Madeira - Madeira

Madeira (Portuguese madeira = wood) is one Portuguese Island about 1,000 km southwest of Lisbon and 600 km west of the Moroccan Coast in the Atlantic Ocean. It belongs with the smaller island Porto Santo and two uninhabited archipelagos, the Ilhas Desertas and the Ilhas Selvagens, to form an archipelago that forms the autonomous province of Madeira.

Regions

From an administrative point of view, Madeira is organized in such a way that the eleven largest municipalities look after the associated coastal area up to the adjoining mountainous region. These are clockwise from the capital: Funchal (FNC), Câmara de Lobos (CML), Ribeira Brava (RBR), Ponta do Sol (PSL), Calheta (CLH), Porto Moniz (PMZ), Sao Vicente (SVC), Santana (STN), Machico (MCH), Santa Cruz (SCZ) and the island Porto Santo (PXO) This is also reflected in the naming of the places that can be found everywhere. In Calheta, for example, the place itself is a bit set back from the coast, Calheta Beach is the name of the actual beach. Arco di Calheta includes the towns and villages located on the first mountain edge above the coast Estreito di Calheta is already on the border with the high mountains. Similar names can be found all over the island.

However, this administrative structure, which has grown historically in line with the progress of settlement, does not make sense for tourist purposes, hence the subdivision used in the following into the individual coastal sections, the central mountainous region and the islands of Porto Santo and the Desertas.

places

Southeast coast

• Funchal - For Funchal (actually: Funchall) you should plan several days. There is a lot to see if you explore the city on foot. But since it is very hilly, it becomes quite exhausting. Therefore it is better to get involved in Funchal with more time. The botanical garden is located far above the city center and a taxi can prevent sore muscles here. There are very nice, small museums, some of which have been lovingly furnished by private individuals.
• Santa Cruz (Madeira) - Airport
• Camacha
• Caniço
• Câmara de Lobos - close to the second highest cliff in the world, that Cabo Girão

Southwest coast

• Ribeira Brava
• Ponta do Sol
• Madalena do Mar
• Calheta
• Paúl do Mar
• Ponta do Pargo - westernmost point with lighthouse

Northwest coast

• Porto Moniz
• Seixal
• Sao Vicente - Lava caves
• Achadas da Cruz - Cable car to the fields on the coast

Northeast coast

• Ponta Delgada
• Boaventura - the narrowest parts of the island road
• Arco de Sao Jorge
• Sao Jorge (Santana)
• Santana (Madeira) - many traditional houses
• Faial (Madeira)
• Porto da Cruz
• Machico
• Caniçal - Port and industrial location
• Ponta de Sao Lourenço - untouched nature in the east of the island

Inland and high mountains

• Pico Ruivo - Madeira's highest mountain
• Pico do Arieiro - Accessible by road, hikes to Pico das Torres and Pico Ruivo
• Curral das Freiras
• Caldeirão Verde and Caldeirão do Inferno
• Encumeada Pass
• Serra de Água
• Paúl da Serra
• Rabaçal With Risco waterfall and 25 fontes
• Ribeiro Frio

Porto Santo

• with the main town Vila Baleira

background

Madeira is located in the Atlantic, far off the coast of Morocco. The island was settled relatively late by the Portuguese and has been able to preserve a lot of nature intact to this day. It is of volcanic origin and rises almost 1900 m from the sea. Due to the great height differences, there are countless unusually steep roads in Madeira. Since most of the island consists of steep slopes, many houses are built on the slopes. The bedroom, living room and kitchen are often arranged one above the other and the garage is often on the top floor of the house. Because of its origins, Madeira is not a typical beach holiday island, but rather a destination for hikers and nature lovers. There are hardly any sandy beaches. The coast is quite densely populated, the high mountains in the interior of the island are only thin.

language

Because Madeira too Portugal heard here too Portuguese spoken. Due to its history as a vacation and recreation destination for the English aristocracy and upper class in the 19th and 20th centuries, school English can be used almost everywhere without any problems. Written German can now also be found in many places. Also spoken in Caniço, as many Germans have holiday homes there.

getting there

As a rule, you get to Madeira via the one near Santa Cruz 32.694166666667-16.778055555556Madeira airport(IATA: FNC) to reach. The flight time from Frankfurt am Main takes about four hours. The approach itself is a real experience, as you have the feeling of landing in the middle of the sea. In 2000, the runway was extended by a construction made of concrete stilts and oriented differently. This 520 million euro expansion now also enables larger aircraft from overseas to land here. Until then, the landing was reserved for experienced pilots who needed a special Madeira license.

