Madeira For A Relaxing Holiday
Wine, Botanical Gardens and Walking by Levadas on Holiday in Madeira
Apr 8, 2009
Madeira wine remains one of the best reasons for holidaying on this scenic island which stays pleasantly warm throughout the year. But most of its quiet fishing villages, including Camara de Lobos where Winston Churchill holidayed after World War II, have been transformed in recent years by the arrival of new hotels.
Margaret and Dennis Thatcher Honeymooned at Royal Savoy Hotel in Funchal, Madeira
One of the most famous hotels, the sedate 100-year old Royal Savoy Hotel in the capital, Funchal, where Margaret and Dennis Thatcher honeymooned has been pulled down to make way for a ‘5-star-plus’ luxury spa.
In addition for motorists, miles of tunnels – built with EU funding – now provide a much less daunting alternative to the tortuous narrow roads which twist around the steep wooded hillsides.
Walking Beside Levadas on Madeira
At the same time walking is now an increasingly popular reason for visiting Madeira especially along the footpaths beside its unique of network of ‘levadas’. These narrow channels, about 18 inches wide, were built around 200 years ago to bring water down from mountain springs to the farms and vineyards around the coast.
Virtually flat, they twist around the contours of Madeira's ancient forests, offering glimpses through thick foliage up to jagged peaks and down to the coast far below. Sometimes they even run through dripping dark tunnels so walkers need a torch in their rucksack.
Jardins Tropical do Monte, Madeira
Botanical gardens, Madeira’s other big speciality, also offer extensive opportunities for walking. Two of the main public gardens spread down the hillsides near each other above Funchal. A 15-minute ride by cable-car from the town centre (avoiding the steep winding road) takes you up to the tropical gardens in Monte (Jardins Tropicals do Monte) which have fountains, statues and sculptures as well as spectacular plants and trees.
Jardim Botanico, Funchal, Madeira
Near the Tropical Gardens you can catch another cable-car down to the more intimate Jardim Botanico overlooking Funchal; which has an amazing cactus garden as well as colourful borders of exotic flowers. It was created by the founder of the island’s first luxury hotel, Reids Palace, situated on a 50-metre high clifftop above a rocky cove in Funchal.
In addition every hotel seems to stand in its own botanical garden, while roads and footpaths everywhere are also bordered by exotic wild flowers and shrubs.
Reids Palace Hotel in Funchal and Shopping at Old Blandy’s Wine Lodge on Madeira
Over a century old and originally only accessible by boat, Reids Palace is still the island’s most famous hotel, boasting a long list of high-profile guests from Scott of the Antarctic to Roger Moore. And if you cannot afford to stay there, its famous afternoon tea is a good opportunity to have a look inside.
Now with a smart new marina and broad tree-lined promenades, Funchal itself is a bustling cosmopolitan town. For shopping, the covered market sells local specialities from honey cake to basketwork, while Old Blandy’s Wine Lodge is the place to buy Madeira wine.
Porto Santo and its 5-mile beach
To enjoy a glorious sandy beach – Madeira just has a few pebbly ones - take a day trip by ferry or plane to the tiny island of Porto Santo, 45 miles away. Famous for its glorious 5-mile sandy long beach, this quiet largely undeveloped island offers a complete contrast to the bustle of its big sister.
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