garden” an odd throwback. The architectural features felt like a weird hodge podge to my mom and me, but I understand that when it was built, it was likely meant to give visitors a feel for the “exotic” resort experience of Madeira. But I appreciated the lovely curation of the tiered landscaping.
I am traveling with my 75 year old mom who is relatively fit but had to take care with all the hills and cobblestones here. So I can’t speak to any of the levada walks. We had also intended to drive up to Pico do Ariero, but every day when we checked the webcam, it was completely socked in with clouds, even though it was sunny at sea level. Another time.
A few notes about driving in Madeira: I am used to driving windy hilly roads from driving along the coast in California, but the narrowness of the roads here (with parked cars often taking up entire lanes) and local drivers barreling down the steep roads at top speeds definitely made for an additional challenge. I also wished I had sprung for a car with a stronger engine, as my Kia seemed to huff and puff its way up some of the steepest hills. But all in all, it was manageable, especially once I got the hang of the roundabouts.
I hope you enjoy Madeira! When I look back on this trip, what I will remember most are the colors, textures, and light of Madeira. Take it slow rather than having to see it all.