From Germany, direct flights are mainly offered by tour operators. Scheduled flights are often more expensive and require regular changes, usually in Lisbon or Madrid. Outside the season, direct flights are initially offered but are often merged with other connections at short notice for the purpose of passenger utilization, so that diversions occur here too and the apparent price disadvantage of scheduled flights can quickly be eliminated.

Alternatively, Madeira can also be reached by ship. The cruises between the Canary Islands and Madeira with z. B. the AIDA fleet. There are regular ferry connections between Portimão on the Portuguese Algarve coast and from Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to Funchal.

mobility

The road network on the mountainous island is well developed. There are numerous tunnel, even within the capital, Funchal. The two longest are around 3,100 meters long, and the network of tunnels on the island measures around 70 kilometers.

All over the island are Rental car available, local suppliers are cheaper than the well-known market leaders, but the condition of the vehicles is not so perfect either. Since the streets in Madeira are often very narrow and steep, it makes sense to rent smaller models. Anyone who has never driven a car in the mountains should consider other modes of transport. Often you can choose whether you want to reach your destination on the fast tunnel roads or the old winding roads. The old streets will also be preserved, some in the north are now one-way streets to the west.

Even if renting a car is quite convenient, you should also try the inexpensive public bus connections. There are besides the Horarios do Funchal two more companies serving the regions for urban transport, SAM in the east and Rodoeste in the west (Links in the local articles). A timetable with all lines is available at the tourist information office in Funchal (Avenida Arriaga). This gives an English-language overview of the most important connections to / from Funchal Website. This gives hikers in particular the opportunity to tackle target rather than circular hikes. The buses drive very punctually, so be careful when planning! However, they are almost always only suitable for commuters and schoolchildren. They are very Funchal oriented. On the north coast there are often only three buses a day. You also have to be careful when boarding "en route", as arrival and departure times are not listed at most of the stops (Paragem). The Roedeste company offers a tour of the west of the island (Funchal - Ribeira Brava - Encumeada Pass - Sao Vicente (Madeira) - north coast - Porto Moniz with a stay of approx. 4 hours - Calheta - Ribeira Brava). Remote corners (e.g. the plateau Paúl da Serra and the beautiful Rabaçal) Off the coastal road, you can only reach it independently by renting a car or by hitchhiking.

Some Taxi operator have just adjusted to hikers and offer appropriate drop-off and pick-up services for hikers or other tourists at entry and exit points. This can be worthwhile for more than two people, local knowledge is also free. It is worth asking the hosts, the tourist information or at the taxi stand.

The cheapest bus operator on the island with tour guides in English and German is the company Strawberry.The full-day trips WEST and EAST open up the most important beauties of the island optimally, the blue buses are equipped with every comfort and air-conditioning and start from the hotel district in the west of Funchal or pick up the hotel within Funchal for free. The prices are far below those of the well-known travel companies like TUI etc.

A half-day excursion to the Valley of the Nuns is also highly recommended (Curral das Freiras), which can also be reached easily and cheaply with the public buses Funchal (Departure at the cable car station) can be organized.

Tourist Attractions

They are unique to Madeira Levadas. These are irrigation channels that run through the entire island. All levadas are accompanied by narrow farm roads. They have been created since the island was settled by the Portuguese in order to enable the cultivation of the mostly terraced fields on the drier south side of the island.

Near Camara de Lobos, Madeira has with the Cabo Girao to offer one of the highest cliffs in the world. Here it goes almost 600 m steeply into the depth. A viewing platform with a glass floor has been installed here since 2012.

If you only look at the Madeira (Wine) Museum, you are missing a lot. For other museums see Funchal. And in Caniçal there is the (small) whaling museum.

The Laurel forest (Laurisilva, also "fairy forest") has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999 and is well worth a visit. A very nice levada hike, albeit 13km long, leads through it to Caldeirao Verde, the green basin. (Route currently blocked)

They are also very popular with tourists Seawater swimming pools or. Lava basin (Lidos) blossomed into a real attraction. The most famous and clearly most photographed is in Porto Moniz. Countless tourist buses stop there every day for a photo stop. Another, less pretty, but significantly larger, is located in Seixal.

