Pestana Village Funchal

... Portuguese flag. It’s a very mountainous city with steep hills and hardly any shore line, all of the highways are built along cliffs and have bridges to connect them. The temperature is a steady 70-80’s and tropical with beautiful flowers growing all year long. It is a vacation spot for Europeans especially when Continental Europe has its winter. Carla and I went for a shopping trek today but didn’t find much of anything but we did something that I ...

On Sunday we got up, had breakfast and we went off on a tour organized by P&O to the top of the second highest cliff in the world, and very spectacular it was. On the way we saw all sorts of plant life, including banana trees and the very colourfull South African trees, with very large red flowers. We passed through Camara de Lobos and on to Pico da Torre where a magnificent view over the cliffs down to the sea showed how beautiful Madeira is.

We arrived outside Funchal at about 12:30 and because Independence of the Seas had taken our berth, the ship anchored outside the docks and we went ashore in the ships tenders. Had a couple of hours wandering around the lovely town of Funchal and went back ...

... I wished I had Lotus Elise to tear through the mountains (normally I’d wish for a Corvette, but these are very skinny roads. It was these sheer drops all along the road and cliff faces on the other side. And our tour guide was taking a minibus through this! When we got up to one of the lookout points, we all stopped and walked to the cliff face. The ledge stuck out from the cliff just a little bit and we ...

... definite return visit in our book. Although a little pricey the actual meal was less than what we would have paid for a buffet at our hotel. The steak with Madeira sauce was excellent, but best of all the steak was perfect. The imagination ran out when it came to the vegetables but it did not detract from the dining experience. The also do a set meal which is of the same quality but slightly cheaper. (GPS Location 32°38'39.05"N 16°55'8.79"W)

... answer came so easily to the receptionist that I got the impression this answer has been used before.

In closing we feel that it is the responsibility of the management to inform the hotel guests of such things as live entertainment which can be heard from your room and gala events likely to disturb you rest, or to relocate you booking prior to check in, at the very least you could be informed and then offered an option of relocation prior to settling in to the room.

... It starts as a fairly wide easy way but gradually gets narrower and the quality of the path deteriorates but never becomes impassable and in some places there are repair works being carried out.

Along the way the lavada goes through a cleft in the mountain, at this point you have a choice turn right and follow the levada through the cleft (this is where a torch will be handy as it gets quite dark in there), or you can carry on ...

... They only have one stop on the main beach where all their busses stop so I recommended that you go to the terminal as their departure times are changeable and not always printed. (Terminal Location 32°38'52.20"N 16°54'58.13"W)

You may be required to change busses on route but you can purchase a full ticket t around € 2.90

Before beginning the walk take a note of the buss times, as ...

... us being dropped off at the tunnel entrance. The walk from there to the restaurant at the view point was gentle and easy, taking 30 min. (GPS Location 32°42'37.38"N 16°57'44.73"W)

Once at the tea room you have the option of going to the lookout point or proceeding. I would not recommend the view point as the path will be full of visitor's clogging it. You will see the view from the path quite ...

... peaks.........in fact while we speak of Tolkien perhaps Madeira was his island land where the Elves went to convalesce .......after all judging by Madeiran traditional dance and hats there has been an elf or hobbit in residence for many years.........herm........and they are quite short people.......?!?!? But one of the most amazing aspects of Madeira is the diversity of weather and landscape.........it's brilliant ...