Madeira (Portugal)

**********************BACKGROUND*********************** We went to Madeira this year , 2006 , in September for two weeks on a B&B basis in the Oasis Atlantic Hotel in Canico De Baixo . We had not been abroad for a couple of years due to financial restraints ( in other words we were skint ) and wanted a holiday that would live up to our expectations . This one did and some. On picking our destination we decided we wanted somewhere not too lively ...
...bought an "insight guide" to Madeira which was a hefty £16.99 from Waterstones . It was however a very good book , gave background history , details of each of the regions etc . I was not sure when reading about Madeira whether we would like it or not , but we did . In fact we loved it! Madeira is an Island of the North West coast of Africa . It is situated in the Atlantic and is Portuguese , having a sub-tropical climate . Hence the beautiful ...

grafter123 26.11.2006 (03.01.2007) · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Madeira (Portugal)

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 ...
...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- when we went there in August it was about 27 to 29 degrees and when we went there in May it was around 23 to 25 degrees. There is however little difference ...

bagoproverbial 05.10.2007 (29.09.2007) · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Madeira (Portugal)

...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 ...
...part of the island. As Madeira is a granite mass of rocks, it is hilly and has no sandy beaches. ~Getting there~ By Air- We flew with Air Portugal (TAP) from Gatwick on a scheduled flight, however there are other air carriers that fly charter flights to the airport of Funchal (FNC). For further details of my experience with TAP please read my earlier review here on Ciao, I will only briefly say that they were okay. By Sea- Another way to get to ...

buzzard_cad 17.06.2006 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Madeira (Portugal)

...to go on holiday to Madeira in January I had no idea where it was, let alone what it was like. BACKGROUND Madeira is an island (I just about guessed that), lying 380 miles west of Morocco and 260 miles north of the Canaries. The island is quite small and measures roughly 35 by 12 miles. Madeira is part of Portugal so Portugese is the predominant language. LANDSCAPE AND CLIMATE Madeira is volcanic in origin and a range of mountains up to 6,000 ...
...ear-popping! Because Madeira has a very stable climate, with temperatures rarely moving from the 16-24C band all year round, the island is lush with vegetation and very picturesque. The climate also varies dramatically throughout the island – there can be snow in the mountainous interior at the same time as the coast is roasting in sunshine. There are no beaches at all in Madeira, and consequently the island does not attract that many young ...

jonathancowley 08.03.2001 (17.10.2001) · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Madeira (Portugal)

I have visited Madeira twice now, once on a family holiday with my parents and 10 -year old brother, and once on a romantic break with my boyfriend. Madeira fitted the bill perfectly for both trips. It is widely said that Madeira is not suitable for a family holiday, but I would have to disagree. Although there are no golden sandy beaches, there are plenty more activities for families, such as the volcanic rock pools for swimming. In any case, there ...
...are beaches galore! As Madeira is basically a large (approximately 20 by 30 miles) mountain of volcanic rock rising out of the Atlantic, everything is built on steep hills. The architecture of the roads really is amazing; the motorways are built on ridiculously tall concrete pillars, as is the airport runway. All the scenery in Madeira is really spectacular. I would recommend certain trips out in particular for those interested in the scenery. The ...

beccy12001 13.07.2005 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Madeira (Portugal)

...And this probably sums up Madeira in entirity! Madeira is a Portuguese island off the coast of Africa. It's nearest relatives are the Azores, which if my memory serves me correctly, are approximately 200 miles away. Many people believe the island to be Spanish, however they are proudly and defiantly Portuguese. The main town in Madeira, and it's capital, is Funchal. Not to be confused with the island's airport of the same name, which is in fact ...
...famous of all flowers in Madeira is the Bird of Paradise. This is an unusual specimen, with it's easily identifiable orange 'beak' - hence the reference to a bird. There are also many orchids that grow on the island too. Next to the flower and fruit market, is the fish market. Go and see for yourself how huge Tuna grows to be! You will also spot Blue Marlin and other exotic fish. Madeira is famous for it's Espada - this is a most ugly fish and you ...

sunworld 15.12.2003 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Madeira (Portugal)