The Basket slide of Monte. Tourists rush, "fearless", in large sledges, on public roads, down from Monte Funchal. Even if it looks like this in documentaries on television, it has nothing to do with "fearlessness". The drive is really slower than it appears when you are watching. The 2 km long descent starts near the upper cable car station. You can save the taxi as you only have to walk 200 m. Directly below the church Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte the descent begins for around € 15 per person.

Lava caves from São Vicente. Here you can go through lava tunnels and learn how Madeira was formed.

Black beaches. Madeira itself has, in contrast to Porto Santo, few natural sandy beaches. For the tourists, however, some have now been created with imported sand from Africa. e.g. Calheta Beach. Since Madeira is a volcanic island, there are some small black sand beaches. A relatively large one is on the north coast at the port of Seixal. A purely visually more beautiful one is at the west exit of Seixal, although this can only be really used at low tide.

There are a few churches in Madeira. The most visited is the Sé cathedral and the Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte, which also houses the grave of Karl I von Habsburg (last emperor of Austria) is located.

With the cable car next to the now closed Panoramic elevator down the cliff you can go to Fajã dos Padres. This is a small stretch of coast with a great restaurant right by the sea, a few fields and a tiny holiday complex, which can only be reached by said elevator or by boat. The elevator ride (approx. 4 minutes) is relatively "heavy", as the technology looks well worn (by the salt water and rockfalls). But still a unique experience that is worthwhile because of the delicious food with a breathtaking view. But you should definitely have a head for heights and not suffer from claustrophobia.

The old road, which has meanwhile been replaced by new tunnels, runs along the north coast. The partly badly dilapidated street offers a great sight and a special atmosphere. The To enter is allowed, but takes place expressly at your own risk. A helmet should be worn because of falling stones. Where larger stones are already on the road, it is better not to step on them. You should also always keep a sufficient distance from the unstable abyss.

activities

hike

Levada walks are highly recommended. This is the only way to get an impression of this overwhelming garden in the middle of the sea. The landscape changes every few meters, you meet other hikers along the levadas and have fun balancing past each other. However, a requirement is good physical condition, sometimes you should be free from giddiness, good information (travel guides e.g. John and Pat Underwood: Madeira hikes and car tours, Sunflower or Raimondo Quintal: Levadas and trails on Madeira, Ribeiro publisher, Funchal / Madeira hiking map Tour & Trail - also tear-proof, Goldstadt hiking map) and some equipment (whistle for emergencies, flashlight for tunnels, always enough to drink). All the locals are happy to help if you want directions.

The big advantage of the levadas is that you hardly have to conquer any inclines if you follow them. The condition of these paths and their security varies enormously, however. You should therefore find out about the nature of the paths if you are planning a hike. The state of the levada and hiking trails is currently indicated on the official tourism website, e.g. B. for closures or maintenance work. The book by Rolf Goetz from the Rother Wanderführer Verlag is highly recommended. Here you can get detailed information about the routes. Some of the levadas or the paths are carved into rock faces and along the path, unsecured, it goes steeply into the depths. Even if more and more efforts have been made recently to prepare the trails for tourists, there are always serious injuries and even deaths. Not all hikes are suitable for people with claustrophobia (fear of confined spaces), as long, dark, narrow and low tunnels often have to be crossed. A flashlight should therefore be part of the basic equipment of every levada hiker.

Levada dos Tornos. Easy and beautiful levada hike for beginners. She leads from Blandy's Garden (Palheiro Gardens) (by Funchal easily accessible by bus) Monte. Teahouses along the route such as B. the splendidly situated above Funchal Hortensia Teahouse a. The path first leads through built-up area and then along flowering slopes. Then from Monte back to Funchal by basket sledge or cable car.

Levada das 25 Fontes. This approx. 5 km long hike leads along the Levada das 25 Fontes. The beginning of the path is in Rabaçal. You can get there from the car park above Rabaçal by shuttle bus (€ 3) or on foot along the asphalt road. Alternatively, you can continue from the parking lot to the next depression and turn right behind the guardrail (intersection ER 105 and Estrada Dr. Roberto Monteiro) on a hidden, difficult but worthwhile hiking trail (visible on OSM maps). If the path along Levada das 25 Fontes is too long for you, you can take the significantly shorter path along Levada do Risco to Risco waterfall and later switch to the lower levada. Good footwear is advisable for the often muddy and narrow paths. After the hike, you can stop at the Rabaçal café at the beginning of the path.

