Travel Agent Newlands

Being a tiny island off the North West coast of Africa, Madeira is a mountainous and often scary place to land. After the kamikaze descent and once on terra firma you are immediately drawn to the beauty of the island with its high peaks and Portuguese charm.

When I arrived, the island was lush and spectacular. I stayed with friends of mine in the capital Funchal and spent ten days exploring the islands many villages and abundant nightlife.

The island sports high end hotels as well as quaint village style hotels depending on your mood and the reason for your visit. The island has something for everyone, especially those wishing to relax for a time and to have a quiet holiday abroad.

For those who enjoy garlic, this is the place for you. The scrumptious spicy food is more often than not laced with garlic....but delicious none the less. Pregos and other on the go food can be enjoyed from many bars and restaurants which are found around the town square. The Madeira people are very relaxed and you can find the same people standing at exactly the same spot on the square talking to friends day after day. There is no hustle and bustle found in large cities making your holiday truly relaxing.

The house where I stayed was halfway up the mountain overlooking Funchal and on occasion I took a wicker basket ride known as a Monte Toboggan down to Funchal. The basket is on wooden runners and controlled by two men dressed in traditional gear. This is a fun trip and the return trip to Monte was made by cable car...what a way to travel.

Having been there in the winter I never experienced the beaches but they looked awesome. They were typical of island beaches, often shadowed by grand hotels. Funchal's nightlife was situated mainly at the harbour with a fantastic view of the Atlantic Ocean.

Language may be a slight problem here. Being with Portuguese friends it never affected me. There is some English spoken and most restaurants also have the menu in English.

I had a great time in Madeira but would recommend the island to an older demographic wishing to chill out. For the latest information on Madeira please don’t hesitate to contact me.