Madeira - the island of eternal spring
Madeira calls itself the island of "eternal spring". And indeed, with its warmth, flowers, palm trees and abundance of fruit and vegetables, it has every right to. As an autonomous region of Portugal, it offers both sea and mountains, beautiful scenery, good food and superb wine. It feels exotic, yet all its infrastructure is up to the highest European standards.
Madeira's towns: Porto Moniz, Santana and Caniçal
When planning a stay on Madeira, remember that its northern and southern coasts are very different from each other. The south is developed, warmer and sunnier, and a motorway runs along the coastline, which makes getting around easier. The northern part of the island is agricultural, less touristy, rainier and also less accessible. That does not mean at all that we should limit our stay to the south!
The north is a must, and one of the goals of your trip should be Porto Moniz. It lies at the north-western tip of the island, an hour's drive from the capital, Funchal. By island standards that is a long way, bearing in mind that the island measures only 60km by 20 km. The town's biggest attraction is its natural rock pools. They offer safe swimming, though not without a thrill, in a sheltered section of the sea. The pools have several entrances, concrete platforms and plenty of room for swimming and sunbathing. Beyond the volcanic rocks lies the vastness of the Atlantic, and the waves crashing against the boulders along the shore provide a "shower" of seawater.
Another town in the north worth visiting is Santana. There is only one reason why tourists go to Santana. It is there that you will see the one-of-a-kind tiny, colourful houses with roofs reaching right down to the ground. Some will say that is not enough to justify the detour, others will point out that no brochure promoting the island is complete without a photo of a Santana house. Although you will find individual houses in the Monte gardens and in the Botanical Garden (in Funchal), it is in Santana that they are best preserved and best displayed. It is worth heading straight to the very centre, where a mini open-air museum made up entirely of colourful houses has been created; one of them houses the tourist information office.
There are several towns and villages in the south of the island worth visiting. Besides the obvious "must sees", Câmara de Lobos and Funchal, I recommend little Caniçal in the south-eastern part of Madeira. For many years this was the centre of the whaling industry, but that chapter is now, fortunately, completely closed, as the last boat set out to hunt in 1981. Today there is a modern museum here dedicated to these great marine mammals. The town does not turn its back on its past, and in many places you will find references to it in the form of murals, souvenirs sold in the shops and street furniture (e.g. bins shaped like a marine mammal). There are several small restaurants along the harbour promenade where you can eat well.
Active Madeira: beaches and mountain trails
Madeira is an island, and an island means the sea, and the sea means beaches...... Oops, here you may be a little disappointed, because there is only one sandy beach. It is in Calheta, west of Funchal. Not only is it the only one, it is also artificial. The sand was brought over from Africa and formed into two sandy strips that slope gently into a basin, also artificial, which is half open to the sea. Many hotels, of course, have their own pools and access to the sea. There are ladders, concrete platforms and breakwaters that protect you from the whims of the ocean.
Madeira has beautiful mountains, and they are well suited to tourism. It is worth starting your mountain adventures with a "warm-up". A great place for this kind of light trek, without big climbs, is the Ponta de São Lourenço peninsula. It occupies the easternmost tip of the island. The views from several viewpoints are breathtaking. At the end of the well-marked trail there is a refuge with a bar, where you can rest for a while over a cup of excellent coffee.
Madeira's highest peaks are Pico do Arieiro (1818 m) and Pico Ruivo (1861 m). You can drive almost to the summit of Pico do Arieiro, coming from the south, from Funchal. Climbing Pico Ruivo takes more effort, as you have to hike up from the refuge where you leave the car. The road winding up in hairpin bends from Santana offers views and a few thrills. Once you have conquered one of these peaks, you can try the trail that links them. I managed to climb Pico Ruivo, but the trail to Pico do Arieiro was buried in snow. The road for cars was closed for 6 km at the Poiso pass (1412 m). The trail between the peaks was also closed because of snow. Well, that is a reason to come back!
The Cabo Girão cliff and the gardens above Funchal
Close to Funchal is one of the island's biggest attractions, the Cabo Girão cliff. It is one of the highest cliffs in Europe and in the world, rising 580m above the Atlantic Ocean. You look down into the abyss from a glass platform; below, the waves crash against the rocky shore, where a few tiny cultivated plots have been wrested from the sea. To your left you see the island's capital, to your right lower cliffs, and in front of you the endless ocean. It is up to you whether your mind's eye can make out the African coast ahead.
The Monte garden and the Botanical Garden on the hills above Funchal are must-see stops on any stay in Madeira. Monte tries to combine flora and fauna. There is a large aviary with parrots and colourful carp. There are also eclectic sculptures, fountains, babbling streams and small ponds. Most of the grounds are laid out in an aristocratic island style, but there is also a lovely Japanese-oriental section with blood-red bridges and imitation temples.
The Botanical Garden lives up to the promise of its name; there is a wealth of plants growing individually, as well as those that form colourful carpets and flowerbeds. You can admire enormous cacti. There is also a section of the exotic fruit and vegetables you will come across on the island.