Caldeirão Verde. At Santana to the Caldeirão Verde and further into the Caldeirão do Inferno.

Vereda do Fanal to the Laurel forest. The hiking trail starts on the Paul da Serra and leads for 10.8 km through the plateau on the Vereda do Fanal to the old laurel forest. Since the path often crosses the road, you can enter it later and shorten the hike a little. You can also drive directly to the forester's house at the laurel forest.

Pico Ruivo. An easy hike (about 1 hour) leads from the Achada do Teixeira car park (1592 m) to Pico Ruivo (1862 m).

Pico do Arieiro. A hike that is particularly recommended when the weather is nice (even if there are clouds below, it can be sunny at high altitude!) Leads on the ridge from Pico do Arieiro (road with a large parking lot at the summit (1818 m) / webcam at netmadeira / NATO radar station ) over the Pico das Torres to Pico Ruivo. It used to be a mountaineering performance, now there is a stairway with a handrail (and quite high steps). A bit of a head for heights and surefootedness are still necessary, as well as good stamina and good footwear: it goes up and down in the treeless high mountains. A flashlight is useful for the 100 m long tunnel with puddles. The slightly easier route through further tunnels shortens the 3 to 3.5 hour tour by almost an hour. It's a real day hike there and back. If you take the shorter descent to Achada do Teixeira, it is around 4 hours.

Encumeada Pass. Another interesting descent from Pico Ruivo goes west to the Encumeada Pass, which takes about 5 hours.

Swimming and bathing

Swimming is something special on Madeira: Due to its southern location, the air and water temperatures are optimal. Most of the beaches in Madeira, however, are made of gravel, only in Prainha There is a sandy beach and numerous sea swimming pools (the best known is the LIDOS in Funchal) with direct access to the crystal clear Atlantic. However, if you are looking for a white beach, you only have two options, the artificially piled up lagoon of Calheta or Machico, or you can take a boat to the small neighboring island of Porto Santo with the legendary 9 km long sandy beach.

The "lagoon" of Calheta with the sand imported from Morocco is currently being built up to the Atlantic Ocean with meter-high concrete blocks (coastal protection), so that sitting on the sea side of the Hotel Calheta Beach you can only look towards the coast, but not directly on the Atlantic. Calheta The north-west of the island offers an opportunity to make bathing a main attraction: Porto Moniz or the lesser-known neighboring town of Seixal with large natural swimming pools made of lava rock, which are repeatedly washed through by the Atlantic surf: grandiose and unique.

Games and sports

Madeira also has several Golf courses, also Mountain biking is operated. In Calheta and on Cabo Girão becomes Paragliding offered. Boat tours with whale watching, diving, sailing and all other forms of water sports mainly in Funchal, but also from other ports on the island and on Porto Santo. surfer mainly focus on the coast at Paúl do Mar or the northwest coast around Seixal.

shop

The Market halls (Mercado dos Lavradores) in Funchal Should not be missed! The prices on the upper floor for tropical fruits, almost all of which have to be imported, are heavily inflated. B. small sweet bananas, cherries, strawberries as well as sweet potatoes and vegetables (carrots, peas, different types of cabbage). A special exotic pleasure is the consumption of the so-called Pineapple banana, a very sweet fruit that actually tastes like a mixture of the named ingredients. However, this is not an inexpensive pleasure, for a single fruit you have to pay around 5 euros (December 2006).

Outside the capital, more and more municipalities take place on Sundays Farmers markets instead, where you can buy local products very cheaply or just enjoy the splendor of colors. Offers an experience as such Estreito de Camara dos Lobos in the own market hall with a newly built, adjacent parking garage, a little smaller and more rustic too Prazeres.

As a souvenir is next to the Madeira wines - By the way, the wine (without brandy) is not bad either and that Poncha, a very sweet drink made from lemon / orange juice, honey and sugar cane schnapps (Aguardente de Cana). There is also a sugar cane schnapps production facility in Calheta. Another great tasting specialty are Fennel candies.

And there are the (not exactly cheap) hand-embroidered doilies and tablecloths to buy in factories, or the (wicker) wicker goods Camacha.

In the capital you can get German daily newspapers (if you get there early enough) - that is not a matter of course in other places.

