The views are only part of the fun
Discover all that Madeira has to offer 

Visiting Madeira Island

Come and experience Madeira. Visiting Madeira Island you are in for an experience and not just a visit. Here you are in the majestic nature, welcomed by a hospitable people. You will enjoy the local culture, a rich gastronomy and an unforgettable beauty. Madeira is called the Pearl of the Atlantic. It is a Portuguese island, west of Morocco, with subtropical climate. The seawater temperature varies between 17ºC at the coldest in February to the nice 24ºC in the late summer. The rich volcano soil gives the island its abundant greenery – you have lush flowers the whole year as well as the enormous variety of fruit to be found in the winter as well as in the summer. Throughout the island, custard apples, mangos, passion fruit, bananas and avocados grow profusely. The flowers like bougainvillea, frangipani, birds of paradise, orchids, wisteria, jacarandas and a lot of more flowering trees and plants make the island a floating botanical garden.

The craggy mountain tops, where the highest is Pico Ruivo at 1860 m above sea level, drop into a series of deep ravines that cuts through the landscape to the sea, making lush green valleys below the dark basalt peaks. The blue water of the Atlantic Ocean is so deep that sperm whales often are found swimming next to the coast.

The island is 57 km long and 22 km wide at it’s widest. The north of the island gets more precipitation than the south, and this made it necessary to construct the 1800 km of waterways or Levadas to conduct the water for irrigation of the sugar cane production that mostly is found in the southern part of the island. Many of these levadas provide fantastic walks through the breath taking landscape. Madeira is sky, mountain and sea at the same time. Here you can do para gliding in Calheta. You have mountain climbing, mountain walks, mountain biking, forest hikes, levada walks, canyoning, bird watching, coastering, swimming, surfing, whale watching, deep sea fishing and diving at the same place and the whole year around. After this you can relax and rest in fantastic accommodation, quiet and comfortable but all near restaurants, bars and coffee shops.

Garden

The garden is a relaxing place with tropical plants and trees. There is no swimming pool but a pond with water lilies, turtles, frogs and gold fish. There are palm trees and other sub tropical trees. Orchids, Bird of Paradise and other exotic flowers.

Garden apartment

The garden apartment has one double bed room with an extra single bed in the semi attached changing room, a bath room, kitchen with a dining table for 6 persons, and a lounge. You get down some steps to get into the garden and this apartment.

Main apartment

The main apartment has two double bed rooms, one bath room and an extra toilet, kitchen, lounge and dining room. If you are physically impaired, this apartment is perfect. You get straight in from the parking, it has no steps, and you can manage to get around in a wheel chair. The kitchen is fully equipped. In the lounge you have a TV and free WiFi. A smaller collection of books can be found, in several languages. The dining room has seating for four. In addition the terrace is perfect for breakfast or after noon tea.

• Kitchen Full Equipped
• Lounge with TV and free WIFI
• A small collection of books, in several languages
• A dinning room with seating for four
• A terrace perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea

Your Own Car

Drive through the tunnel of the hotel next to the house, turn left and drive up about 300 meters. Crossing the bridge of the fast way, you turn left to get into this, and in 3 minutes you will find the take off to Funchal It should take you 10 minutes to get to the center. Note that you will find parking in the shopping centers. Parking is a problem for our city.

By Bus

If you cross the tunnel again and turn right, you will find the bus stops for Funchal. If you turn right after the tunnel, you can walk up about 400 meters, above Modelo, the hyper market, and the local city busses, yellow one, are going frequently. Bus schedules here.

Taxi

There are taxis in front of the entrance of the hotel. These can take you to the airport or to Funchal. You can also phone Madeira Taxis at 291 764 476.

Shops

Elementary shopping for food, toilet articles etc: Pass the tunnel and to the right across the road. You will find there a bakery, “Flór de Garajau” with fresh bread and cakes. They also serve sandwiches and coffee. At its right you will find a newspaper shop, “Bottle Store”, also selling some food and toilet articles in addition to books.Down the road, about 50 meters, at your left hand going down, there is a supermarket called Banamadeira. Here you have a good collection of fruit, food articles, wine and other groceries. Further down the road there is a pet shop and a vet (if you bring your pet). Then there is a chemist and hair dresser if needed. Another supermarket and butcher is then found: Express Market. Up the road, at about 400 meters to the right you will find a hyper market called Continente, and another Pingo Doçe to the left, in the same building as Radiopopular

Restaurants

There are good restaurant near the shops. To the left of the bakery you have an excellent restaurant with grill and sea food: “Frango a Guia II”, and to the right a coffee shop and restaurant. Further down the road you will find an Italian restaurant, several smaller restaurants and a take away, “TuriGallo”. Next to The Express Market, up the stairs, there also are some restaurants, two locals and one Italian.
Also in front of the Continente Supermarket, there is a great place called Gingas II

Markets

Driving in to Funchal, you have the farmers market, fish and fruit market just as you come down to the centre. Every Sunday it is a big farmers market at Santo da Serra. It is quite fun, and a place that many article can be found. Try the chicken for lunch. This is in the central barrack, but be early.