Walking in Madeira
4.8
We really enjoyed discovering Madeira. Our guide Benny was awesome, informative, enthusiastic, caring and a great leader who showed us the best parts of the island. We walked alongside levadas and clifftops avoiding the main tourist rails wherever possible, the walks were easy and could have been longer but time was taken as Benny explained all aspects of the culture and terrain of the island as we went along. On the last day we climbed up to Miradouro do Juncal which was very satisfying.
The hotels varied. Hotel Ol Colmo in Santana looked 'tired' and in need of attention. the fibreglass bath in our room was 'pitted' and stained and in need of replacement and there was also a resident cockroach in the bathroom! The hotel in Porto Moniz was light and airy and spacious and Hotel Do Carmo in Funchal was centrally placed although the rooms were small.
Benny directed us to local restaurants in the evenings which all served a variety of fish and meat dishes, as a vegetarian who loves vegetables, I struggled to find suitable dishes despite all the vegetables grown on the island. There were a few excellent establishments and a couple that should be avoided in future. The cost of eating out every night added considerably to the cost of the holiday, I would have prefered a cheaper option or a choice of a restaurant or a cafe.
I would definitely recommend this holiday to anyone who loves walking and exploring as Madeira ia an amazingly fertile island with some fantastic trails and beautiful gardens to visit.
Walking tours
