Following my post about “What to do in 2 days in Lisbon”, here is the rest of that portuguese trip: our 4 days in Madeira.
We arrived in Funchal, Madeira’s capital, at night from Lisbon and took the Aerobus to the city center for 8 euros return trip. It dropped us close to our hotel: Residencial Colombo. The residence had the retro feel of a traditional house with a lot of wood, I liked it very much. They served a buffet breakfast where we discovered anonas, a tropical fruit that was in season. The hotel was very good value for budget travelling, 33 euros per night and it was very comfortable.
As a first impression, Funchal is a very charming city, with a tropical atmosphere. I particularly liked all the palm trees everywhere and the heavy humidity in the air.
Day 1: Day trip to Porto Moniz
On our first day, we decided to go to Porto Moniz, situated north west of Madeira. There are many tours available but we took the a local bus, nr 139. It goes to Porto Moniz for 12 Euros return. It stops at the city of Ribeiro and insider tip, to go to the bathroom just head to the shopping center located on the same street as the bus stop.
The main interest of Porto Moniz is its natural swimming pools. They are formed by volcanic lava and filled with sea water.
Wild natural swimming pool in Porto Moniz, Madeira
The “official” ones had facilities built around (shower, changing rooms, snack bar…). Unfortunately, they don’t look so “natural” anymore. You also need to pay an entrance fee. As we traveled in january, it was closed for maintenance.
That was lucky for us as we discovered across, some wild natural swimming pools, much more beautiful, barely crowded (anyway in january, it is icy) and…free. No shower and no changing rooms though. After a very refreshing bath, we went for lunch at Salgueiro on the main square. Our bus was only scheduled twice a day and our return was planned for 4pm so we decide to wait while eating. It is interesting to note that on the way back, the bus follows a different route.
In Salgueiro, the food was simple but delicious. We ordered espada or black scabbard, a local fish. It was very tasty served with potatoes, sweet potatoes and a salad (carrot, lettuce and onions). With one drink each, the bill came at 25 euros for two. Not bad!
Once back to the city, we found a restaurant for dinner while walking around the center: Adega da Queimada. The owner was very nice and friendly. We ordered wine, the soup of the day, a dish of scabbard eggs, octopus in vinegar and two glasses of poncha – all local specialties for which we paid 29 Euros. Poncha was an item on our must eat & drink list after tasting scabbard. It is a local drink made out of sugar cane alcohol, honey, sugar, lemon rind and in this case orange juice. It is quite strong and I advise to drink it with moderation…
Day 2: Levada walk from Ribeiro Frio to Portela
I mentioned earlier a must eat & drink list. We also had a must-do list, haha. One of them was going on a levada walk, very popular on the island. A levada walk is a walk along some mini-canals built from north to south of the island to irrigate plantations. They usually go deep into the nature that is why they are so enjoyable.
There are many guided levada walks in Madeira. But we preferred to be independent so we took the bus number 56 for 3,35 euros, one way, to Ribeiro Frio, the starting point of the walk. In Ribeiro Frio, we had a coffee and cake at the main coffee shop. Many travellers were having either poncha or Madeira wine with coffee. So were we!!! We went first to the Miradouro de Balcoes, a viewpoint to the mountains but please note that most tours don’t go to there. The walk lasts 45mn and it is easy peasy! The view is panoramic.
Then we came back to the starting point of the levada walk, direction: Portela. Clear signs indicate where Portela was. Distance is 11km. Don’t forget to check the weather for the appropriate gear to wear. When we were there, it was raining. The levada walk is very narrow and can be steep and slidy. Some parts are unprotected and you really need to be careful. But the nature around is amazing: wild strawberries, endemic flora… It took us 4 hours to walk it with a sandwiches break. We ate admiring the blue mountains and the luxurious vegetation around us.
Madeiran views
At the end of the walk, we waited for the bus with a local cake and a coffee with madeira wine at Restaurant Portela. The bus stopped across the restaurant so we might as well enjoy the vista! The bus toured the other half of the island to go back to Funchal. So with two bus trips, we saw the whole Madeira. The local bus is really really really slow though. From one of the hills, we could see impressive and modern highways linking sides of the island.
