Classic Madeira & Porto Santo

General Information

A good year round climate, superb quality hotels and stunning scenery.

The Madeiran Archipelago consists of the exotic floating garden of Madeira, the sand and sea worshippers' island of Porto Santo and the uninhabited islands of the Selvagens and Desertas. Located 400 miles west of Morocco and 600 miles from the European mainland the islands are located on similar latitudes to Bermuda and Los Angeles and enjoy an excellent year round climtate.

The Island of Eternal Springtime, Lovers' Isle, Pearl of the Atlantic, Floating Garden of the Atlantic are just a few of the epithets awarded to Madeira, the largest of the islands. Madeira is the tip of a gigantic mountain protruding from the ocean depths and the variations in altitude provide a variety of natural habitats from stunning coastal scenery to soaring mountainous peaks. The central area is volcanic in origin although you need have no fears � the last eruption is thought to have occurred 1.7 million years ago!

The island of Madeira is 35 miles long and 16 miles wide. Its subtropical climate; warm in the summer (22-24C) and mild in the winter (l8-22C) and moderate rainfall provide an environment where lush vegetation prevails and exotic flowers bloom all year. The water temperature is also pleasant year round due to the warming influences of the Gulf Stream.

Madeira's neighbouring island, Porto Santo, with its 5 miles of golden sandy beaches, was officially discovered in 1418 by the Portuguese although many believe that the islands had been visited in early Christian times. Madeira (the Portuguese word for wood) was named in 1420 by its discoverer, Joao Goncalves Zarco, because that's pretty much all he saw when he arrived. The islands had no indigenous population or any signs of previous occupation. Christopher Columbus came to Madeira in 1478 and married the governor of Porto Santo's daughter, Filipa Moniz.

Madeira has a diverse cosmopolitan heritage resulting from various invasions and occupations. In the 16th century, Madeira suffered attacks from French pirates as Santo, lying to the north-west was constantly under threat from Algerian, Moons and even English Pirates. In the 17th century Madeira became a significant part trading routes between Europe and the New World, specifically the Portuguese colony of Brazil. There is a major British influence, which is a throwback to the Napoleonic Wars when friendly occupation by the British finally ended in 1814. The British were particularly instrumental in Madeira's booming wine sales, a trade which was only overtaken in the 20th century by the tourism industry.

The 25th of April, a National Holiday, is celebrated in honour of the 1974 revolution when Madeira was designated an Autonomous Political Region in a constitution drawn up in Portugal's capital, Lisbon. Since 1976 the region has been governed by the charismatic Alberto Joao Jardim and his Popular Social Democratic party.

Madeira and Porto Santo together have a population of 260,000 with approximately half living in Funchal, the capital. Portuguese is the national language although English is widely understood and often spoken more precisely than a native English speaker!

Madeira's rich history provides many places of interest. Amidst the natural beauty you can discover small traditional villages, seek out interesting churches and museums and enjoy various festivals with the locals who delight in sharing their many celebrations with visitors.

Madeira is the perfect holiday destination for those wanting to escape the stresses everyday life. It is a beautiful island with an abundance of nature. There is no golden sand although the island boasts a few manmade beaches. There are numerous lidos and wonderful hotel poo1s often overlooking the ocean or situated in magnificent tropical gardens which make Madeira an ideal destination for sunworshippers. The hotel standards are high, the people are friendly and there are few places where you would enjoy better or more courteous service.

Funchal

Located on the south east coast of the island in a picturesque bay, Madeira's capital, Funchal, lies between the deep blue of the ocean and the lush green of the mountains behind. Approximately half of the island's population lives in Funchal; the centre of town is especially busy where the 16th century streets attempt to cope with 21st century traffic! Most of the hotels are located west of the city centre at Funchal Lido - an important tourist area with shops, restaurants and cafes. The style is changing, however, with colonial mansions being converted into luxurious hotels although many enclaves and the port still retain an old fashioned feel mixed with the commercial buzz of its working environment.

Funchal's port area provides a fabulous vantage point to gaze at the rich (and sometimes famous) as cruise ships moor up for their overnight stops. A short walk from the port is the old part of town, interesting to meander through during the day and excellent to visit in the evening when the cafes and restaurants spill out onto the streets allowing you to enjoy alfresco dining.

