Madeira - Paradise

Advantages: Fantastic in every way
Disadvantages: None as far as I'm concerned

...Having visited Madeira twice now, and experienced different hotels and different sightseeing each time, I thought it would be a good time to write up our experiences of the island- which I have to say are entirely positive. I would go as far as to say that it's probably the best holiday destination we've been to yet- although with a few long distance trips planned, who knows if that will remain the case. All I can say is that Madeira will be a hard place to beat- and this tale of two trips will hopefully explain why. For those who aren't aware or only vaguely aware, Madeira is one of the Portuguese territories in the mid-Atlantic. It's actually closer to Morocco and Western Sahara than it is to Portugal, and so the flights do take several hours to get there. Considering its location, Madeira doesn't tend to get uncomfortably hot...

bagoproverbial 05.10.2007 (29.09.2007) · Read review
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Review of Madeira (Portugal)

Buzzard_cad visits the garden of Madeira

Advantages: Beautiful picturesque island, not too hot in summer
Disadvantages: Hilly, poor restaurants, no sandy beaches

...Air- We flew with Air Portugal (TAP) from Gatwick on a scheduled flight, however there are other air carriers that fly charter flights to the airport of Funchal (FNC). For further details of my experience with TAP please read my earlier review here on Ciao, I will only briefly say that they were okay. By Sea- Another way to get to Madeira is via cruise companies who liners frequent the island regularly, you may be lucky and get to see Funchal during one of your many stops. Also there is a marina in Funchal which has capacity for a small amount of boats and accept visitors from all around the world. ~Where to stay~ Madeira is awash with hotels all along the sea front in Funchal. There are few other hotels away from the capital, but from what I saw most are crammed into a small area to the east of Funchal. Many of the hotels are...

buzzard_cad 17.06.2006 · Read review
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Review of Madeira (Portugal)

Frankly, Madeira, I Don't Give A Damn

Advantages: amazing scenery, not very family or children oriented
Disadvantages: no beaches, not very family or children oriented!

...I have always got Madeira, Majorca and Menorca confused, so when I got the opportunity to go on holiday to Madeira in January I had no idea where it was, let alone what it was like. BACKGROUND Madeira is an island (I just about guessed that), lying 380 miles west of Morocco and 260 miles north of the Canaries. The island is quite small and measures roughly 35 by 12 miles. Madeira is part of Portugal so Portugese is the predominant language. LANDSCAPE AND CLIMATE Madeira is volcanic in origin and a range of mountains up to 6,000 feet high run east to west across the island. Virtually the whole island is hilly which makes agriculture difficult and car journeys extremely ear-popping! Because Madeira has a very stable climate, with temperatures rarely moving from the 16-24C band all year round, the island is lush...

jonathancowley 08.03.2001 (17.10.2001) · Read review
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Review of Madeira (Portugal)

Madeira is a pretty island....

Advantages: Quiet, and warm during our winter
Disadvantages: You need to be fit if you want to walk outside the towns

...Madeira is a small island to the South of Portugal and level with the North coast of Africa. Britain has very strong historic links with the island and it was British people who played a key part in the development of the business of producing 'Madeira' the drink for which the island is rightly famous. The drink is a fortified wine which keeps for years. It is somewhere between port and sherry and is produced in a variety of styles (sweet or dry) according to taste. The island itself is about twenty by thrity miles and hilly. The road network is being upgraded with the help of EC grants but is presently best described as exciting. Coaches race around narrow cliff-side roads giving an experience which combines great views with occasionally sheer terror akin to a funfair. Madeira has a warm climate and is great for a winter break...

steve40 02.07.2000 · Read review
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Review of Madeira (Portugal)

A holiday that left a special glow..

Advantages: Temperatures consistently in the mid seventies,people lovely,beautiful island
Disadvantages: Volcanic origins so no beaches ,or very few.not really a childrens holiday

...couple of hours. Funchal being the capital is where most Madeirans live . It is a sprawling place with a large lido , many shops , museums, banks, a casino , the famous Reids Hotel ,good restaurants and tourist places . On the waterfront there is even a boat ,which belonged to the Beatles, set in concrete , which is a cafe. One cafe has little boats, where you are served, floating around a cafe pontoon. Near the casino is a very pretty park with good views . The ferries, which take you to Porto Santo or mainland Portugal ,arrive near here . I heard someone say they went on the ferry to Porto Santo , for a day, but it took so long they didn't enjoy their time there. You can take a helicopter from here to Porto Santo if you prefer. As already mentioned, this sister island is not as green as Madeira , but has miles of long sandy...

grafter123 26.11.2006 (03.01.2007) · Read review
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Review of Madeira (Portugal)