To visit both gardens, start by taking the cable car from the old seafront part of Funchal straight up to the entrance of the Monte gardens. After visiting Monte, it is only a few steps to the station of another cable car, which will take you to the gate of the Botanical Garden. After time spent admiring the island's flora, you can walk back steeply downhill to the city centre.
Levadas - walks along the water channels
The levadas are a unique attraction found nowhere else in Europe. Their history goes back several hundred years. When people realised that the north of Madeira is rainier and the south more fertile and sunnier, they decided to find a clever way of carrying rainwater from the north to the south. They began building narrow channels to carry the life-giving water. Paths were built alongside them so that the levadas could be cleaned and repaired. Today these paths are well-marked hiking trails. They can be steep or flat, sometimes leading through tunnels or along precipices, but they always offer views and close contact with wild nature. Remember: not walking along at least one of them is like going to Rome and not seeing the Pope!
Dolphin and whale watching cruise
A trip out of Funchal to watch dolphins and whales is an unforgettable experience. The crews heading out to sea are very well prepared, with fast open boats, life jackets and an expert on board. The best companies employ trained staff who watch the animals' migration routes from the cliffs. It is hard to believe, but 28 species of dolphins and whales can be seen in the waters around Madeira.
Madeira's people: Ronaldo, John Paul II and Piłsudski
It is worth mentioning a few people who are linked, more or less closely, with Madeira. The one you will come across most often is.....CR7 . Cristiano Ronaldo was born on Madeira and has a villa, a hotel, a restaurant and a museum here. Even the local airport is named after Cristiano Ronaldo, although I did not find any clear references to its patron on the airport buildings. In Funchal, at the end of the seafront promenade, there is also a statue of him. With statues, it often happens that they are credited with some vague, magical power.... you have to rub part of the statue for some of that power to pass on to you 🙂 I will not reveal which part of the CR7 statue is the most "worn"; use your imagination......
Two great Poles have also been to the island. In May 1991 John Paul II visited Madeira, and the grateful islanders put up a statue of him in front of the cathedral.
Józef Piłsudski, the Polish statesman, spent several months resting on Madeira at the turn of 1930 and 1931. He rented a villa here and was accompanied by his adjutant and a nurse who was close to him. His stay is linked to a certain "scandal". The Marshal celebrated his name day here, and his compatriots back home wanted to give him a surprise. They decided to send their wishes by post, and in the end some one million cards arrived, which completely paralysed the entire postal service on Madeira. But the resentment lasted only a moment, because today Piłsudski has his own bust on the city's main promenade.
Madeiran food: Funchal, wine and espada
What would I recommend for a day full of culinary experiences in Funchal? I would suggest starting with breakfast at Prima Caju https://www.primacaju.pt. They specialise in healthy breakfasts and tasty lunches, served in a beautiful interior in the very centre of the capital. For lunch, try one of the many small restaurants on Rua de Santa Maria. This is the oldest part of the capital. It once had a poor reputation, but today it is a food hotspot in an artistic setting - don't miss the beautifully painted front doors of the houses. At some point the local artists got together and enriched this part of town with their work. Time for dessert - I recommend Uaucacau https://www.uaucacau.com, where you can pick out a few colourful chocolate treats on the spot, or Fábrica Santo António, with traditional baked goods to take away. But wait, what about the famous Madeira wine? Best "before", "during", "in between" and "at the end" 🙂 A tasting at Blandy's Madeira Wine is a must https://www.blandyswinelodge.com
When on Madeira, you simply have to try an exceptional fish. The black scabbardfish is Madeira's pride. Espada, as it appears on the menu of every restaurant , is caught in only two places in the world: off Madeira and off the coast of Japan. Its appearance may frighten you, but it tastes incomparably better than it looks. Lying on the fish market stalls, it is long, black and scaleless, with sharp teeth and bulging eyes. On the plate, its pieces are white and boneless. Espada lives at a depth of about 1000m and is caught on hooks attached to long lines. The best bait is pieces of octopus. Because of the difference in pressure it comes to the surface dead, which is why islanders say that no human has ever been granted the sight of a live one. Scabbardfish is prepared in many ways, and during my stay I ate it every day! Once with a lime zest sauce, another time with a tart, firm banana from Madeira. Once as a sandwich snack, another time with passion fruit pulp.
Practical tips before travelling to Madeira
Finally, a few practical tips (valid at the beginning of 2021):
1. Where to start when preparing a trip to Madeira?
It is not enough to read about what is happening in Portugal, because Madeira is an autonomous region with its own rules. Keep up to date with the information at http://visitmadeira.com
2. How to fly?
Flying from Poland, you have to reckon with quarantine on your return, because you are travelling by "public transport". I chose a direct flight from Berlin with http://easyjet.com and crossed the border by car. Remember that the air on the plane is filtered every 3 minutes, and the aircraft are additionally disinfected at night. Parking at BER - Berlin Brandenburg Airport costs only 29EUR/week. Take food and drink on board, because nothing at all may be served during the 4.5-hour flight.
3. With or without a test?
To enter Madeira you need a negative Covid test. You can take it at home and fly in with it, or take one at the airport. In the latter case the cost is covered by the government of Madeira. Like 70% of travellers, I arrived with a test because it is less stressful, although you do bear some costs at home.
