Madeira: The Island of Madeira a floating Atlantic garden

Madeira is a beautiful Island off the north west coast of Africa, above the Canary Islands and further into the Atlantic Ocean. Its people tend to speak English but Madeira is a Portuguese Island.

It is often referred to as a floating garden as it is full of flora and is very lush in parts. Madeira has a volcanic centre and most of the tourists stay at one of the many resorts that cling to Madeira's coastline.

Sandy Beaches are few and far between and most consist of hard volcanic rock. There is the odd man-made sandy beach though.

Madeira has its own sub tropical climates and temperatures seldom leave the mid seventies Fahrenheit no matter what time of the year or day it is.

A warm welcome is guaranteed on this lovely Island whenever you choose to visit.

All we knew of Madeira before our visit was that:-

• The weather was often warm but rarely too hot
• It was an Island full of flowers
• It was Portuguese
• The average age of visitors was 50.

This last one suited us fine as when we visited Hubby was 55 and I was 54.

We flew into Funchal Airport on the Island of Madeira, from Manchester Airport in the UK. The final approach to Madeira is a little hair-raising. The terrain looks barren and rugged and the plane sweeps low over the sea. This is needed to access the runway which has been extended over the ocean on pillars. This extension was much needed for the ever increasing amount of passengers flying into Madeira. If nothing the Madeiran people are imaginative and always manage to solve problems with ingenuity.

Funchal Airport is not actually situated in Funchal, the Island’s capital. It was not far though from our destination Canico De Baixo where we arrived after a short coach journey of around 30 minutes.

At first glance our hotel, The Oasis Atlantic Hotel looked a poor second to the large Rui Palace next door. However once inside our hotel proved why it is classified as 4 star. The service alone would warrant this rating but the surroundings and our room were lovely.

Canico is a village set high on a hill on the route to Funchal. It is in the South East of the Island. Canico De Baixo where our hotel was located was at the bottom of this hill right next to the volcanic beach. A little along the well maintained promenade outside of our hotel there is a small Portuguese bar and a man made beach that locals use.

The other direction led to some cafes, restaurants and bars. This meant that although Canico De Baixo is off the beaten track, a little, there was enough on offer. This resort will not suit those though that want a hectic night life. It suited us perfectly.

Madeira as a whole.

Most of the roads are very modern. There are the odd roads off the beaten track that are rugged but these are few and far between. The Madeiran people have worked hard to conserve water and Levadas, or small canals, carry precious water around the Island. There are some stunning walks along these Levadas.

We booked locally run tours and had a great time on everyone. There was only between four and six passengers each time and so the itinerary varied to suit our tastes.

Our visit to the Nuns Valley was much better than fellow holiday makers who choose to book their travel agents tours. As they travelled by large coach they were unable to access the Nuns Valley as deep as we did. The local harvest was in and it was chestnuts. These were made into liquor, and served hot and toasted eaten straight from the pan,

The tours tend to be divided into those that view the East, West, South East and the like. There is so much to see around Madeira that this is one of the best ways to view much of the Island.

Local buses terminate and operate from Funchal were local timetables can be collected.

Hiring cars is easy but the terrain in parts is tricky. When we visited the Nuns Valley and the East of the North West of the Island we travelled on some minor roads that were narrow, winding, twisting and high.

The scenery also varies around the Island. Each part has a different feel. In some parts the scene is lush and green in a formal, neat and tidy way. In others it is wild and rugged.

Bear in mind that this volcanic Island is high in its interior. Our trip to the heart of this Island was great but we saw nothing from the highest point as it was under a blanket of thick fog. This can happen in the mountains all too often.

Madeira is quite an expensive Island to visit but on a par with other European destinations once you arrive. The hotels tend to be good quality and mainly 3 or 4 stars at least. As such the price of your Madeiran accommodation can be pricey.

We bought and Insight Guide to Madeira for our holiday which was useful. It was pricey at around £16 from Waterstones but I sold it on Green Metropolis for £5, after our holiday.

It is useful to be able to say Hello, Thank-you and other pleasantries in Portuguese as some locals only speak limited English. It also is a nice gesture for the locals who are lovely people.

We had many highlights during our holiday and thankfully no lowlights. More specific detail will follow in other hubs. However I hope this glimpse of Madeira has inspired you to check out this beautiful destination.