I live in Funchal - Madeira Island. I can advice

[ceetee]

Hello again ceetee,

 

Madeira Sugar Cane Syrup Biscuits

 

150g cake flour

50g butter or margerine

25g lard

75g sugar

2 tablespoons sugar cane syrup

5ml ground cinnamon

1ml ground nutmeg

1/2ml backing soda

 

Pre-heat oven to 150ºC.

Mix all the ingredients together and make small balls. Place them in a greased baking tray, and let them bake for 20 minutes.

 

A belated thank-you for the recipe.

I'll just have to make them today!!

I'll have to break open the Poncha we brought home to go with them.

I love looking and re-looking at our pictures of Madeira.

[biaria]

Hello ceetee,

 

You're welcome!

Poncha is an excellent drink to go with these Sugar Cane Syrup Biscuits. Cheers!!!

You must have amazing photos of Madeira - will help you remember...

Have a nice weekend!

[biaria]

Hi, everyone!

 

As I know that lots of you people coming to this thread are looking for advice on how to visit Madeira on your own, I'm leaving here the link to the public transport's company - Horarios do Funchal - English webpage for tourists: http://www.horariosdofunchal.pt/index-eng.php

 

Enjoy!

[dobes3kh]

Hello Biaria,

 

I am enjoying your very informative postings on Madeira. You are very passionate about your home and it's a pleasure to read. We will be there as part of our cruise in about mid-October. Is the weather usually still warm then?

 

We would appreciate your recommendations on what to do. We will be there for only about 6.5 hrs and have never been before. We like just about anything---touristy/sight-seeing places, trying some wines or otherwise :rolleyes:, shopping, gardens (depending on if they are still in season).

 

Have heard something about the funicular/trams?

 

Thank you so much!

[biaria]

Hi dobes3kh,

 

Thank you for your kind words, I sure am very passionate about Madeira :)

 

Yes, mid-October is usually still warm, but be prepared with a light jacket if you're planning to go up the hills - if you take the cable car up to Monte, for instance. In Monte there's the Our Lady of Monte's Church and the gardens - Municipal Gardens with free entrance and Monte Tropical Palace Gardens at 10 euros per person entry. Monte is also where the very famous toboggan rides are based (15 euros per person, sharing). After the toboggan ride the most economical way to ge back to town is by public transport (1.90 euros per person).

 

You can choose to see Funchal by walking around in town exploring the churches, gardens, museums, the market, the old town, shops, restaurants. For Madeira Wine tasting tours in town there's Blandy's - advance booking recommended.

 

The HOHO bus may also be a good choice and it offers two routes.

 

An alternative to these suggestions is you taking a taxi to see more of the island. There'll be lots of taxis at the dockside, but if you take a taxi in town the price will probably be lower. You can also choose to book your tour in advance.

 

Enjoy Madeira!

[jonbgd]

Is there a good 'local food' restaurant near the cruise port?

[bearette]

The gardens and wine sound interesting but I will be traveling with twin 1 year old toddlers. What would you recommend I do with them for our November trip?

[biaria]

Is there a good 'local food' restaurant near the cruise port?

 

Hi jonbgd,

 

You may like to have a look at the Marina area, it's not too far from the harbor.

[biaria]

The gardens and wine sound interesting but I will be traveling with twin 1 year old toddlers. What would you recommend I do with them for our November trip?

 

Hi bearette,

 

To be honest, I don't see much that you can do, that may be specific for your toddlers. Let's hope they will enjoy being taken around in their pushchair.

[bearette]

I thought about taking them to the cable car, but I wasn't sure if they could do the toboggan, it looks ok, but I know it is a safety issue. Seems silly to go if we won't be able to do the part that makes it fun.

 

We might just walk around town and check out some of the wine and buildings. We might make this an easy touring and shopping day. Thanks!

[biaria]

Hi bearette,

 

Yes, the cable car and toboggan rides are good possibilities. As long as you hold the babies securely you'll be fine on the toboggan. If you're using push chairs for the babies, there's a van transporting the toboggans from the end of the ride to the start that can take the push chairs on their reverse way. It' just a question of you waiting for the van.

 

Walking around town is also very interesting. If your cruise ship is staying here long enough, you'll have time for cable car/toboggan and walking around town.

 

Enjoy Madeira!

[bearette]

I know my kids would love the tobbagon-we live near Disneyland and are frequent visitors. (As long as they are with us of course). My daughter is a dare devil and I can picture her squealing already. I think we will try this but if they don't let us we will view the garden and take the cable car or bus back and walk around tow. Thank you again for all your knowledge. You should work part time for the travel bureau! ;0)

 

Were you referring to the botanical gardens with the birds I read about on line? My daughter is obsessed with birds so I would love directions on how to get to that garden.

Edited November 3, 2013 by bearette
Added something

[biaria]

Hi bearette,

 

Then it seems the toboggan ride is a good choice!

 

To reach the Botanical Gardens and the adjoining Louro Park (birds) you can either take a taxi or bus #31 or #31A that leaves from along Avenida do Mar, the waterfront avenue - a ticket bought inside the bus is 1.90 euros per adult. Another option to get to the Botanical Gardens is by cable car from Monte, but it may not be very doable as you're planning to take the toboggan ride and it ends 2km away. You can always take a taxi back up to Monte, but the driver may charge too much for a short ride.

