... Funchal

This was one of my favourite holidays of recent years. It was relaxing, everywhere offered a superb view and the City of Funchal was ‘intriguing’. We didn't explore the Island as much as we should have.  In fact we didn't venture out of Funchal. This is probably why we’ll go back. To see the rest of Madeira.

We went in May, and for those of you who know about Madeira or have done some research, you’ll know that it is a tropical island.  So in May you get nice warm weather and run the risk of experiencing the odd rain shower or storm. We had several days of glorious sunshine in the low 20s and a couple of days of rain or overcast skies. The rain didn't matter.  In fact, walking round the old town in Funchal as the rain soaked us through was rather enjoyable. I understand that that is not everyone's idea of fun. But it was our holiday and it just seemed to fit in with what we expected from Madeira. 

Madeira wine tour

Cable Cars to Monte

The must do’s from our time in Funchal include the cable car up to the village of Monte. The views are remarkable. There’s not a huge amount to do at Monte.  There’s the tropical gardens which are nice and there’s a fair few views.  There are several bars/cafes but they all seem to have slightly inflated prices due to the tourist trap nature of the village.  But don't despair, there is a small bar which only the locals seem to frequent.  It’s just off the main street as I remember it, by where the basket rides start.  We didn't eat in there but for a quick refresh the larger is cold and priced for locals. The best thing about Monte though, is leaving. But don’t leave in the cable car get the wicker baskets.  You’re catapulted down the hill on a wicker sled, ‘driven’ by a man in white. You skid round corners, dodge cars and hope you don't get a fly in your eye. It’s fun.  Go to Monte.  Get the cable car and the basket down.

Basket ride from Monte

Word of note for the Monte trip.  when the baskets stop half way back to Funchal there will be taxis  and the taxis will want to charge a lot.  We walked. It’s not that far. Maybe half an hour back into funchal. But you get to walk past some lovely houses and some in a state of disrepair too.  It’s not a spectacular walk but I’m glad we did it.

My second must do is to visit the Blandy’s Madeira wine museum/factory.  It’s in the new town and there’s a lovely park close by to sit in whilst you wait for the tours to start. The flowers in Madeira are how you imagine flowers should be, so sitting in a park is not the oddest thing to suggest, when you see how marvelously they are kept.
Now, I say you should go to Blandy’s and you should but the reason why you should go is so that you appreciate where you go the next day. Find Artur de Barros e Sousa.  One of the last small and independent makers of Madeira wine. A lovely way to spend an hour.

Where to stay:

We stayed in Pool Cottage, just up the hill from Funchal on the East side.

The veranda. Lovely to sit under
 at night or during a rain shower

It’s the ground floor apartment in a large town house that has two other apartments. When we were there the other apartments were booked but we didn't hear a peep from anyone, we presumed because the other apartments had quite large balconies and easy access to a sun deck with fabulous views, that they never ventured down to the garden area. It was romantic. French doors in both the bedroom and the lounge area open onto a veranda area with terrific views towards the ocean. There is a large bathroom with a walk in shower and a separate bath.

The pool, surrounded by banana trees

Pool cottage had a lovely relaxed feel to it and having access to the outside area meant that BBQing was very easy and with all the fresh produce available, we had several. (The fish is extremely fresh and cheap).

If there was a large number of you, you can book all the apartments and i’m sure you would have a terrific time. You are only a few minutes walk away from the centre of Funchal.

Where to eat:

There are a number of places I would recommend in Funchal.  If staying at the Pool Cottage, just be sure to avoid the tourist trap as you walk towards the old town.  You get all the restaurateurs approaching you in that annoying fashion. Keep walking and you find the hidden gems in the back streets. But firstly, as you walk into Funchal town, you’ll see a restaurant called Riso, you must go here, but opposite is a small cafe where they do wonderful coffee, Chinesa, and pastries. ideal for when you’re setting off for the morning and need a little something to get you going. That and you have fabulous views across the ocean and along the coast.

