Madeira

Overview

Madeira is a beautiful sub tropical Portugese island which enjoys a warm climate throughout the year with temperatures rarely falling below 22 degrees. This makes it an ideal all year round holiday destination which can be as relaxing or as active as you prefer. The island is very lush all year round with flowers and plant life constantly in bloom. Madeira is relatively small measuring approximately 90 kilometres long. Madeira is made up of numerous fishing villages and small resorts which are dotted around the island. A third of the population of Madeira live in Funchal which is the Capital, which is home to the port and harbour and where the cruise ships stop off for a tour of the island. The narrow cobbled streets, the famous Cathedral in Se Cathedral and the abundance of shops, bars and restaurant remain a focal point in Funchal.

Madeira is recognised globally for the creation by the islanders of its irrigation channels called Levades. These channels.distribute the water supply from the north of the island all the way to the south. Santa Cruz is the oldest resort which is where the international airport is situated as well as a handful of hotels that have recently been constructed. Rabasal is in the midst of Madeiras indigenous forest in the west of Madeira where there are waterfalls and the walks along the Levades are amazing. Ma deira also boasts the Cabo Girao which is Europes highest sea cliff which is 600 metres straight up from the stoney beach. A vast amount of fruit is grown along here by the local farmers.

There are numerous places to visit in Madeira for those who are interested in history, one of the most visited tourist attraction is situated in the centre of Madeira and is known locally as the Curral das Freiras, the valley of the nuns which was built around 1950, this is a very popular tourist attraction and is well worth a visit. Also of great interest on the island of. Madeira are the twin peaks which have the most amazing views of the island, the Areiro Rrise which is 6000 feet above sea level leads to the highest point in Madeira, the Pico Ruivo which is 6100 feet. Camache is in the south of Madeira near Funchal, and is famous for its Maderian wicker work centre which is a great place to visit.. The willow grown in Madeira, is said to be the best in the world. Camache is also famous for its folk dancing which is carried on through tradition and you will often experience this throughout the whole of Madeira irrespective of the season.

Monte is situated above Funchal in the hills and it is here that, the abundant greenery produces pure air. Many people visit Monte with ailments and it has proced to heal these ailments instantly due to the purity of the air.. The famous wicker sledge takes you on a ride from Monte to Funchal, For those who prefer a panoramic view with less speed then there is also a cable car ride which takes you from Monte to Funchal. Madeira is also famous for its flowers and this is due to the warm climate and the lush greenery which enable them to bloom all year round, The Botanical Gardens are situated in Quinta Vegia where there is always an exceptional array of flowers and plants which is just breathtaking beauty in an abundance. All of these sight seeing attractions come highly recommended and if booked prior to departure through Hotelsbooked.com. then you will receive a full guided tour at a discounted rate.

The Mercado Madeiras market is famous for its home grown organic tropical fruit especially bananas, here there are row upon row of delicious delicious fruits to tempt everyone. Next to the fruit market is. Madeira’s fish market where the local delicacy is black scabbard, ‘espada preta’ which is a black skinned fish which is pure white inside. Whether you eat this fish grilled or fried it is exceptional, and there is no shortage of it on the island, wash it down with a glass of Madeira wine and you will not be disappointed.

Madeira hosts Carnivals twice a year and the original influence comes from Brazil, everyone on the island participates including the President of Madeira. This is a very big Tourist attraction and last year the Carnival attracted in excess of a million visitors. There is also the world famous Flower Festival every April, as well as the general flower show there is a childrens flower show, here, the children from all over the island build their own garden of flowers as a sybol of hope. There is a extravagant flower parade through Funchal, which is spectacular and visitors come from all over the world to visit this festival. You need to book early for this and to get the best holiday deal from Hotelsbooked.com.

During the Christmas season Madeira is transformed with Christmas decorations and the whole island is lit up with over 1 million spectacular Xmas lights. Then when the New Year comes Madeira hosts the biggest firework display in the World in the capital Funchal. Over 1 million tourists visit Madeira to watch this display every year . to make a hotel reservation or book a holiday for this time of the year you need to do this before August because demand is so high.

East of the island is Santo da Serra which is the islands main golfing resort. The Santo Da Serra golf course is where the world recognised Madeira Open Golf Championship is hosted every year. The views are spectacular, you have a backdrop of mountains on one side and a perfect sea view from.the other side. Hotelsbooked.com have exclusive rates for both the green fees for all customers, and at the Enotel Do Santo hotel which also situated in Santo Do Serra, and just a mere 900 metres from the golf course.

Canico is a small resort which is only a 10 minute drive from the airport. This resort is divided into two, the old town where life revolves around the church, and the new town, which in contrast, here life is centred around the coast which has a rocky beach, The Galo Resort Hotels are sports activity hotels for sports enthusiasts are the most popular hotel here, however there are also other family friendly hotels and apartments.

If you are looking to stay in the hottest part of the island then you need to stay in the resort of Ponta Del Sol meaning point of the sun. This resort registers Madeiras highest temperatures all year round. The Enotel Baia do Sol is the best hotel in Ponta Do Sol, it is situated in am unrivalled location right on the beach. It is a very contemporary hotel with excellent facilities and Hotelsbooked.com are the only company who offer All Inclusive holidays to this hotel at prices you will not find anywhere else on the internet.

Calheta is one of the smallest resorts on the island, it is only 20 minute drive form Funchal, however it is a very unique resort as it boasts the only sandy beach on the island. Madeira is a volcanic island and all beaches are black sand apart from Calheta where the golden sand has been imported. There are literally a couple of hotels in Calheta and therefore this resort is most popular as a day trip due to its extremely its quiet location.

In great contrast the North of Madeira is sparsely populated and has the most breathtaking scenery. Only 45 minutes away from Funchal you will find the most picturesque village on the whole island called Sao Vicente, this resort looks onto the Atlantic Ocean with a fantastic backdrop of mountains. This resort has a small village where there are a few restaurants and bars, however one of the biggest attractions to this resort are the volcanic caves. There are only a few hotels but the biggest hotel on the north coast is situated here and this is called the Monte Mar Palace hotel which is a 4* Deluxe hotel with amazingsea views and facilities which are second to none. Hotelsbooked.com guests automatically receive a free upgrade to a Superior Sea View room when making their reservation. However, the most popular hotel in Sao Vicente is the 4 Star Estalagem Do Mar Hotel, this is a great hotel which is located just 20 metres from the Sea. This is a good affordable family hotel which is Hotelsbooked.com best selling All Inclusive hotel on the island.

Porto Moniz is a fishing village north west of Madeira, this resort is a small but friendly resort which boasts the only natural rock pools on the whole island. These rock pools are forged by nature from its volcanic rock which are formed in the Atlantic sea. These really are amazing and to be able to swim in these natural pools is an experience not to be missed. These pools are also a favourite with the locals who are more than happy to mingle with the holidaymakers and give them the whole history of their beautiful island. Porto Moniz has small family run hotels which have good facilities and great home made traditional cooking.

It is easy to see why Madeira is such a popular island, boasting high temperatures all year round, excellent locally produced food, friendly local people, an array of stunning scenery, plenty of historical sights and an abundance of excellent hotels dotted around the island. Madeira really does have something for everyone and more, and this is why so many guests return year after year. Hotelsbooked.com specialise in holidays to Madeira and can therefore offer all types of tailor made holidays, whether you are looking for Self Catering, Bed & Breakfast, Half Board or All Inclusive and excursions and transfers at unbeatable prices and that’s a guarantee.