When one hears Madeira, it is usually wine that comes to mind, and so it is only fitting to go to the island of Madeira to get a good sampling of their wines. Madeira is an autonomous region of Portugal off the northwest coast of Africa, and the warm subtropical climate and its namesake wine make it an ideal island to visit. We flew from Ponta Delgado to Funchal, the capital of Madeira, which was an easy flight but landing tends to be a bit exciting. The runway is fairly short, and the island is a volcano in the middle of the ocean so there are almost always crosswinds. Pilots have to be specifically certified to land there, and, no, I did not know that before deciding to go there. We landed safely (and quickly!). Going through the airport, you knew you were in Portugal with the beautiful tiled walls.
Still traveling with Pam and Bill, it was on to the Savoy Palace, a lovely hotel. Having had enough adventure for one day I had opted to make a reservation at Grapes and Bites, conveniently located right across the street. Lucky us as it was a very good restaurant, and we had a very nice meal.
Being well rested, we were now ready for a full day of sightseeing. We made lots of stops driving across to the north end of the island. The first stop was at Camara Do Libos, a charming fishing village.
Then it was on to Cabo Girao, which is a miradouro, an observation deck. It is actually a skywalk with glass floors, but just don’t look down! The view is spectacular, just keep looking out, not down!
We continued on to the village of Ribera Brava. Pam and I wandered the market while Steve and Bill opted to enjoy a beer on the village square. The colors of the produce could only be described as vibrant!
One more stop at an overlook to which Pam and I hiked to (actually, hiked might be an exaggeration as it was only a ten-minute walk on a dusty, rocky path), but it was worth it for the views. Then we were on to the north coast town of Porto Moniz with its volcanic rock.
Following lunch in Porto Moniz, Pam and I wandered off to take a few photos while Steve and Bill were very impatiently waiting for our return for the drive back to Funchal.
It was back to our hotel followed by dinner at the 16th floor restaurant with views of the city of Funchal. The next day has a little adventure in store for us!
Thank you so much for sharing your travel experiences. Great photos from Madeira! I think we have to put it on our list of places to visit.
Madeira deserves to be on your list!
Another wonderful stop along your trip…. the pictures are amazing. Some of them remind me of Hawaii with the high mountains dropping into the sea. Thank you for sharing your voyage… it is always a pleasure to follow you along the way!
Thank you! The scenery in Madeira is stunning.
I have been enjoying all of your pictures so very much!
Our world has so much beauty to be seen!
Thank you! Yes, the world does have exceptional beauty, and I’m doing my best to see it all!
All great pictures. I enjoyed the one that had the waterfall and swimming holes at different levels.
You’re going to need to return to Tacoma to rest up.
Thank you! I was surprised at all the swimming as it is volcanic rock!