Hello all! So my sis and I are spending a month in Portugal and would realy like to hop a cheap flight to Funchal and spend some time on the island of Madeira. I am a Rick Steves junkie and wants fellow Rick Steve-ers to tell me their experiences and suggestions for that leg of our trip. Where did you stay? What did you do? This would be in November (the off off season) so I'm not sure if that affects anything, but would love to hear what you have to say. In the meantime, I am looking at non-Rick Steves sites...
Posted by
Rhode Island, USA
481 posts
We stayed here last year: http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p416928 There are 3 different apartments, 1-3 bedrooms. The location is stunning, right on the ocean, and 5 minutes from the airport, but 25 minutes to Funchal. We rented a car, which you would need, unless you stay in Funchal, from www.economycarrentals.com. Each day we explored a different section of the island, as we had 1 week. Check out the website: http://www.love-madeira.com/ as it has ALL the information you would need. You may want to visit the Azores, which is also an easy flight from Lisbon, Porto, or the Algarve. Lots to see and do, and you have many islands to choose from. It depends on what you want to do. Look over www.azores.com to see if the Azores interest you. We visit Santa Maria and Sao Miguel every few years to see family. The island of Sao Miguel is the most beautiful place I have ever visited! Wherever you go in Portugal, you will be very happy :)
Posted by
Martinez, CA, USA
1548 posts
Hooray! My family is from Madeira and my husband and I spent a week there in 2006 and loved it. In Funchal we stayed at Apartamentos da Se which is on a pedestrian street (it opens to cars from 8pm to 9am so it's great for parking your rental car) near the Se (Cathedral). It had a kitchenette and the hotel also had a rooftop patio with great views. We also stayed across the island in Ponta Delgada at Casa da Capelinha. Our room came with a kitchen and great room with sofa and dining table and a balcony. This hotel is in a converted manor house and also has a modern building with the same type rooms. We were lucky to stay in the old house which has great character. During our week there we drove all over the island. You can visit Eira do Serrado for great views, Curral das Freiras, Pico dos Barcelos, Miradouro do Cabo Girao. Pico do Areeiro and Paul da Serra have great views and hiking as well. You can visit a basket factory in Camacha. Porto Moniz, Ribeira Bravo and Camara de Lobos are towns with great views and character. And of course the historic sites in Funchal. We were there in September so don't know what the weather would be in November. We can't find the site we used for help with our driving itinerary but here are a couple of sites you can visit and I'm sure you can find more. http://www.madeiraguide.co.uk/island-tour.shtml
http://www.madeira-web.com/PagesUK/index.html Don't know about cheap flights, we used SATA from Lisbon which we booked online. We also love continental Portugal and have visited often. Have great fun planning and have a great trip to a beautiful island and a wonderful country!
Posted by
Los Angeles, California
1986 posts
Have only visited Madeira, stayed overnight on a liner. There are interesting (highly scenic) fishing villages (Camara de Lobos is famous), a church up the mountain (Monte) and when i was there- sled rides down into town from the church- over the cobble streets, and tons of shops selling madeira wine