Being Tourists in Madeira

A Perfect Day...

I have been planning quite a few vacations lately. So after booking our airline tickets and confirming the apartment I told my traveling companions (Denise, Thomas, and Carl) that I was done. “You do the research and plan how we will spend our days there,” I commanded. They did and we had a marvelous time. Here is how we spent our first full day in Madeira.

Going up!

2 Cable Cars

We walked down the hill and then east along the ocean until we reached the lower cable car station. We purchased one-way tickets to the middle cable car stop. The smooth ride up the steep incline offered spectacular views. When we exited the car we decided to stop for brunch at a small cafe. The service was excellent, the menu offered plenty of variety, and the view from the patio was stunning. We then walked about 5 minutes to the first garden.

My favorite part of the garden.

I am sure if you are a botanist you would be taken with the variety on display. Frankly, I have a difficult time keeping a basil plant alive on our rooftop…so while I enjoyed looking at the displays, I had had enough after about 30 minutes. Also, keep in mind that you enter the garden at the top of this hill. And as has been discussed before, after walking down you must walk up.

We returned to the cable car and this time bought a round-trip ticket to the top and then back to the mid-point. We planned to see yet another garden and then return for the big excitement of the day. Of the two gardens I would say that this one was my favorite.¹ Lush and green it offered Asian accents like the red bridge you see below.

The Big Excitement

If you have read anything about Madeira you likely read about their most exciting tourist attraction… the Carreiros do Monte, aka “one of the world’s 7 coolest commutes”.

The Monte Toboggans Sledges first originated in the early 19th century when they were used as the first means of "downhill" public transportation by the local residents who wanted to travel quickly from the village of Monte to the city of Funchal. — Carreiros do Monte

Today, men, dressed in traditional garb make this one of the biggest tourist attractions on the island. They begin by yanking the woven sled, which can carry up to three people, to get it started.

Once started, the fun begins as they run, jump on the runners, skid their thick rubber-soled boots to slow its progress, and tilt their bodies to maneuver the basket down the winding 2km route. Note: the road they travel down is open to car and truck traffic which adds to the excitement.

Like every other tourist, I did take a video of the route…but frankly, it was quite boring as we were in the lead toboggan and as such all you see is the road rushing before us. Instead, I suggest you watch the following.

The ride down takes less than 10 minutes. At the end of the run, you will find a place to buy a beer and a lot of taxis waiting to drive you back to the city. We had a beer and then walked down the hill. (Note to reader: the walk down was a bit longer than we expected.)

Sunset and Wine

After such a busy day you will want to relax with a good glass of wine taking in the sunset. Permit me to recommend the Savoy Palace rooftop bar. As we were not guests of the hotel we were required to pay a €15/pp cover charge, but we were able to cover that with a few fancy drinks and a bottle of bubbly. It was the perfect way to end a busy day being tourists in Madeira.

As I end this edition, I realize I haven’t even mentioned our favorite restaurants or the whole Carnavel experience…so expect that next week.

Final Note: I will not bore you with my thoughts on Tucker Carlson, the former President, and his supporters in the House. Instead, I will recommend this Substack post to you.

The Clouds of War again darken Europe's Mood

Até à próxima semana, fica bem

Nanc

Final Note: the pine processionary insects, which can be deadly for dogs, are out in force again this year. Please be watchful when walking your dog.

1. It is the garden in last week’s post.