Funchal - Madeira's capital - has some fine restaurants but a "must" whenever we visit is the sublime Il Basilico. Owned by the successful PortoBay Hotels & Resorts, it's one of several eateries the group has in the city and, in our view, one of its finest. Situated on Funchal’s popular Lido promenade, this [...]
One of the guarantees about visiting Madeira is that you’ll never be short of things to see and do. In fact, chances are a return will probably be on the cards to experience some of the attractions missed first time around. Here at Travellowdown, we recently enjoyed a five-day break on this beautiful sunny island. [...]
Over the years, working as a travel journalist and editor has meant I’ve been lucky enough to experience some fine hotels. Just two, however, have stolen my heart: one is situated on the island of Jersey while the other is the sublime VidaMar Resort Hotel in Madeira. I’ve stayed several times at the VidaMar and, [...]
Here at Travellowdown, we’ve recently returned from one of our best family holidays. Our destination was sunny Madeira, a beautiful island I’ve got to know so well over the years. Its bright colours, abundance of greenery, pleasant people, spectacular mountain ranges and myriad other delights make it an ideal destination for all ages. When it [...]
So many of Madeira’s hotels enjoy stunning sea views and the Golden Residence, perched atop the rocky coastline and just two miles from downtown Funchal, is no exception. Whether you’re strolling around the landscaped lawns, relaxing on a sun-bed on the terrace or taking a dip in the pool, you can only be impressed by [...]
What an intriguing hotel this is. Take its location for starters: it clings to the edge of steep cliffs, affording fine views of not just Ponta do Sol, a tiny village sitting within a deep ravine on the island’s south coast, but along the rugged coastline as well; then, of course, there are the breathtaking [...]
Although Madeira, save Funchal during the rush-hour, is an oasis of calm and tranquillity, there is a little spot on the southern coastline which is, believe it or not, even more peaceful and relaxing – and that’s Faja dos Padres. It’s no wonder that this place is so tranquil because it can only be reached [...]
Madeira has been attracting British holidaymakers for decades and it’s easy to see why. Take the weather: after one of the UK’s worst summers on record, I was in need of some reliable sunshine – and I got that during my few days on the island, dubbed the “Floating Garden in the Atlantic”, thanks to [...]
If you visit Madeira’s capital, Funchal, don’t leave without experiencing the delights of dining at Riso, an exquisite restaurant overlooking the Atlantic Ocean where rice dishes from around the world are served – even for dessert! Eating at Riso Restaurant, with its cliff-top terrace and indoor seating for those very rare cool Madeiran days, is [...]