Now Riso is the one place we went back to twice, despite it being the most expensive restaurant we went to. This is unusual for us, as we like to find the places that give good quality food at affordable prices. But at Riso, the food and the service was complemented by some amazing views (and it wasn't earth shatteringly expensive).  I've seen some reviews about how the waiters were less than attentive, but this simply wasn't true for us. We found the entire experience both relaxing and above and beyond what the prices suggest you will receive. As you might have deduced from the name, Riso’s cuisine is entirely based upon rice.  But don't be alarmed, it is an education in what you can do with this simple grain. The food was exquisite.  No complaints at all. Even the vegetable soup was an explosion of flavour.  And this is the point about Madeira, due to the climate and location, the local produce is stunningly flavoursome. Simple dishes are transformed into award winning plates of food. 

The view from Riso

Having looked at various reviews we also tried O’Jangos.  Found on the east side of the old town, one street back from the front. Again, we ate here twice but it was a mixed bag.  The first evening we arrived we ate here and the service was slow. They always seem understaffed.  But that was no bother, the wine was good (Planalto Douro is a cracking white wine if you don;t bother with the house stuff), and everywhere you go you get given Bolo de caco, which is a type of garlic bread. Think of a large, crispy muffin with garlic butter. The food itself was simple. Meat potato and vegetables.  The vegetables were extremely good.  The seasoning was perfect. All in all, for the money it was acceptable.  Great atmosphere even outside where we sat and it was busy, a good sign, surely.

Well, on our last day we went for lunch here and I was served under cooked chicken. And when I pointed this out to the waitress, she seemed nonplussed. No offer of a new plate, or to reheat the food, no nothing.  she just walked off, never to return. This really spoilt my opinion of this place.  By all means go to O’Jangos, it seems extremely popular with locals and tourists alike but just don't expect anything special.  We both agreed that for the money, we’d had far better BBQ’s back at the cottage. But of course that is an unfair comparison to make.

Gaviao Novo, is just down the road from O’Jangos, has a slightly more reserved appearance and the menu is perhaps slightly more refined.  This is where i tried the espada.  A long, deep water fish, apparently only eaten in Madeira and Japan. It’s the fish you should try when in Madeira. A local specialty is with plantains. I've heard mixed reviews about this dish.  My espada was simply grilled (and unfortunately overcooked and only one fillet was seasoned). That said, the fish has a simple flavour but is worth trying. 

Espada. A very ugly fish!

We both had prawn is a garlic butter sauce to start with which was nice but expensive. Especially when we knew how much prawn cost on the island. Value for money this place is perhaps not. But my real grip with this restaurant is the waiter service.  Attentive yes, helpful yes but they try to be funny and making fun about someone based on their race. Not funny.  He played on the stereotypical English abroad, after fish and chips, gravy etc. Even the fact that we ordered wine and not beers and Malibu and coke.  Quite frankly I was offended. This service and the fact that the quality of the cheffing was below what I would expect, tends to make me warn people about this restaurant.  I have seen subsequent reviews where the ‘jokes’ by the waiter have been mentioned and not in a positive light. Or as something you have to look past.  Why? I’m not paying to ignore a rude waiter.

So unfortunately I feel I've given you one rave review and a couple of places to avoid.  I must confess, when we walked round the old town, the number of places we wanted to try were few. Hence we returned to Riso. Those we did try were one reviews found in travel guides and quite frankly they came up short.  Try and stumble upon a small fish restaurant if you can.  I’m afraid I don't have the name, but my in laws recently returned from Funchal and loved this small restaurant.

The food in Funchal can be expensive.  I guess it’s geared up for the cruise liners, which are a sight to behold when in the harbour. I am told there are good and reasonably priced restaurants in the new town and I wished we had tried some over there.  The new town has a vibrancy and is well worth exploring. My advice if you visit Madeira, get a car, try some highly recommended restaurants which are dotted around the island, as quality offerings in Funchal can be limited. And stay somewhere with a BBQ.  The local markets and even supermarkets offer some wonderful produce and if you stay somewhere with a view, a night in with a glass of wine and some home cooked fish and salads adds a pleasant alternative to wandering the city.