During the day the streets and old squares of Funchal are alive with flower sellers. With the blue sea in front, the greenery of the mountains behind and the pavements alive with the vibrant colours of the Birds of Paradise, Arum lilies and Amaryllis flowers, you can wander for hours. There is interesting 16th century architecture, a smattering of worthwhile museums and, if you love to shop, you can easily while away a morning or afternoon in the designer shops or at the local market which is well worth a visit - packed with local produce and heaps of freshly caught Espada (Scabbard Fish).

A 'must do' during your stay in Funchal is to travel up in the cable car to Monte. The journey takes 15 minutes and there are wonderful views on the way up and from the top. A fun outing at the top is to visit Quinta do Monte for a typical Madeiran drink 'Poncha' then with a light head, toboggan back on one of the infamous wooden sleds!

Eating and Drinking

You can eat healthily and heartily, and relatively inexpensively. There's a ready supply of superb fish and locally grown vegetables and no end of tasty fresh fruit.

Typical starters include Portuguese vegetable soup, caldo verde, and fish and bread soup, acorda. Main courses for meat lovers include lamb stew with fresh vegetables and potatoes, estufada de carneiro and skewered beef, espetada, which is normally served with polenta (fried maize), milho frito. The locally caught Espada, Scabbard Fish, can be enjoyed simply grilled with lemon, or the more traditional battered version served with deep fried locally grown bananas!

For dessert, you cannot beat fresh fruit or the local, bolo de mel, Madeira honeycake which - actually made from molasses - is squidgey, dark and delicious. And, of course, one of the great treats of eating in Madeira is the chance to sample the local wine which is much more varied in flavour than the sweet wine that is normally associated with the name. Madeira wines are labelled according to one of the four types of grape used: Sercial, pale in colour and very dry; Verdelho, golden colour with a medium dry taste; Bual, dark gold and medium sweet; and Malmsey, the original grape which produces a sweet wine with a rich chestnut brown colour.

Soft drinks include fresh fruit juices, one of which, maracuja, is a particularly delicious passionfruit nectar.

Dining out is a favourite evening pastime amongst locals and visitors alike but if you do want some additional thrills there's a Casino where you can enjoy glitzy cabaret entertainment over dinner. And for the trendier and young at heart there is a handful of sophisticated bars, late night clubs and a few pubs with live entertainment.

Map of Madeira

Places to Visit

Funchal, Madeira's capital is a bustling cosmopolitan city with a multitude of good places to stay. Choose from a wide variety of excellent quality hotels and Quintas. Quinta is the Portuguese word for country manor and a Madeiran Quinta can either he a converted manor house or a property built in the style of a country house. Wherever you stay in Funchal you will always have easy access to the port and the lively town centre with its numerous restaurants. Outside the town centre there are some steep streets and many of the hotels and Quintas have their own shuttle buses to take you to and from the centre of town.

And there are plenty of other places to stay and visit outside the capital. Although just a small island 35 miles by 16, it seems much bigger due to its mountainous terrain. The island is extremely rugged and travellers should be prepared for long, winding roads full of twists and turns. You can easily explore by car, taxi, local bus or organised excursion. Our Resort Team is on hand to give you advice on the best way for you to get around:

Boaventura: to the north of the island is an agricultural village with mountainous landscape. Numerous bars provide the excellent stopping points to sample local wines. There is a demanding levada close by with superb views over the north of the island.

Cabo Girao: do not miss the view from one of the highest sea cliffs in the world (1900ft).

Camacha: the island's wickerwork centre; great for souvenir shopping.

Camara de Lobos: a favourite with Winston Churchill, this picturesque village to the west of Funchal is the centre of the fishing community; the fishermen are experts in catching Espada from depths of up to 800 metres.

Canical: once the centre of Madeira's whaling industry and now a marine mammal sanctuary. Well worth a visit to the whaling museum in the old whaling company's office.

Desertas Islands: 20 miles to the southeast of Funchal, these uninhabited (deserted) islands provide a spectacular backdrop especially at sunset. Protected as a sanctuary for the monk seal, access is restricted but authorisation can be obtained, although fishing is forbidden.

Eira do Serrado: 10 miles to the north of Funchal and right in the centre of the island, wonderful views over the Curral das Freiras (Nun's Valley).

Encumeada: a pass at 3,300ft with superb views from Sao Vicente in the north down the Serra d'Agua valley to the south.

Jardim Botanico: beautifully laid out gardens overlooking Funchal with plants from all over the world.

Jardim da Serra: picturesque wooded region with excellent levada walks.

Jardim do Monte Palace: delightful gardens full of rare tropical species native to Madeira.

Jardim Orchidea: a relatively new orchid breeding project, the gardens contain more thar 4,000 varieties of delicate orchids.

