Kokova Magazine

Nothing beats a last-minute escape, especially as the nights get shorter and the weather colder. So when work and family commitments offered us the chance to get away for a few days, we jumped on a plane to the Madeiran capital of Funchal.

We had just enough time to unpack from our Bubble stay at Port Lympne, to repack and head to Gatwick for our early morning flight. It was our first time flying with British Airways (BA), and the empty flight felt like a private jet. It seems we were on one of the quietest flights out of Gatwick that day, and the same happened on our return flight when we had the whole mid-section to ourselves. Having upgraded our seats to allow for extra leg room, we had space to squander, and a flight attendant to ourselves.

As neither of us had been to Portugal, we decided on Madeira as an alternative to the colder destinations I usually book. The option for sitting in a bit of sun and watching the world go by after a wet November was tempting enough. The flight out was around four hours from start to finish, and a 4.30am Gatwick drop-off meant the first day was going to be slow and steady, checking in to our villa, checking out the local area, and finding some food for an easy night. The plan was to relax and unwind. We landed in full sunshine, wearing winter wool coats, which stayed off until we left, as Funchal offered us t-shirt weather throughout the week.

Landing in Funchal is an experience, and we were aware of the difficulties with *Madeira Airport (FNC). However, our BA pilot landed like a pro, with a smooth deep circle around on the approach, and not even the slightest bump on touch down. In fact, it was a smoother landing than a week later, back at Gatwick, when the weather really wanted to make a statement and add a little turbulence to the mix.

We arrived in Funchal on December 1st; perfect timing for the beginning of the Christmas celebrations, when the lights in the city were officially turned on. On our first night we joined the celebrations, walking streets lined with lights and dazzling displays. A funfair and food stalls lined the harbour, with many other parts of the town decorated to a high standard. It seemed that every street was alive, with many more food stalls, gift products, and of course the Poncha - a traditional alcoholic drink that should be taken with care, according to my head the next day!

In total we spent five days in Funchal. I've included our highlights and some recommendations, alongside other points to take into consideration on this beautiful island. We would certainly return again, and may hire a car next time and explore further, regardless of the hills and winding roads I will have to negotiate and drive. It's a bit like Cornwall but with buses instead of tractors.

Food

Throughout the five days we stocked up at the supermarket in town, ate at the villa, or tried a few smaller restaurants around the main area of town and in the Old Town. Fish is definitely on the menu in all places.

Story Centre Terrace. Free-from options were catered for with ease - and we tried the Scabbard fish for the first time. In total with wine, cocktails, and two courses, we spent around €90 for two of us. A good first night meal introduction to the local food scene.

Terra Food Concept. Really worth a visit and their Tom Yum is like 'love in a bowl'. Such amazing flavours, easily cater to vegan, gluten-free and other options. I even had bread, which was a definite winner. The meal with drinks, cocktails, and three courses was around €120 for two.

Hotels and Transport

There are plenty of places to stay in Funchal. You are spoiled for choice with hotels and private villas. Most of the hotels are down by the harbour and along towards the west of the town. As we wanted some quiet time we opted for a villa on the east of Funchal, which we found via booking.com.

Santa Maria Villa. This villa has four floors, three double bedrooms, an outside pizza oven, and a ridiculous amount of space considering there was just the two of us. However, it was about 30 minutes to the town centre on a slow downhill walk. We decided against walking back up the hills and bought a three-day bus pass for €12 each, which allowed us to hop on and off anywhere in Funchal. Buses came past the end of our road, Bolts came to the front door. We used both, depending on what and where we needed to go.

The buses are driven around tiny one lane roads with some challenging corners. If you are brave enough to drive, hire a small car. Big 4x4s had some trouble, whereas the bus drivers didn't somehow. From the airport to Funchal was around €6 by bus. For the same price, we shared a minibus taxi that was available. On the way back to the airport we paid €16 for a Bolt.

Must See or Do

The Madeira Cable Car costs €20 for a round trip and will take you up to the top, where you can enjoy another Scabbard fish meal, if the mood takes you. We visited the Monte Palace Tropical Gardens (an additional cost of €15 each) before coming back down to Funchal. If we had more time we would have gone further up to the Church of Our Lady of the Mount, but we left it quite late in the day and didn't want to miss the last car down. And if you are feeling a little more daring, definitely check out the Carreiros do Monte.

As expected, Andy found an escape room for us to visit and Cryptic Rooms is a must-visit for enthusiasts. We escaped all three rooms, set a record for the most difficult one, and had an amazing afternoon with them. At a cost of around €160 for two people and three games, it averaged at €27 per person, which is a fair price for rooms this good.

If you want to explore further then Christopher is your man. He has a great knowledge of the island and took us out for the day with Madeira Tours. The cost of €200 for a whole 9am to 5.30pm private tour was money well spent as we visited places we would not have found on our own. The trip included a stop for us to get coffee and breakfast, a visit to the Valley of the Nuns, a stop at various viewpoints and the observatory, as well as an authentic lunch stop. We grilled our own steaks on a large hanging skewer on an open fire. Meals were not included in the price but we were happy to ask Christopher to join us to eat, as his knowledge was endless, and he is great company. By the end of the day we had been off road in the trees, visited and walked around Capela Miradouro Sagrada Familia (well worth the visit) and visited the most famous fishing village of Madeira, Câmara de Lobos.

There were bananas growing everywhere we went, from whole plots to any available space in private gardens. They serve bananas on the fish in many places, and the vegetables and fruits in the markets seemed supersized. We saw little lizards all over the walls in the palace gardens, as well as outside in the villa gardens. Being an island and quite rural even for a built up area, there are ants on the island. We had a few run-ins with them in the villa, as they seemed obsessed with something in my skincare creams. And yes, there are mosquitos. I have the red itchy bumps to prove it. Andy was left alone by both the ants and biting bugs, so I guess my blood is sweeter.

Madeira is a beautiful place to escape and unwind. The locals welcome the daily rotation of cruise ships that come into the harbour, as well as visitors arriving via the airport. We felt incredibly safe on the island, and had the most amazing few days exploring the local area. There is so much more to see and a return visit is definitely in the plans. For more information check out Visit Madeira.

*Madeira Airport (FNC) is considered challenging due to its mountainous terrain, short runway built partly on pillars, and unpredictable Atlantic winds.