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Madeira Funchal - What Tour with 15-year old?


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My husband and I and are 15 year old will be in Madeira on Jan 2, 2017. Docking at 8 and leaving at 4. So it seems we may be able to swing a 5-hour tour. There seems to be a lot of tours, via taxis. What I'm not sure about which is a good tour for us?

 

We are moderately active individuals, wouldn't mind seeing nature, doing something active, and seeing something different (at least different coming from Southern California). Wouldn't mind seeing the local markets as well and sampling cuisine from the local area.

 

Any thoughts or suggestions? I see, South, south west, center tours.... so not really sure what to choose?

 

Also, suggestion which tours to use?

 

Alternatively, if you think that we should do this as a DIY let me know as well. We travel often and prefer DIYs to the extent we can. It seems, however, in this case using a taxi tour, considering the price is fairly reasonable, seems to be a better option. Thoughts as well?

 

Thanks

Marie

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You can easily do Madeira on your own.

Just stay in Funchal the first time and visit the farmers market it's an easy walk.

 

Then take the cable car up to the top for a nice view and lunch and walk thru the botanical garden and then walk down or take the toboggan down.

 

If there is time left you can walk around town where there are some nice buildings and shops and a free wifi area.

 

Good luck

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// Then take the cable car up to the top for a nice view and lunch and walk thru the botanical garden and then walk down or take the toboggan down.//

 

Good luck

 

Agreed.

With a 15-year-old, that's a no-brainer. :)

 

The walk from the ship is longer than it looks.

Head toward town, & about half-way along the pier you can pick up a vintage shuttlebus ride (similar to Glacier Park's red and Yellowstone yellow buses) for a couple of euros.

Get dropped at the cablecar bottom station (R Jose da Silva).

Take the cable-car to the intermediate station - only continue on the second cable-car if you want to visit the botanical gardens, then return to the intermediate station.

It's a five minute walk from the intermediate station to the top of the toboggan run.

Don't recall the cost of a toboggan, but it's not desperately expensive.

Nor is i desperately comfortable :D

The toboggans don't go all the way back down - it's a very long walk back to town, or negotiate a taxi (there'll be taxis waiting). They'll want 25 euros - you should be able to barter one down to 10, certainly don't pay more than 15.

Get dropped near the cathedral, a pleasant area to wander or down a beer or two.

The vintage buses don't operate for the return to the ship. We hailed a tuk-tuk on the waterfront (near the cathedral), 4 euros.

 

JB :)

Edited by John Bull
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I agree there is plenty to do in Funchal, but a taxi will do a short tour to Cabo Girao which is spectacular. The Toboggan will be at least €45 for three.

 

There are plenty of restaurants in the old town near the cable car which all serve traditional dishes. Espada is steak on a long skewer cooked over charcoal, espetada is pieces of scabbard fish cooked the same way. Go downstairs in the market and you can see the fish before its cooked!

 

One of our favourite restaurants is Tapassol which is the last one on the left in the old town, great food and reasonably priced. Ask for a table upstairs by the window and watch the world go by.

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  • 3 weeks later...

My kids were 18 months but your daughter and you will like it as well. Either walk or take a taxi to the cable car. Cable car up but notice the combo tour they offer is not the garden right at the exit. At the top is a beautiful botanical garden that I refer to. More for you then her, but some great views from the restaurant and a free glass of their local wine, which taste similar to port or brandy. The place gorgeous as well.

 

Then view the church on top, and the line for the toboggan. Toboggan down, amazing and worth the outrageous picture price. Taxi, over priced about 20 euro, the bus, or walk down to town.

 

Free with-fi in the town which will make her happy, then shop and look around. Taxi or walk back to the ship. We did this and even added a wine tasting in town. There is a church in town you could view as well. Get a guide book to see anything else that interests you her.

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  • 1 month later...

Madeira-Funchal - http://www.upmountainmadeira.com – OMAGOSH!!!! NO TOURISTS!!! We rode in open top jeeps. Nico, owner, and his cousin Paulo were our guides. Young men with a total passion for their country. We went on roads no bus could travel, steep narrow “paths” and some off roading… and we stood up in the jeep some and with the cool wind in our faces and the amazing views… breathtaking!!!!

 

We stopped at a local, and I do mean LOCAL, shop and tasted cake and wine and contributed heavily to the LOCAL economy!! We visited Nico’s uncle’s WORKING winery… no wine tasting here… just lots of work. For lunch, we stopped at a LOCAL place where we shopped at the butcher shop and ordered our meat, then watched as the men put the meat on huge skewers and cooked the meat and bread over an open wood stove. When the meat was ready, they hung the skewers of meat on heavy wire strung across the tables…. We had to reach up and take our bites of meat off the skewers. It was absolutely the most fun thing.

 

For dessert we watched them chop fresh pineapple, skewer it and roast it over the open flames. This day was the highlight of our trip to Spain, Portugal, etc.

 

Dinah

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