Once back in Funchal, we shopped at the supermarket for food souvenirs. I always do that on a trip to get a feel of everyday life in the country I visit. That is how I discovered how a scabbard look like: it is a long black fish and it is pretty ugly. But the ugliest fish (like the smelliest cheese!) seem to be the tastiest…
As usual, we hunted for a local address and dined at Londres, a fish and seafood restaurant popular among locals and tourists alike. They serve you beans and olives as soon as you sit down. We drank vinho verde (Casal Garcia). After all, we are in Portugal. It was light and refreshing. Then number 3 on the must eat & drink list: Espada com banana (black scabbard with a banana) with potatoes and the usual carrot, lettuce and onions salad. The portions are huge and one dish is enough for two.
We also ordered grilled limpets (a type of sea snails) with butter and garlic, another local specialty in Madeira and a late addition to the must eat and drink list… Everything was delicious. The restaurant was super busy and turnover was quite high. The waiters were also very friendly and you could tell that they were really proud of the service they were offering. Some portuguese hospitality we got!
Day 3: Hiking from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo
On our third day, we decided to go on a guided hike to Pico Ruivo. There were no public buses doing the trip so the choice was easy. Also, the tour took us to Pico do Arieiro, the starting point and picked us up on the other side on Achada do Teixeira which simplifies very much logistics. We paid 35 euros each for the tour with Madeira Sunrise Tours.
There is an impressive paved route leaving Pico de Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. On the way, you cross tunnels, go on very narrow paths not always protected by railings and also climb up long and steep staircases that were quite challenging. I don’t recommend this walk with children and/or if you are not very fit. But if you can make it, do it! The reward is huge after and during the efforts: the landscape and the views are breathtaking.
On the way to the top, you can stop at Casa Do Abrigo to refill water bottles and have a coffee – we had a sandwich on the way as there is nothing in between the two pics. At the top, it is an amazing feeling to be above the clouds and the scenery is incredible. The walk from Pico Ruivo to Achada do Teixeira is much shorter. And on the way back to Funchal, we stopped at Santana to see the traditional houses and for a proper coffee break.
In Funchal, we went back to Londres for dinner again. This time, I tried pork in Madeira sauce. Also delicious and service was still very good!
Day 4: Monte and Funchal
Another “must-do” in Funchal was to go to Monte for a toboggan run. Bus ticket was 3,4 Euros – you also need a transport card that you then charge per trip. During a toboggan run, you hop on a two-seater wicker sledge pushed and steered by two men in traditional white cotton clothes and a straw hat for the thrill of going downhill for 10mn. The men use rubber-soled boots as brakes. Unfortunately, it was not open on Sundays despite the information we got from the tourist office and we were Sunday. So we got the bus back and walked along the Rua de Santa Maria.
Painted door in Rua de Santa Maria, Funchal, Madeira
The street of Santa Maria or Rua de Santa Maria is my favourite street in Funchal. It is located in an old part of town. It has a lot of character but its main interest resides in the painted doors part of a street art project. They are imaginative, poetic and very colourful.
We walked the street until we reached a restaurant recommended to us, O Regional. At O Regional, the food was average however pricey: 25 euros for an avocado starter and a tough espetada, a local meat skewer dish. However, we had a delightful conversation with a retired english couple seated next to us which made the lunch worth its price.
After lunch, despite the fact that we were so full, we had an ice cream at Gelateria Italiana do Lorenzo. There was a long queue outside the shop which can only mean that the place was good… And we were right to wait: the scoop was e-nor-mous for 1,5 Euros and the ice cream very tasty. We were even fuller and went for a siesta back to the hotel to recover.
For dinner, we headed to a seafood restaurant, O barqueiro. Great address! The menu offers a vast range of fish and seafood dishes. Once seated, we got fish cakes and crackers on the house. We shared a plate of limpets for the last time. My friend ordered a seafood salad and I ordered my beloved scabbard with potatoes, salad, veggies and sweet potatoes. Honestly, you can stop at the potatoes and salad as the portions are really generous. For our dishes, one bottle of water, 1/2 bottle of white wine and a nice atmosphere for a last night in Funchal, we paid 45,80 Euros. Not bad, not bad at all…
Day 5. Travel back to Lisbon
Day 5 is for traveling back to Lisbon. Bye bye Funchal! Bye bye Madeira! It has been nice to spend those days here! If I ever come back, I will visit the market and have an afternoon tea in Reids…Until then, I will write my post about Mardi Gras in New Orleans and my 2 weeks tour to South America, the trips I have done after you!
Links:
Madeira’s official website: http://www.visitmadeira.pt/