ce.madeira. I wonder if you are offering commercial advice? I note that you have registered with at least 3 other travel websites on September 30th with exactly the same message as you've placed on our site here! Just a thought the mods may be interested in!

we have noticed dan thanks

Hello Dan,

With this exact message, my intention is only answer to questions about Madeira Island or give help to those who want to plan their holidays on Madeira Island - I don't want to make publicity with this exact message.

Thanks anyway by the advise and sorry for any inconvenient!

ce.madira

we have several members who work in the travel industry [i have one in particular in another forum] we welcome all help and impartial advice for our members without promoting their own companies, On behalf of the members of this forum i wish you welcome, and ask that you follow the general rules of Holiday truths when posting

wizard

Hello mod,

Thanks for your welcomes. I'll try to follow your rules, just like I'm trying to do it in another forums. I don't have any company.

Have a nice weekend!

Bem vindo,c.e.madeira.
We are a little short of Madeira experts so your local knowledge will be a useful addition to the website.

Yes we are. I'm hoping to go out there in December looking to buy a villa.
We are also looking at the Silver Coast. My missus though isn'y too fussed about moving, cos there isn't a Floyds Bar there.

Im off to Funchal next month as my father in law lives there. Ive not been before so I am looking forward to it.

Is the island seasonal? ie - does it close up when the summer season is over? I guess not but does anyone know? Will there still be plenty of places to eat drink and be merry?

Hello!

Mad Mick:
You'll find great villas in Funchal with a fantastic sight over Funchal city and bay, Desertas Islands, sea and mountains. The price will be higher than in the rest of the island, but in my opinion, in Funchal you'll find rest and confort and will be near of everything.

Firestars:
Madeira Island isn't sazonal - you'll find lots of animation and parties all year. Here we don't have the four seasons - you can find the four seasons in just one day if you're travelling around the island - you can have a typical Summer day in the Winter or in the north of the island and a rainy day in Summer or in the south of the island.
Christmas and New Year is one of the most beautiful season here in Madeira - the streets are colorful with fantastic lights and animations, shops with beautiful decorations, music in the air, lots of pubs and discos. Pubs and discos: "Bar do teatro", "Vespas", "Marginal", "Jam", "Number Two - Ã"° pra poncha" - "poncha" - traditional drink, and much more places!
The food is great! Fish or meat, there are delicious specialities!
Fish: scabbard fillet ("filete de espada"), tuna steak ("bife de atum") and escabeche tuna ("atum de escabeche").
Meat: traditional brochette ("espetada") and marinated meat ("carne de vinho e alhos").
Accompanied by: traditional fried corn ("milho frito") and tasty "bolo do caco" bread with garlic butter!
For dessert, there're the delicious bananas or pineapple! But also "maracuja", "pêra abacate", "anona" - traditional fruits!
Drinks: The famous "poncha"!! There is the "traditional poncha" and her friends! The "poncha de maracuja" or orange "poncha"! You can try all and be careful if you're driving! The Madeira Wine is internationally known: dry, half-dry and sweet. There are Madeira Wine Shops where you can taste and choose your favorites! Be carefull with the new security rules in the airports, because it isn't allowed to carry bottles in the plane.
Have fun!!! Nice holidays!

Hi ce.madeira
We are in funchal for a day with a cruise ship in November 13th,how easy is it to do the cable car and wicker basket run independently and how much will it cost,any other things we should try to do in the short time we have there?
Thanks in advance,by the way we depart on the 5th!

Should be pretty easy to do independently. You can either walk from the docks or catch a taxi to the lower cable car station in Funchal Old town. The upper cable car station at Monte is very close by the start of the basket run, which starts by the Church at Monte. Your biggest problem is getting back to Funchal proper as the basket run tends to end in a quieter part of the outskirts and its a long steep traipse back into town. There will be taxis touting for business here though - at a price.

Hello blc,

Early in the morning, the first thing that advise you to do is to visit the Traditional Market in Funchal center.

This market is well worth a visit. It is a point of reference in the life and architecture of Funchal.
The farmers' market is a perfect example of Estado Novo architecture, which is somewhere between modernism and 1930s art deco. It has two panels of tiles at the main entrance and several inside. They were made by the once-famous Fabrica de Sacavem.
At the market, which is very near the old Santa Marianeighbourhood, the atmosphere is bustling as you would expect from any market. But this one is ablaze with colours and redolent with the intoxicating perfume of beautiful flowers. Birds of paradise, orchids, king proteas, roses, cattleyas and camellias are displayed and sold by the sprightly flower sellers wearing brightly coloured regional costumes.
On the upper floor there are tropical fruits, vegetables and spices, while fish and meat are on sale on the lower floor.

