All posts tagged: Funchal

caminhadas curtas na Madeira

3 half-day walks in Madeira (2-3 hours)

Last week, I took 3 days off from work. I wanted to spend some time with my kids and take them outdoors to spend sometime offline. In Madeira, at the moment, wearing a mask is compulsory. Restaurants, comercial activity and some walks are still open until 5 pm on weekends and 6 pm on weekdays – the COVID-19 restrictions are adjusted weekly. We were looking for short walks (2-3 hours, depends on how fast you walk…) and planning to leave early morning and return home by lunchtime. So I leave you with some photos. Walk 1 – Ponta de São Lourenço – Caniçal The route is well defined in its generality, with areas that require “good knees”, especially when going up and down. It has fabulous views over the sea, both to the north and south, and as the day was clear we even saw Porto Santo Island. There is a support bar at the end of the route and access to the sea, at the Cais do Sardinha. There are also boat trips as an …

streetartfunchal

Where to find street art in Funchal?

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 …

Discovering the Universe of Memories of João Carlos Abreu

Discovering the Universe of Memories of João Carlos Abreu Life is made of memories, as evidenced by the Universe of Madeiran João Carlos Abreu. This museum is located in São Pedro, in a palace from the 19th century. It also has a beautiful garden and a friendly tea house with delicious cakes and homemade teas. It houses the memories of João Carlos Abreu, journalist, traveler, poet, writer, politician, actor, artist and also former regional director of tourism of Madeira with passage through several countries of the world. He was awarded multiple awards in the areas of tourism and culture. Events such as the Flor Festival, Wine Festival, Carnival Parade, New Year’s Festival and Atlantic Festival are part of its initiative. He has published hundreds of chronicles, two Madeira tourist guides, ten poetry books and six prose books. He is currently engaged in writing, theater, travel, painting and humanitarian causes. The variety of objects, jewels, clothing, furniture, paintings, statues and passports is breathtaking, the result of an intense, rich and challenging life, built from travel stories. …

5 cool things to do when you visit Funchal

I am always happy that anyone wants to visit me and my city – Funchal. You see we (the madeirans) share this passion for the Island and we want visitors to experience the best spots. Funchal is a beautiful city. I know I’m biased since I just love living here (the more I travel the more I appreciate the benefits of this Island), but I challenge you to spend a few days in Funchal and then you can see it for yourself. Here I share 5 cool things to do when someone visits Funchal: # 1 Head to Largo do Socorro Funchal, the capital of Madeira, has three historic districts: Santa Maria (renown as Old Town), São Pedro and Sé. Santa Maria São Pedro |This photo was courtesy of Budgettraveller Sé Cathedral Many of the streets in these areas of Funchal are pedestrian, which means strolling around, photographing and discovering palaces, manor houses from the XIX century (which are now museums), viewpoints overlooking the sea, houses with flower gardens and typical Madeiran pavements made with …

The walk of Spring in Palheiro Gardens

Palheiro Gardens I’ve been told that, in the times that Portugal was ruled by a dictator named Salazar, these gardens were the perfect getaway to meet your lover, away from the crouds and surrounded by the most dreamy sceneries. I was pleased to see that the outstanding variety of flowers, such as magnolias, camellias, roses and exquisite trees are very well looked after, inspiring and well worth a visit, even if not for romantic purposes. You can easily spend a nice afternoon there, sitting under the trees, reading a book or admiring the beauty of this place. Palheiro gardens used to be a hunting resort for the Carvalhal Count in the 19th century. This property was bought in 1885 by the Blandy’s Family, remaining in this family throughout generations until the present days. Here you can also find a golf course and a stunning Hotel, Casa Velha do Palheiro, which belongs to the chain of Hotels Relais and Chateaux. The views over the bay of Funchal are so beautiful and being at 500 meters above …

Santa Clara Monastery

Funchal ‘Secret Places’ – Sao Pedro

Follow my blog with Bloglovin Despite being in the reach of all those who want to discover Funchal ‘secret places’, this city can still surprise me with unexpected revelations. “Secrets” which are no secret, this post talks more about discoveries in my own city, which share here with you. I hope it inspires you to discover how do your “secret places” in Funchal, look like… Location: Sao Pedro Imagine a neighborhood in the city center, with narrow and steep streets that run towards the sea. It was in the fifteenth century, that the Madeiran families started living in this area, away from Santa Maria do Calhau, now known as Old Town. The houses of this neighborhood have wooden blinders, walls in warm colors and small gardens with bougainvillea. Here one feels the silence, sometimes interrupted by the voices that echo from the televisions. This is where I live, ‘my neighborhood’; Sao Pedro. For me, this area has a special charm. It reminds me of the streets of my childhood, which used to be my playground, …

Travel Guide to Madeira- tips from a local

Free Travel Guide To Madeira Great places to eat, see, drink and enjoy – tips from a local! (I did this guide once for a friend of a friend that came to Madeira for the first time, a few months ago. It was based on my personal preferences. I’ve decided to share it on the blog so that you can use it and share it as an extra help on planning your stay. Hope you enjoy it and find it useful. ) If you’re coming to Funchal, you should allow yourself at least 3 nights stay. There’s so much to see, taste and enjoy, you’ll leave with the will to come back for more, or at least I hope you do, with my tips 🙂 If you want to explore the full Island then come for at least 6 nights and rent a car to make the most of your time. (If you don’t like driving then there are also many tours available. You can book them directly at your hotel or online .) If you’re a beach …

5 Gardens / Parks to visit in Funchal

With Autumn at your doorsteps, nothing like a walk in the park to take us out of the house and recharge our batteries. Alone, with children, dog, friends or family, here are some suggestions for the beautiful gardens and parks you’ll find in Funchal, entirely FREE…Enjoy! 1. Santa Luzia Garden It was Hinton’s old sugar factory with its colossal Tower making history. It has five themed gardens: the Amphitheater Garden, where the outdoor cinema festival, the Tropical Garden, the Water Garden, the Garden of the Terraces and the Garden of the Laurissilva, with the indigenous vegetation of Madeira, Unesco. It has a nice cafe, two playgrounds, one of them with a labyrinth to hide… 🙂 Open from 8-21h Rua 31 de Janeiro.   2. Pico Fortress Garden The Pico Fortress is the big attraction of this park. The playground is excellent especially for those with small children. The Café da Fortaleza is right across the street… a spout, the newspaper and the well-deserved rest. It also works as a viewpoint and has a view of …