Rest and Relaxation in Madeira

Advantages: Beautiful island, breathtaking views, friendly people
Disadvantages: Not really an ideal place for a family holiday

...My husband and I spent a week in Madeira a few months back. We had a marvellous time. We didn?t do much as our main aim was rest and relaxation but we had a great time. Even before our plane landed, we were treated to some really breathtaking views of the island and the airport from the air. The ride to the hotel was equally interesting, lots of hills and narrow roads with those amazing views again. On our arrival at the hotel, we were treated to a welcoming glass of Madeira port which was lovely. The hotel staff were friendly and extremely helpful at all times. We had all our meals at the hotel and it was lovely. Their buffets were lovely ? serving lots of local cuisine and we enjoyed all our meals there. We later noticed that the hotel had won quite a few awards for food. Our room, faced the sea and we had wonderful view...

mrfernz31 07.03.2005 · Read review
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Review of Madeira (Portugal)

Anyone for a Levada?

Advantages: Safe, friendly island.
Disadvantages: Not if you like to party....

...Madeira's claim to fame is it's flowers and cake. It is quaintly described in travel brochures as the 'floating garden of the Mediterranean'. And this probably sums up Madeira in entirity! Madeira is a Portuguese island off the coast of Africa. It's nearest relatives are the Azores, which if my memory serves me correctly, are approximately 200 miles away. Many people believe the island to be Spanish, however they are proudly and defiantly Portuguese. The main town in Madeira, and it's capital, is Funchal. Not to be confused with the island's airport of the same name, which is in fact 30 minutes away from the capital. Funchal is a mixture of old and new. The old being the heart of the city, where you will find cobbled streets and narrow back streets. This area is known as *the Old Town and it is where you will find the more...

sunworld 15.12.2003 · Read review
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Review of Madeira (Portugal)

Simply Beautiful

Advantages: fantastic views, great scenery, quiet and relaxed, good weather
Disadvantages: not for those who dislike heights, or those who want a more lively holiday

...I have visited Madeira twice now, once on a family holiday with my parents and 10 -year old brother, and once on a romantic break with my boyfriend. Madeira fitted the bill perfectly for both trips. It is widely said that Madeira is not suitable for a family holiday, but I would have to disagree. Although there are no golden sandy beaches, there are plenty more activities for families, such as the volcanic rock pools for swimming. In any case, there are plenty of day cruises to the nearby island of Porto Santo, where there are beaches galore! As Madeira is basically a large (approximately 20 by 30 miles) mountain of volcanic rock rising out of the Atlantic, everything is built on steep hills. The architecture of the roads really is amazing; the motorways are built on ridiculously tall concrete pillars, as is the airport runway...

beccy12001 13.07.2005 · Read review
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Review of Madeira (Portugal)

Riu Palace Hotel, Madeira

Advantages: A fantastic holiday experience
Disadvantages: Location, in particular for those with mobility problems although the hotel is disability friendly.

...INTRODUCTION The Riu Palace in Madeira sits like a white-washed fairytale castle with terracotta turrets, corner towers and grand archways looking out over the sapphire-blue sea. The grounds house brightly coloured flowers and palm trees making you believe you are on a Caribbean island far away. The Riu Palace is located right on the seafront at Canico de Baixo, only 10 minutes drive from Funchal Airport and 20 minutes drive to the city of Funchal. On arrival at the airport everything ran smoothly and quickly apart from me not recognising my own suitcase!!! We were driven to the hotel in a small mini bus with 5 other people and half an hour later we were sunbathing by the pool. Now that's what I call service. CHECK IN From the moment you check in at the impressive, grand reception area with its polished marble flooring, elegant...

Helenofellon 01.04.2008 (02.04.2008) · Read review
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Review of Riu Palace Madeira, Madeira

There is more to Portugal than the Algarve - visit Lisbon

Advantages: Easy to get around and different quirky places to visit, everyone speaks English
Disadvantages: The City seems a bit 'faded glory'- places uncared for and tired

...what we would see on the way going across the Serra do Caldeirao and which regions we would pass through and then as it was early she said she would be quiet until nearer Lisbon. As we approached Lisbon she told us about the toll on the A22 and the various industries approaching Lisbon and the fact that we would go into Lisbon over the April 25th Bridge and see the huge statue of Christo Rei which is a bit like the Corcovado in Rio and overlooks the city of Lisbon from a great height. This bridge was the first to cross the Tejo and was originally called Saladar Bridge until the coup overthrew the Fascist dictator Saladar in 1974 and Portugal became a democratic Republic. The Portuguese are justifiably proud of this bridge and liken it to the Golden Gate bridge of San Francisco which is does resemble to be fair. We drove over the bridge...

catsholiday 21.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Lisbon (Portugal)