It was rather an arduous trip from Marrakech to Madeira with two plane trips and a 5 hour stop in Lisbon. We had ended up on TAP the Portuguese airline, maybe we could have flown direct but almost certainly for a more expensive airfare.
Arriving late at night, the taxi driver drove like a bat out of hell with virtually no other traffic, over mountain roads and through numerous tunnels clinging to the cliff edges, which were a surprise. Tunnels at home seem to be so expensive to build they become a major talkfest causing much angst usually for a very short tunnel, yet here on Madeira they have dozens, and some are quite long. I thought Portugal was a relatively poor country.....yet ( you will read more about this later), their whole roading system is one to be envied!
Arriving late at night, the taxi driver drove like a bat out of hell with virtually no other traffic, over mountain roads and through numerous tunnels clinging to the cliff edges, which were a surprise. Tunnels at home seem to be so expensive to build they become a major talkfest causing much angst usually for a very short tunnel, yet here on Madeira they have dozens, and some are quite long. I thought Portugal was a relatively poor country.....yet ( you will read more about this later), their whole roading system is one to be envied!
We arrived at our timeshare around 2 am. Our unit was huge, with 2 bathrooms, a kitchenette and we were thrilled to discover next morning, a gorgeous sea view! It was also an excellent location within easy walking distance of most that Funchal the capital of Madeira, has to offer, and plenty of buses if we wanted to save the legs.
Funchal Photos
Funchal Streets and Gardens
The first day we wandered along the waterfront where they are doing major repairs after a big land slide in 2010 when over 300 people were killed. We arrived in the center of Funchal about 30 minutes later – Funchal is main town on the island of Madeira.
You are instantly aware of why this is called a garden island, with avenues of jacarandas and other lacy leafed trees, masses of tropical flowers and shrubs creating a colourful scene. I just love the frangipani with their delicate cream to apricot or pink colours. They seem to do particularly well here ...the trees are huge and just covered in flowers.
Wandering up a beautifully cobbled street with a row of restaurants fighting for our attention, we opted for the one that seemed most popular. Keen to have our first Portuguese meal, we were not disappointed. Traditional grilled sardines for me, salad for Brian, and some excellent coffee....which we discover is the norm here! Yeaaaahhhhh! After varying reviews of sardines I really enjoyed mine. While they did have quite a few bones, they were not difficult to eat.
You are instantly aware of why this is called a garden island, with avenues of jacarandas and other lacy leafed trees, masses of tropical flowers and shrubs creating a colourful scene. I just love the frangipani with their delicate cream to apricot or pink colours. They seem to do particularly well here ...the trees are huge and just covered in flowers.
Wandering up a beautifully cobbled street with a row of restaurants fighting for our attention, we opted for the one that seemed most popular. Keen to have our first Portuguese meal, we were not disappointed. Traditional grilled sardines for me, salad for Brian, and some excellent coffee....which we discover is the norm here! Yeaaaahhhhh! After varying reviews of sardines I really enjoyed mine. While they did have quite a few bones, they were not difficult to eat.
Distinctive Architecture
The architecture is distinctive and the cobblestones look beautiful - they are a feature we came to see throughout Portugal. White stones with black designs, names or dates all laid by hand. Some of the building's have the traditional Portuguese blue tiles which are gorgeous,
We had a look around a few shops in the throes of summer sales, and bought some very cheap cotton tops…..only 5 to 7 Euros each ! We then found the supermarket and stocked up on a few bits and pieces for snacks, breakfasts and lunches before heading back through a lovely park that is on the hill overlooking the bay. So far we are loving Funchal.
The streets are alive with people sitting at tables under shady umbrellas enjoying coffee, drinks, and food. Yellow taxis line the roadside, their drivers chatting in groups, pushing their car forward as the front taxi pulls away. We hadn’t explored more than a small portion of the town yet but we did pop in to Blandy’s the only port winery we can visit , which we were surprised at.
After cocktails at Happy Hour around the pool, we had a most enjoyable buffet dinner in the resort with traditional salads and hot dishes and live music featured.
The streets are alive with people sitting at tables under shady umbrellas enjoying coffee, drinks, and food. Yellow taxis line the roadside, their drivers chatting in groups, pushing their car forward as the front taxi pulls away. We hadn’t explored more than a small portion of the town yet but we did pop in to Blandy’s the only port winery we can visit , which we were surprised at.
After cocktails at Happy Hour around the pool, we had a most enjoyable buffet dinner in the resort with traditional salads and hot dishes and live music featured.
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