Visit all the traditional shops near the Church "Se" where you can buy the best souvenirs! Don't forget to go to the "The Old Blandy - Madeira Wine Lodge" where you can taste the different tastes of Madeira Wine. All these things are next to each other in Funchal center!

Then you can do the cable car and the basket run...
It's very easy for you to do the cable car and the basket run in a day in Funchal. I advise you to do one trip in the cable car (Funchal up to Monte - 10 euro per adult) and one trip in the basket run (Monte down to Funchal - I'm not sure about the price, I think it's 25 euro per trip...).

Funchal - Monte cable car:
This cable car will take you from the old part of Funchal to Monte in around 15 minutes. Enjoy a spectacular view of Funchal's bay and valleys from one of the 39 seven-seater cars. The Funchal station is in Campo Almirante Reis and the Monte station in Largodas Babosas. You can get from Funchal to Monte in a few minutes while taking in the surrounding landscape. After getting to know Madeira's little "Sintra", come back down on an unforgettable ride in a Monte toboggan controlled by two drivers called "carreiros".
Opening hours: 09:30 a.m. to 05:45 p.m. You can search in Goggle for the website with the words "cable car Funchal".

The sledge rides begin in Monte (near the Chuch) and end down in Funchal. The sledges are powered by the feet of the two carreiros, or sledge drivers, helped by the steep slope, and it's a pure adrenaline experience.
It's the ideal way to get down after going up to Monte by cable car.

After that you can also do a bus ride to know Funchal city - "Funchal Sightseeing Tours" - 10 euro per person (children - 5 euro).

An open-top-tours around Funchal's most beautiful sights, the belvederes and historic spots. A digital guide taped commentaries in Portuguese, English, German and French, Italian and Spanish will lead you troughout Funchal in a one hour and 15 minutes tour. You can get on and off at the various stops on route and pick it up again. Costs about 10 euro and your ticket is also valid on the local buses for the rest of that same day. Funchal centre is easily explored on foot but if you want to travel a bit further out of town to one of the gardens, then it's not bad value.
Timetable: 9h30, 10h00, 10h30, 11h00, 11h30, 12h00, 13h00, 14h30, 15h30, 16h00, 17h00, 17h30

I think that dooing these things you'll know the best of Funchal!
Enjoy your holidays!!!
CE.

hi blc,
we went on honeymoon on a cruise which stopped at madeira for a day in december, you have a pleasant ten minute walk to the cable cars and the views are out of this world, the cable cars stop near to the basket run which looks really mad or you can go back down in the cable, sorry cant remember prices, many good places to eat and an outdoor market and many shops. hotels with pools but no beaches as very rocky but fantastic, enjoy your day

we stopped off in Funchal on a Thomson cruise this time last year and it was a pleasant 10 min stroll to the centre and we caught an open top tour bus with headphones giving english and other running commentary for about 10Euros if my memory serves me right which lasted an hour or so and was very informative and then we had the best fish lunch I have ever had anywhere down on the harbour front - yum those prawns were to die for. I thought Funchal was lovely and would defintely visit again, very friendly people and a pretty place.

Hi all, thanks for the info and ideas,ive checked the itinery and we are in funchal for a day and a half 11&12th. all packed and off in the morning to join the Oriana!!

Hi ce.madeira
In Madeira from 01/02/08 for a week. Looking forward to the Mardi Gras. Any tips on where best places to be to see the Processions. And most importantly is the brew bar on the jetty by the old containers still there.

Just got back after 4 nights at the Estelgem du mar in Sao Vicente, had a really nice time. We rented a car for the 4 days and got around most of the sights. Beautiful countryside and vistas. Loved Funchal and the market.

Hi
I am looking for information on how much money to take for a one week holiday on Madeira for a couple of friends. They are both in their 50s but I don't know where exactly they will staying for their holiday. Any information on the cost of drinks, meals and taxis etc would be much appreciated. MyraLock

Myra, If you can tell us where they will be staying, it would make it easier to answer the questions. Basically, the prices for English visitors are just a bit lower than in UK. Taxis are relatively cheap (depending where you stay) and public transport is very very cheap. A 3 course meal for 2 with wine would be around 40 euros (thats an average) . Drinks in bars are much cheaper than the hotels, which charge about 1 euro for a glass of fizzy beer. Of course you can buy cheaper food and drink in the supermarkets.