Year: 2017

Paris for Kids | A Travel Guide (without the obvious, like Euro Disney)

Published by From Madeira to Mars

So this Xmas we went to Paris. Why Paris? First of all, it’s a city my sons had never visited before, I’ve studied there for a few months, and I absolutely love it. Second, they’re starting to learn French at school, so an excellent way to get familiar with the language and culture. And finally, because it’s PARIS, the city that makes believe in love, so that’s more than enough reasons for me. Here’s a few tips for romance in Paris for two. (Ok, I also found an affordable direct flight from Funchal and with Xmas coming soon why not “offer something different this year”, so the Eiffel Tower was my gift for the 3 of us.) Altough I don’t like to admit it, I still find it scary to go on holiday alone with my kids. I say to myself “you can do this”, and I try to transmit as much confidence as one possibly can, but sometimes it’s not that simple. As a parent, you know how stressful it can be to travelling …

Holidays in Dubai | 4 days itinerary

Published by From Madeira to Mars

4 days of holiday in Dubai I just got back from Dubai. It was a last minute travel, without much planning or preparation. The reason for a trip to Dubai? A direct and cheap flight from Emirates from Lisbon to Dubai, my niece’s residency in Dubai and travel to an unknown destination were more than enough reasons for me to get going. Arriving in Dubai was exciting, seeing family we have not seen for a long time, for me, is always good. We arrived at Dubai Airport at 1 am and as the metro no longer works at that hour we booked a transfer from Dubai Airport to our apartment. We stayed in the Dubai Marina area in this apartment. It has an excellent location and is a spacious apartment with capacity for 8 people. Good value for money. View this post on Instagram Greetings from Dubai. Let’s see what the living the luxury means…💫 A post shared by From Madeira To Mars (@frommadeiratomars) on Nov 26, 2017 at 12:48am PST November is a great …

streetartfunchal

Where to find street art in Funchal?

Published by From Madeira to Mars

Street art in Funchal. Street art is one of the things I love the most while travelling in cities like Athens, Copenhagen, Paris, Porto and Lisbon. I love the way street art blends into the buildings of a city and fills each nook and corner with colours and unexpected food for thoughts… View this post on Instagram #paris #latergram #pigalle A post shared by From Madeira To Mars (@frommadeiratomars) on Sep 9, 2015 at 2:44pm PDT Street art in Funchal is another great attraction of the Island. Besides findind street art in the painted doors of Rua de Santa Maria in the old town, there are other excellent pieces scattered around the city. The other day I took my new camera for a walk. Yes, I forgot to mention to you, that I won a new camera in a competition in FNAC MADEIRA, and I couldn’t be happier. Check my Instagram pictures to see the winning shots. View this post on Instagram Pic 3 #maratonafotografica theme #culture Imagine the thrill of performing on a stage in …

10 Getaways in Madeira

Published by From Madeira to Mars

10 Getaways in Madeira   Back to work and already missing the holidays? The feeling is mutual … 🙂 Madeira Island is such a great holiday destination with lots of excellent locations all over the Island. I leave you 10 places to stay in Madeira. Some I’ve tried myself, others I can’t wait to try. Here are my suggestions: Vila Cais da Gaivota – Caniçal Solar da Bica – São Vicente Porto Bay Serra Golf– Santo da Serra Quinta das Vinhas – Calheta Saccharum Hotel Resort & SPA– Calheta Atrio – Estreito da Calheta Aqua Sea House – Madalena do Mar Hotel Quinta da Serra – Jardim da Serra Casa do Velho Dragoeiro – Porto Santo Barracão 23 – Porto Santo Wishing you a happy getaway!

10 hotels & apartments to book in Porto Santo Island

Published by From Madeira to Mars

Porto Santo. Sometimes finding the best hotel in Porto Santo Island can be challenging, specially if you are travelling with your family (pets included) or a group of friends. Luckily the scenery has changed recently and there are much more options available. Whether it is an all inclusive hotel, a beach house or an apartment the most important issues to take into consideration are comfort, location, access to the beach, price and the feeling of being welcomed. Here are some of my favourite picks of hotels, villas and apartments to book/rent in Porto Santo Island. Hotels: 1. Casa do Velho Dragoeiro (pet-friendly) This hotel is located in the center of Vila Baleira. Breakfast is served on the terrace overlooking the sea. The rooms are comfortable and the staff is very friendly, with great ratings. It has a good restaurant as well as the oldest dragon tree on the island, by the pool. Casa do Velho Dragoeiro, Porto Santo, Portugal 2. Pestana Porto Santo Beach Resort & SPA Pestana Hotels offer all-inclusive resorts where you can …

From Madeira to Mars goes to FNAC!

