Advantages: Fantastic in every way Disadvantages: None as far as I'm concerned
Having visited Madeira twice now, and experienced different hotels and different sightseeing each time, I thought it would be a good time to write up our experiences of the island- which I have to say are entirely positive. I would go as far as to say that it's probably the best holiday destination we've been to yet- although with a few long distance trips planned, who knows if that will remain the case. All I can say is that Madeira will be a hard place to beat- and this tale of two trips will hopefully explain why.
For those who aren't aware or only vaguely aware, Madeira is one of the Portuguese territories in the mid-Atlantic. It's actually closer to Morocco and Western Sahara than it is to Portugal, and so the flights do take several hours to get there.
Considering its location, Madeira doesn't tend to get uncomfortably hot ...
bagoproverbial 05.10.2007 (29.09.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Madeira (Portugal)
Advantages: A fantastic holiday experience Disadvantages: Location, in particular for those with mobility problems although the hotel is disability friendly.
INTRODUCTION
The Riu Palace in Madeira sits like a white-washed fairytale castle with terracotta turrets, corner towers and grand archways looking out over the sapphire-blue sea. The grounds house brightly coloured flowers and palm trees making you believe you are on a Caribbean island far away.
The Riu Palace is located right on the seafront at Canico de Baixo, only 10 minutes drive from Funchal Airport and 20 minutes drive to the city of Funchal. On arrival at the airport everything ran smoothly and quickly apart from me not recognising my own suitcase!!! We were driven to the hotel in a small mini bus with 5 other people and half an hour later we were sunbathing by the pool. Now that's what I call service.
CHECK IN
From the moment you check in at the impressive, grand reception area with its polished marble flooring, elegant ...
Advantages: Beautiful picturesque island, not too hot in summer Disadvantages: Hilly, poor restaurants, no sandy beaches
This review has been languishing in my draft box since October last year so it is a little overdue in getting finished. This is my final inane writings on Madeira so sit back and enjoy the read!
~Introduction~
Madeira is an island located in the Atlantic Ocean off the West coast of Africa, it was a Portuguese colony from the 15th Century onwards and is still run by the Portuguese government. Today the island of Madeira relies heavily on the tourist trade and in selling it's aptly named 'Madeira Cake'. Numerous cruises around the world use Madeira as a stopping off point and it has a good climate all year round. It's capital is Funchal (pronounced 'Foon-shall' by the locals)and is located in a bay on the southern part of the island. As Madeira is a granite mass of rocks, it is hilly and has no sandy beaches.
~Getting there~
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Try to dine at least once at Les Faunes, the island's finest hotel dining room, which takes its name from the series of Picasso lithographs decorating the walls. Live piano music accompanies your meal, and winter guests often dress for dinner, the men in black tie. The chef offers a variety of French specialties and some typical Portuguese dishes. To begin, you can try everything from Portuguese soup to the chef's own smoked fish. Favorite entrees are caldeirada (fish stew) and lobster (grilled or poached). The chef's special pride is swordfish with banana. You can select from the dessert cart or ask for a hot soufflé, preferably made of passion fruit or strawberries.
