Madeira on a Cruise, what to do or see, excursions?
Discussion
The title says it all really, we're going on a cruise on Azura out of Tenerife, leaving on the 2nd December with stops at Madeira, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and back to Tenerife.
We know what we're doing in Lanzarote having been there many times before, we have a fairly good idea about our plans for GC and Tenerife but are open to suggestions, we've never been to Madeira though so I've been looking at the P & O website for excursions and the choice is wide and quite confusing.
We need a little bit of help with what are the must see's and do's in Madeira and whether it's best to do an excursion or go it alone, we're both getting on so we definitely don't want to go trekking over mountains, but we'll be okay with a bit of gentle walking or exercise if necessary.
We know what we're doing in Lanzarote having been there many times before, we have a fairly good idea about our plans for GC and Tenerife but are open to suggestions, we've never been to Madeira though so I've been looking at the P & O website for excursions and the choice is wide and quite confusing.
We need a little bit of help with what are the must see's and do's in Madeira and whether it's best to do an excursion or go it alone, we're both getting on so we definitely don't want to go trekking over mountains, but we'll be okay with a bit of gentle walking or exercise if necessary.
How much time do you have?
We did the cable car up to Monte.
This is a sledge ride down from there but it only runs for a few hundred metres. The are some nice gardens to visit at top too.
https://madeiracablecar.com/
You could do a Levada we did one organised by our holiday rep. Driven to top so easy walk down over a few hours.
The is old Funchal to wander around.
We stayed to the west side of Funchal Lido area.
Just be aware if you walk that way towards Reid's Palace there a few Timeshare touts/hustlers.
We did the cable car up to Monte.
This is a sledge ride down from there but it only runs for a few hundred metres. The are some nice gardens to visit at top too.
https://madeiracablecar.com/
You could do a Levada we did one organised by our holiday rep. Driven to top so easy walk down over a few hours.
The is old Funchal to wander around.
We stayed to the west side of Funchal Lido area.
Just be aware if you walk that way towards Reid's Palace there a few Timeshare touts/hustlers.
Went 20 years ago and the cable car and sledge ride down was good - defo worth it IMO.
Funchal is nice. We went back last year for a day trip (also cruise) and just wandered the town tbh. Not much had changed its still a nice place to spend a day. It was peeing it down so we just had a walk for an hour then went back to the ship.
Funchal is nice. We went back last year for a day trip (also cruise) and just wandered the town tbh. Not much had changed its still a nice place to spend a day. It was peeing it down so we just had a walk for an hour then went back to the ship.
We were there for two weeks early October for the first time. I thought it might be too long but really enjoyed it. I suggest you try to get to the front when getting off the boat, we noticed the cable car and sledge queues were busy when a boat was in, both definitely worth doing. Funchal centre and old town are good for a stroll round, plenty of good quality cafes and restaurants. Taxis are reasonably priced and plentiful. We used them a lot, I’m struggling with a bad knee so can’t walk far. It is hilly in places.
We did a bus tour on one of the days a boat was in, I was surprised a few cruise people were on the bus. They were obviously well organised to cram plenty in during the time available.
We did a bus tour on one of the days a boat was in, I was surprised a few cruise people were on the bus. They were obviously well organised to cram plenty in during the time available.
blueg33 said:
CharlesdeGaulle said:
If you like gardening the botanic gardens just east of Funchal are worth a visit. Nice rather than spectacular, but an enjoyable couple of hours.
The gardens at Monte are nice. 
blueg33 said:
DodgyGeezer said:
the Lavada walk is fun and interesting - spoken as a fat and unfit 56 y/o.
Depends which walks you do……..Managed to ruin my camera as it decided to tip it down for part of the walk and idiot boy hadn't brought his case or even a plastic bag <sigh>
Their tours are good:
https://www.blandyswinelodge.com/en/blandys-wine-l...
Also a Tuck-Tuck tour is very good.
https://www.blandyswinelodge.com/en/blandys-wine-l...
Also a Tuck-Tuck tour is very good.
