The stunning European island with fabulous wine and seafood – and UK return flights from just £50
WE’RE winding along mountainous roads in a 4×4 Jeep when our driver Antonio hits the brakes and points to the sky, where a kestrel is swooping above.
My boyfriend Jamie and I are on a tour of west Madeira, and already we’ve trundled along Ribeira Brava’s coastal paths, clipped past Calheta’s eucalyptus groves and whizzed along roads that could be straight out of The Italian Job.
Madeira has natural beauty in spades, and this eight-hour tour is a brilliant way to see it, as well as some birds of prey, if you’re lucky.
Sampling a glass of poncha – AKA a local aperitif made with lemon, honey and rum – surrounded by shelves of vintage booze at Porto de Abrigo, is a great end to our expedition (Instagram.com/porto.abrigo).
A full-day Jeep tour costs from £48 per person (Adventurelandmadeira.com).
Fun-chal and games
Sun-drenched and tipsy, we head back to our pad for the weekend, The Vine Hotel, and plunge into its rooftop infinity pool.
With its moody plum-coloured walls, waterfall showers and panoramic views across the harbour, this place makes for the perfect romantic hideaway nestled in the centre of Madeira’s capital Funchal – that is, once you’ve stepped through a shopping centre to find it.
It’s easy to spend a whole day mooching around the city with its exquisite churches and vast array of bakeries lining the cobbled streets, pumping out their sugary aromas.
At Blandy’s Wine Lodge, we join a cellar tour, followed by a tasting session, where any bottles bought can be collected later from Funchal airport after security.
It’s a win for us, considering we’ve only booked hand luggage.
Tours cost from £11 per person (Blandyswinelodge.com).
We also ditch hunting for the elusive Madeira cake, having discovered it’s an English invention, and instead sample queijadas – delicious local milk tart pastries – at Fábrica Santo Antonio (Fabricastoantonio.com).
EAST ENDERS
Come dusk, we climb up to Santa Catarina Park – a serene, leafy haven overlooking the bustling streets below – and look out at the glittering harbour, before discovering Akua, a gem of a dinner spot, in town.
We sit at the chef’s table watching lobsters sizzle on grills as we tuck into mussels, £10, mouth-watering tuna tartare served in ice-cream cones, £10, and fresh red snapper with seafood pasta, £22, before washing it all down with Ti Maria, a crisp white made with grapes grown on the island (Akuafunchal.pt).
Cruising the banana-tree-lined tracks of eastern Madeira proves to be another day well spent.
After parking up at Centro Freira da Madeira, we set off to walk between some of the island’s highest peaks – and at 1,818m altitude, it’s chilly compared to the balmy coast, so I’m glad I’ve packed a jacket.
Next, we head to Santana, with its traditional thatched houses and charming weekday market.
We lunch at nearby Quinta do Furão, where the tender espetada beef skewers, served with freshly baked bread, £20.50, are worth the four-hour flight alone (Quintadofurao.com).
On our final day, our taxi driver warns us of the “virus”.
Symptoms include developing the urge to move to Madeira and a deep sadness on leaving.
It’s safe to say, we’ve caught it…
FYI
Plan your trip at Visitmadeira.com.
Double rooms at The Vine Hotel cost from £139 B&B (Hotelthevine.com).
Return flights from the UK cost from £50.