# Madeira island - anyone been?



## FREKI (Sep 27, 2005)

Hi guys, I got some time off in March and are thinking about visiting Madeira..

( those unfamiliar it's a small Portuguese island located west of Northern Africa )


It's looks like a nice place and the weather fits me well as I being a pale Dane will not be too tolerant to neither humid warm weather nor sun at that time of year 

Also the March weather - is the rain a problem? ( weeks of light rain or a brief tropical shower once a day? )


So I'm curious what people think of it and for those who have been I'm curious if they would recommend it and if yes what is the must see places and must do things..


To me it looks like a nice and beautiful place with some dramatic scenery perfect for a photo-geek such as myself 



















Reminds me of Hawaii


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## Aspire (Feb 7, 2009)

Hi mate, look up at the Portuguese forum.


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## FREKI (Sep 27, 2005)

^thanks for the advice, the language however in that subforum isn't one of those I speak


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Nice photos from Madeira, FREKI; really a lovely place


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## AdamChobits (Jun 7, 2006)

I remember that when I was a kid (I mean, more kid than now :lol we took a ride with an helicopter there. It really looked like in the movie of The Lost World (Jurassic Park 2), very charming and interesting. I don't remember where it was but if you see one of those places that take you for a ride in an helicopter I recommend you to do it.


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## Lino (Oct 16, 2007)

I was there three times, having been my last trip last Easter.
Madeira is really beautiful and so diverse. You have either mountains and beach (if you take the boat ride to the island of Porto Santo, 2h30 away from Funchal).

The weather's really nice. I already celebrated a New Year's Eve there and it was really mild. Sometimes I am freezing here and my sister, who lives there, says it's 20ºC. 
The sun can be hot in the summer but in March it's nice! I was there last Easter and In some days I took just a tshirt, in others a pullover or a warmer jacket for the nights. Take a raincoat for the Levadas, the trails in the mountains that go along the irrigating chanels in the mountains. Sometimes it can rain, yes, but it may be like subtropical ones in which it rains and it passes.
I'll ask my sister tomorrow for some more info on this 

Here's my thread on it, on which you can see some photos to get some ideas.

I do recomment Madeira. If you like nightlife you have a few places to go. The fort in the harbour has a nice disco on its top, from which the sights are just amazing. There's also the casino with some discos, bars and gambling areas if you're into it. I'd get better information on site, but when I was there they had brazilian feijoada (black beans with meat, rice, mandioca flour, very nice, for some 7.5€ with a drink included, and we could how much we wanted) on wednesday evening. 

Go to a tourist office and get an island and city map. They'll have offers for tours and I advise to go to the northern and southern coasts. Get information about the Levadas as you need an organized group with a guide to do them, as some can be easy and others can be steep. And take good walking / sports shoes.
Check the old town, go to Blandy's Madeira Wine Museum, take the telepheric to Monte, in which there is a beautiful church with an amazing view to Funchal and the bay. And then you can return with the telepheric or come down hill with the cestos (like tobogans that come down the street).
Go to Santo António for the Espetadas (meat in the stick) and local folklore. 

It is an amazing place in which your camera will not rest that much, I am sure. 

And after Madeira, be sure to visit the Açores :banana:


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## FREKI (Sep 27, 2005)

^great pics and thanks for the info


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