Supermarket. There are various supermarkets in Madeira. The most common are Spar and Continente. Spar branches are often smaller with higher prices. Continente is usually much larger and much cheaper.

kitchen

Madeira has very solid, down-to-earth gastronomy everywhere, which, however, often comes across as very unimaginative given the products available. A side dish of potatoes and mixed vegetables that is low in salt and spice is usually served with the always fresh fish or meat dishes. Self-caterers will definitely find a paradise for shopping opportunities in the local markets, but in gastronomy you should rather eat higher class if you want to take advantage of the island's wide-ranging culinary base.

Scabbardfish. The black scabbard fish (Portuguese: Espada) is a deep sea fish that is caught in the deep with fishing rods. It occurs only in Japan and around Madeira Island. After being caught, the fish reaches the surface of the water in an already dead state, as the swim bladders burst due to the rapid pressure difference when the fishing rods are brought up. It has a primally bizarre appearance and reaches a length of about 1.5 meters, with the head with the large mouth making up about a quarter of the total length. The fish is available fresh every day in the market halls of Funchal and in larger supermarkets all over the island.

Despite its bizarre appearance, the scabbard fish is a very popular and tasty food fish in Madeira. It is prepared in many ways: grilled, baked or fried. The preparation variant with the local small, sweet bananas seems particularly adventurous - but as a visitor to Madeira you should definitely try this specialty in a small restaurant run by the Madeiran locals.

You can find skewers with ox meat on pretty much every restaurant menu (Espetada). If the skewer is prepared in the traditional way, the pieces of meat are skewered on a fresh laurel branch (and roasted on an open flame at wine festivals, etc.).

A number of small restaurants can be found e.g. B. in the Rua da Carreira above the city garden and in the so-called old town at Fort Sao Tiago.

The Bolo do Caco, which can be found everywhere, is typical of Madeira. This is a very filling flatbread that can be bought with either garlic butter or chorizo.

Bananas. There are numerous banana plantations on Madeira. Even if the banana was not native to Madeira, one should try Madeira's bananas. They are sweeter and their flesh is more yellow than that of the varieties sold in Germany.

security

In Madeira there are generally no particular problems in terms of security to be expected. What is often annoying are pushy advertisers for hotel complexes (with "won the competition, free wine, taxi transfer, etc."). At some attractions, children sometimes try to sell flowers. You should go for it, the prices are minimal and the families of the children are often dependent on this income.

climate

Madeira is known as the island of eternal spring. The island's climate is very balanced. There are no extreme values. The average annual temperature is 19 ° C. The temperature range (average value) extends from 16 ° C in winter to 23 ° C in summer. On the north side of the island it is humid all year round, while the south side only registers larger amounts of precipitation in winter. You should not underestimate temperatures of ± 25 ° C (sun protection is absolutely necessary), because the island is far to the south and the solar radiation is very high! Even if the temperature values ​​for this latitude do not sound very high, the "perceived temperature" is much higher in direct sunlight. So bathing in the Atlantic becomes a welcome refreshment.

health

Madeira is tropical Dengue fever not unknown. So far, 1,300 cases of infection have been counted, around 600 of them in returning tourists. There is still no repellent or vaccination against this mosquito-borne infection. Therefore self-protection is absolutely necessary. Tour operators usually do not explicitly point out this fact. Only insect repellants with the active ingredients DEET or Icaridin are effective.

Post and Telecommunications

In many places in Madeira, WIFI zones have been set up near the beach, which enable state-sponsored, public Internet access. These zones are signposted.

In the mountain regions you have to assume that you will not have GSM reception in many places. Therefore, to be on the safe side, always tell someone where the hike should go and when you plan to be back.

In almost every place, no matter how small, there is a post office and, in contrast to Germany, there are also plenty of red mailboxes.

trips

Day trips to the neighboring island Porto Santo.

literature

• Madeira: The most beautiful levada and mountain hikes. 60 tours. With GPS tracks. 60 varied levada and mountain hikes;

Bergverlag Rother; € 14.90; ISBN 3763342745 ;

Web links

• http://www.madeira.gov.pt/ - Official website of the Autonomous Region of Madeira
• Official Madeira Tourism Website
• Travel and hiking reports to individual places in Madeira
• Madeira web Tips, maps, webcams, and much more.
• Madeira Forum As the name suggests: a German-speaking forum about Madeira