Madeira Island Things to Do

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Curral das Freiras, or nun's valley as it is also called in englis, is a secluded valley a little inland from Funchal.
It got it´s name after a group of nuns fled in to the valley in 1566 when french pirates attacked the island.
Today the valley is a hikers paradise but can also been seen by people who do not travel by foot as it is connected to the rest opf the island with good roads and there are many nice viewpoints overlooking the valley.
It´s only around around 15 kilometers from Funchal, but expect the drive to take around 45 minutes as the road to Curral das Freiras is very steep and winding.

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Camara de Lobos is a small fishing village around 10 kilometers west og Funchal.
This is small town Madeira where they still have traditional fishermen going out in small boats fishing and they are still drying their fish by the little beach right in the middle of the town.
Camara de Lobos was also a favorite of Winston Churchill when he holidayed on Madeira island back in the day.
they have a little sign on the spot where he would sometimes sit and paint and if you talk to some of the old local guys then they will also tell you he was a very frequent visitor to the local bars and he probaply spend more time there than he did painting.

Camara de Lobos is actually one of the poorest towns on the ialsnd but that is probaply part of why this is still a place where you can get a feel of what Madeira is like before mass tourism arrived.
The place is certainly worth a visit and i personally consider it the gem of Madeira.

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Funchal is the capital of Madeira and with it´s 100 000 inhabitants the biggest town on the island.
It´s a pleasant town that is big enough to have most of the things you need, but still small enough to retain a provinsial feel.
Funchal has a nice old part of town with small fishermans houses and funky art made by the young aspiring artists of the island and the old part of Funchal is by far my favorite.
The harbour area is quite pleasant too with a marina, a cruise terminal and quite a few cafes and a nice walkway where you can stroll.
Funchal will be where most people make their base when on holiday on Madeira and it´s for sure a good place to have as a base for a nice holiday.

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I must confess that I would never go to Portela by my own - it was a new name for me, meaning nothing. Well, it was a very good surprise, with, maybe, the best views that I had in Madeira.
That's it - you will only know the island if you explore it in detail.

My Portela page is poor, but, it was a good moment

Porto Moniz is the place where the ocean made a natural pool out of rocks.
Very nice made, clean, with a teras, shallow water and deep water for good swimmers.Everything you need to swim and have a good day at the pool.The water is ocean water as the waves from ocean keeps the water pool fresh.
Entrance price 1.50€ per adult.

When crossing from the south to the northern coast, in the middle of the area, we arrive to S. Vicente. It´s a nice small town, with a wide but rough pebble beach, with a restaurant in the centre of it.

More details in São Vicente

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The top of the island is wild, with dramatic landscape dotted with cows pasturing in a flora that should be preserved, what means a discrete local conflict. With good roads, the visit is easy and doesn't demand much time, unless you want to explore one of the "levadas".

Specific page in Ponta do Sol

All the island is prepared to show its beautiful spots, whith men and nature combining to get the best final result. The steep hills are very helpful to open wide views, and flowers give the final touch.

However, some point have a special charm, such as Câmara de Lobos, not far from Funchal, embracing a small harbour protected by the high mountain. We had there a very good dinner, but (silly me!) I didn't retain the restaurant´s name.