Published by From Madeira to Mars

From Madeira to Mars goes to FNAC! FNAC and I, an old love. I first met FNAC when I lived in Paris. I was part of the ERASMUS program, on an internship at École Veterinaire de Maisons Alfort.One of the advantages of being ERASMUS is to have lots of free time, and get to know other professional and cultural realities. Learning to be alone in a strange country and to discover the stranger in us is perhaps the greatest advantage of all. With free time and a roommate from Paris, Muriel, I discovered that Parisians have a delightful sense of humour which lead us to unusual places. It was Muriel who first told me about Cirque du Soleil, who taught me how to eat macaroni with grated cheese and nutella and banana crepes. It was she, who took me to the movies to discover one of my favourite films of all time – “The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain” – yes, I was there in 2001. Walking on the streets of Paris with Muriel was like …

About MIUT

Published by From Madeira to Mars

About MIUT This year I set out to accompany the MIUT, Madeira Island Ultra Trail. What seemed to be an adventurous trail has turned out to be a learning goal, of exceptional beauty. I followed the trail with 115km, which started at 0h Porto Moniz. The event Madeira Island Ultra Trail – MIUT Trail running ultra race at Madeira Island The atmosphere in the departure was sometimes of celebration, anxiety and preparations, sometimes of silence, rest and meditation. Some athletes rested on the walls by the sea; others lay on the grass to enjoy the last minutes in a horizontal position. The departure, like the arrival, had moments of high emotion, but the supreme feeling was lived between rails, far from the sight of the others; that only those who participate, can tell, not me. Vídeo :  MIUT 2017 I can only speak of what I saw and felt during the 17 hours that accompanied the trail. I saw athletes arriving at the stations, wholly demoralised and disillusioned with their performance. Athletes on fast mode, …

Madeira by a French photographer, Xavier Schneider

Published by From Madeira to Mars

  Madeira by a French photographer, Xavier Schneider In my opinion, one of the great advantages of having a rental accommodation (Airbnb) is the opportunity to meet interesting people, from different parts of the world. This April, I met the talented photographer Xavier Schneider, who came to spend a week’s holiday in Madeira, with his lovely partner Emilie. Lucky me, they chose to stay in my apartment and so I had the privilege of meeting both in person. We exchanged contacts, and upon their return to France, Xavier sent me some of his photographs, taken in Madeira. It fascinates me to see our island, through the eyes of those who visit us. There is always a new perspective, a new awareness, something that has escaped my sight and which I can now see, assimilate and understand better. I grow with this new vision and value, even more, what we have here on the island. I now have the privilege of introducing you to the photos of Xavier, through this article. His goal as a photographer …

Vila Cais da Gaivota – A hideaway by the sea, in Madeira.

Published by From Madeira to Mars

Vila Cais da Gaivota – A hideaway by the sea, in Madeira. Stop, destress and relax by the sea – this was the main purpose of this trip to Caniçal. The more I live in Madeira, the more I appreciate the fact that,“we can experience a holiday, inside the island, a little micro-adventure”. The contrasts between the north and south of the Island, plus the variety of accommodation and outdoor activities, make Madeira an ideal destination. Location: Vila Cais da Gaivota is situated in the south-eastern part of Madeira Island, in Caniçal, a picturesque fishing village, 20 km from Funchal and 7 km from Madeira Airport. It is located between Prainha and the Caniçal Business center, on a sea cliff with superb views. It has a pontoon with direct and private access to the limpid sea of ​​Caniçal. It has a beautiful garden with two solarium areas and private parking on site. If you choose this location it is advisable to rent a car, especially if you want to explore the rest of the island. Vila …