Madeira is a small island to the South of Portugal and level with the North coast of Africa. Britain has very strong historic links with the island and it was British people who played a key part in the development of the business of producing 'Madeira' the drink for which the island is rightly famous. The drink is a fortified wine which keeps for years. It is somewhere between port and sherry and is produced in a variety of styles (sweet or dry) ...
...akin to a funfair. Madeira has a warm climate and is great for a winter break. When I was last there in November the daytime temperature was around 70 degrees and there were still a large number of colourful plants in bloom. There is a very large botanical gardens near the capital, Funchal. The capital also contains a wide selection of restaraunts and some casinos. The rest of the island is much quieter. Great for walking or getting away from it ...

steve40 02.07.2000 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Madeira (Portugal)

...I spent a week in Madeira a few months back. We had a marvellous time. We didn’t do much as our main aim was rest and relaxation but we had a great time. Even before our plane landed, we were treated to some really breathtaking views of the island and the airport from the air. The ride to the hotel was equally interesting, lots of hills and narrow roads with those amazing views again. On our arrival at the hotel, we were treated to a welcoming glass ...
...were friendly and extremely helpful at all times. We had all our meals at the hotel and it was lovely. Their buffets were lovely – serving lots of local cuisine and we enjoyed all our meals there. We later noticed that the hotel had won quite a few awards for food. Our room, faced the sea and we had wonderful view of the sun rising on most mornings when the sky was clear. We also did quite a bit of sunbathing our balcony as we had the sun for the ...

mrfernz31 07.03.2005 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Madeira (Portugal)

...sand areas too. Yes, Madeira is very hilly: on one trip last year one of the other tourists started hyper-ventilating. She was in the very front seat of the coach so had a better than drivers-eye view of the drop. Not suitable for the young or infirm: even the costal promenade walk from Funchal to Praia Formosa The octopus and squid dishes are the best I have ever had, even better than Italy. What is sold as calamari in Britain is better compared ...
...(fresh black scabbard fish), is excellent and I normally do not like fish. Served with mango or banana may seem strange, but it works very nicely. Rumours are that the authorities are restricting hotel development and may be stopping within five years. This will be good as it will prevent the island being spoilt. Landing at the airport is described by some as 'firm', but having flown into Southampton several times myself, I would not describe Funchal ...

asrdesigns 19.08.2004 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Madeira (Portugal)

...will if you go to Madeira or have been, as the runway is in the sea...... I was told this whilst actually on the plane - great.....!! Madeira is a great place for walking and relaxing. It is a small island, but to appreciate it fully it is a must to hire a car, as the roads are narrow and steep. Funchal is the capital, and the only large town. You will find some nice shopping here. A good place to visit, and I did very often, is Madeira Mall ...
...(storm). What nice weather, we were only there for a week!! =(!! Madeira is not a place for families with children, people who want nightlife and people who dislike walking, I did myself find it boring at times, but overall it was good. I would reccomend. ...

diddy1 30.07.2006 (31.07.2006) · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Madeira (Portugal)

I visited Madeira in May and December 2000. I stayed at Raga Hotel and Quinta de Sol, travelling each time from Manchester. I got about using the bus service which, once the various timetables have been mastered, provides interesting journeys into the countryside. The views are stunning though not too good for those with a fear of heights. There are many interesting restaurants in Funchal and some of them put on floor shows of Madeiran music. This ...
...If visiting without a car it would be best to stay in or around Funchal. If one stayed in one of the outlying villages one would be rather cut off without a car. The island is a gardener's paradise and I would make special mention of the Botanic Garden and Monte. ...

johndick 20.05.2001 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Madeira (Portugal)

I have worked in madeira for two years and fell in love with the place. There is so much to do from Levada walking to taking tours which are so diverse it would be impossible to list them all from horse riding, golf to diving off the coastline. The tours I would recommend you definatly do while there are the East and West Island tours, do at least one Levada walk and go to the Nun's Valley and take the wicker toboggan ride back down the hill. There ...
...harbour with a glass of Madeira wine watching the people and ships go by. There are many shops to look round in Funchal aswell as museums and the main Cathedral which is beautiful. The bars I would recommend you visit while there are Number two's and The White House but there is only one restaurant that I can recommend as you will never have a better meal anywhere and that is Solar D'Ajuda. It is owned by Moses who is a great guy and their pepper ...

becpryke 03.03.2004 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Madeira (Portugal)