Machico: historical fishing port where Zarco the Explorer first discovered Madeira.

Monte: picturesque village high above Funchal. Visit by cable car and leave by toboggan.

Piro do Arieiro: Madeira's third highest mountain, tremendous views of dramatic mount ridges.

Pica Ruivo: the highest point on the island, 6,1O9ft � can only be reached by foot.

Ponta do Sol: now a fishing village and holiday resort, once a thriving sugarcane centre.

Porto Moniz: pretty whaling village surrounded by terraces typical of the north of Madeira. Most famed for natural swimming pools cut into the volcanic rock.

Porto Santo: Madeira's neighbouring island with 5 miles of golden beaches and sands with supposed curative properties. Stay at Hotel Porto Santo or visit on a day trip.

Queimadas: nature reserve close to Santana. Original Madeiran flora.

Sao Vicente: pretty authentically-renovated village which has won conservation awards.

Santana: famous for its triangular thatched houses, unique to Madeira. Hillsides abound with fruit, vegetables and willow branches cultivated for wickerwork. Surrounded by one of the most beautiful and unspoilt landscapes in Madeira.

Santo da Serra: filled with weekend villas for Madeira's wealthiest residents and home to a championship 27-hole golf course.

Western Madeira: Ponta Delgada and Jardim do Mar p1us other seaside coves are special favourites for surfers with world class surfing conditions.

Golf

Many Classic Collection Holidays' guests find that a leisurely round of golf during their holiday helps them relax. For some it is the aspect of friendly competition that is satisfying and for others the pleasure comes from aspiring to master the game. For the majority though, the sheer enjoyment comes from the diverse and beautiful locations in which the game is played. Madeira boasts two championship courses, both with stunning views.

Many of our hotels offer green fee reductions and some provide courtesy transport to golf courses - these hotels have been highlighted in our Madeira brochure with a relevant golf symbol. We can request tee times for you although you will need to advise us of your handicap. Your handicap certificate and rubber spike shoes will be required. For further details please contact our reservations team who will be happy to discuss your golfing requirements.

Palheiro Golf Set in the hills to the east of Funchal with fantastic views over the bay and the city. This 18-hole course designed by Cable Robinson is set within beautiful parklands and with its tight fairways and fast greens, it provides a worthy challenge to all golfers. Golf packages are available for guests staying at Casa Velha do Palheiro (see our Madeira Hotels) which is situated beside the Palheiro course.

Santo da Serra Golf Home to the Madeira Island Open this has been rated one of the most spectacular courses in Europe with staggering views of the mountains and the ocean below. Designed by Robert Trent Jones it offers 27 holes with generous fairways and tight undulating greens. The recently renovated clubhouse boasts a large panoramic restaurant. Golf packages are available to guests staying at Estalagem Serra Golf (see our Madeira Hotels) which is close to Santo da Serra Golf course or please contact us for further information.

Walking

Madeira is an island of exceptional natural beauty and has always been recognised as a walkers' paradise. Two thirds of the island is designated a conservation area where rare flora and fauna abound and in 1999 UNESCO classified the ancient Laurissilva Forest as a World Heritage Site.

Exotic species including strelitzia, authurium, cymbidium orchid, wild camellia, mimosa, agapanthus, poinsettia and hydrangea are among the thousands of flowers that bloom each year and for tree lovers' there are jacarandas, frangipanis, eucalyptus and australian flame trees. Vineyards and banana plantations abound alongside avocado, fig, guava, pineapple and market vegetables.

Levada Walking

To appreciate fully Madeira's spectacular scenery and varied topography, you really need to walk a part of the levadas; a 500-mile network of irrigation channels that feed water down from the mountains. Paths and steps were built alongside the man-made water channels for maintenance purposes and it is these tracks that now form the island wide web of levada walks. Yoo can simply buy a map and follow your own trail but you may find it easier and more enjoyable to join a walking tour organised and led by professional hikers. Levada walks are graded from simple strolls to more challenging and longer walks. Please note that stout walking shoes are recommended.

Climate

Madeira's year round mild climate ensures good weather whenever you choose to go although with the lush green landscapes and mountainous terrain, you can expect rain on occasion. In the south of the island, the weather is warm and pleasant all year yound, however the temperature can be slightly cooler in the north, and in the mountains, we recommend warm clothing for walkers.

Flight Times

Typical flight times from the U.K. vary from around 3 hours 50 minutes from airports in southern England to around 4 hours 30 minutes from Glasgow. Please contact us for more detailed information.