Thanks very much for all the advice chaps, my wife has decided that she is up for the sled ride so we're going on the P&O organised excursion that does the cable car, sled, sightseeing and Madeira wine, if there's time we'll have a wander around the old town as well.
I have a feeling that we'll quite like Madeira though, it sounds like it's got nice hotels, golf courses, gardens, mountains and the ocean so we'll probably go back there for a proper holiday sometime in the future.
I have a feeling that we'll quite like Madeira though, it sounds like it's got nice hotels, golf courses, gardens, mountains and the ocean so we'll probably go back there for a proper holiday sometime in the future.
TeeRev said:
Thanks very much for all the advice chaps, my wife has decided that she is up for the sled ride so we're going on the P&O organised excursion that does the cable car, sled, sightseeing and Madeira wine, if there's time we'll have a wander around the old town as well.
I have a feeling that we'll quite like Madeira though, it sounds like it's got nice hotels, golf courses, gardens, mountains and the ocean so we'll probably go back there for a proper holiday sometime in the future.
We've been twice, I'd highly recommend the place.I have a feeling that we'll quite like Madeira though, it sounds like it's got nice hotels, golf courses, gardens, mountains and the ocean so we'll probably go back there for a proper holiday sometime in the future.
The old town in Funchal is worth a wander around. I enjoyed poking around the fish market, but I always enjoy markets.
If you're there for any length of time, it's worth booking a taxi driver for the day to take you round the island, but obviously that's not going to work for a day trip. Lots of interesting villages.
If you're there for any length of time, it's worth booking a taxi driver for the day to take you round the island, but obviously that's not going to work for a day trip. Lots of interesting villages.
Amateurish said:
Love Funchal. There's no need to pay for an excursion. Taking the cable car, sledge etc all very easy to do independently!
And the cruise terminal is not very fair from the cable car anyway. Also, there was (this around 4 -5 years ago now), a ticket place for the cable car between the terminal and the cable car, at the front, which never had a queue when we were there, so that's an option to buy your ticket from. Our day in Madeira went okay, Azura was moored up nearly at the end of the quay and so we paid P&O an exorbitant £20.00 for the 5 minute return bus transfer to town and just wandered around for a while, my wife was very impressed with the number and quality of Christmas lights even though they weren't switched on.
We ended up at the cable car station, bought tickets and joined the queue, when we got to the top it was raining hard and the umbrella that I was mocked for picking up as we left the cabin was much appreciated. We found our way to the top of the hill for the sleds, looked at the queue and the rain and decided that coffee in the little bar was a better idea, we did watch a few go off though and it did look like fun.
There were no views due to the low cloud and rain so we had a nice Madeira wine cocktail and pizza lunch in a restaurant before making our way back down through the clouds in the cable car again, views were impressive from about halfway down.
At the bottom we checked out the market before wandering through the town again, we saw another couple from the ship who did the sled ride, they had queued for an hour and were saturated.
We had the obligatory Pastel de Nata and Madeira Wine at a street market stall before heading back to the ship, no tourist tat was bought and we were done and dusted with Madeira in 6 hours flat, box ticked, move on to the next island.
We ended up at the cable car station, bought tickets and joined the queue, when we got to the top it was raining hard and the umbrella that I was mocked for picking up as we left the cabin was much appreciated. We found our way to the top of the hill for the sleds, looked at the queue and the rain and decided that coffee in the little bar was a better idea, we did watch a few go off though and it did look like fun.
There were no views due to the low cloud and rain so we had a nice Madeira wine cocktail and pizza lunch in a restaurant before making our way back down through the clouds in the cable car again, views were impressive from about halfway down.
At the bottom we checked out the market before wandering through the town again, we saw another couple from the ship who did the sled ride, they had queued for an hour and were saturated.
We had the obligatory Pastel de Nata and Madeira Wine at a street market stall before heading back to the ship, no tourist tat was bought and we were done and dusted with Madeira in 6 hours flat, box ticked, move on to the next island.
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