 

From the end of the toboggan ride to town, apart from taxis, there's public transport.

 

It would be interesting to work for the travel bureau... but I don't.

[bearette]

Hi bearette,

 

Then it seems the toboggan ride is a good choice!

 

To reach the Botanical Gardens and the adjoining Louro Park (birds) you can either take a taxi or bus #31 or #31A that leaves from along Avenida do Mar, the waterfront avenue - a ticket bought inside the bus is 1.90 euros per adult. Another option to get to the Botanical Gardens is by cable car from Monte, but it may not be very doable as you're planning to take the toboggan ride and it ends 2km away. You can always take a taxi back up to Monte, but the driver may charge too much for a short ride.

 

From the end of the toboggan ride to town, apart from taxis, there's public transport.

 

It would be interesting to work for the travel bureau... but I don't.

 

Is it not possible to do the garden first and then take the toboggan down?

Our tentative plan is to just walk down ( or up) to take the cable car to Monte, then the other cable car to the Garden ( or can we walk from there? ) and then toboggan and bus back to town. With whatever time we have left tour/walk around town and find some wine.

 

Thank you again for all your help!

[biaria]

Sure, you take the cable car up to Monte, then cable car to Botanical Gardens, then return to Monte by cable car again, plus the 2km toboggan ride down to Livramento and bus down to town.

 

Here you can see the time table for the bus that covers that area http://www.horariosdofunchal.pt/carreiras/19.pdf#toolbar=0&navpanes=0 For the bus to town you look under Levada Corujeira, but the bus will say "Centro" because it's going to the centre of town. Also please note that the time shown is when the bus leaves the terminal, so it will take some time before it reaches you.

 

Buy a return ticket for your Monte/Botanical Gardens/Monte ride because it's cheaper - 12.75 euros per adult, while two one way tickets cost 8.25 euros each.

 

Speaking about the Botanical Gardens, some tourists refer to the Monte Tropical Palace Gardens as Botanical Gardens but they're not.

 

If you like to walk, you can walk from the harbor to the cable car station, but I think it may take you 1 hour because of the babies and also because there's construction work along the waterfront avenue and you'll need to go through a longer than usual route.

 

If you're meaning Madeira Wine, Blandy's Wine Lodge in Funchal is the best. It's near the Municipal Gardens and you'll get there if you walk straight ahead for a few minutes with your back to the Cathedral's front gate.

 

All the best!

[biaria]

If you're planning to take the bus down to town after the Monte to Livramento Toboggan ride, please look at the time table here:

 

http://www.horariosdofunchal.pt/carreiras/19.pdf#toolbar=0&navpanes=0

 

For the bus to town you look under Levada Corujeira, but the bus will say "Centro" because it's going to the centre of town. Also please note that the time shown is when the bus leaves the terminal, so it will take some time before it reaches you.

 

Enjoy the ride and Madeira Island!

Edited November 4, 2013 by biaria

[bearette]

Sure, you take the cable car up to Monte, then cable car to Botanical Gardens, then return to Monte by cable car again, plus the 2km toboggan ride down to Livramento and bus down to town.

 

Here you can see the time table for the bus that covers that area http://www.horariosdofunchal.pt/carreiras/19.pdf#toolbar=0&navpanes=0 For the bus to town you look under Levada Corujeira, but the bus will say "Centro" because it's going to the centre of town. Also please note that the time shown is when the bus leaves the terminal, so it will take some time before it reaches you.

 

Buy a return ticket for your Monte/Botanical Gardens/Monte ride because it's cheaper - 12.75 euros per adult, while two one way tickets cost 8.25 euros each.

 

Speaking about the Botanical Gardens, some tourists refer to the Monte Tropical Palace Gardens as Botanical Gardens but they're not.

 

If you like to walk, you can walk from the harbor to the cable car station, but I think it may take you 1 hour because of the babies and also because there's construction work along the waterfront avenue and you'll need to go through a longer than usual route.

 

If you're meaning Madeira Wine, Blandy's Wine Lodge in Funchal is the best. It's near the Municipal Gardens and you'll get there if you walk straight ahead for a few minutes with your back to the Cathedral's front gate.

 

All the best!

 

Thanks again for your help! We arrive at 8am so if we are up early we will walk but if not we will take a taxi to get there...yeah we thought about going to Blandy's but I hear it is cheaper to buy the product in the market which would be our next stop...to stock up.

[biaria]

You're welcome.

 

I'm not informed about the prices, but I think you have a good point there - Madeira Wine at the market (or supermarket, for that matter) is probably better priced.

[Alphen]

Biaria,

 

I have another question, I have referred other people on our cruise to the company on Madeira that we have selected and ordered our “Referta walk (number 12)”. They are also interested In the very “Referta walk (number 12)” that we have booked for Sunday the 29th of December.

 

This couple say they got an answer from the company, responding that they are not offering the Referta Walk because the trail is closed for security reasons. They said the company was suggesting the Quinta Grande walk instead. Do you know of this situation, or maybe there was some miscommunication involved?

 

Regards,

 

Jeroen

[biaria]

Hello Jeroen,

 

The information is quite correct, due to some unfortunate land slides late last month, the Referta path was damaged and is now closed.

 

Quinta Grande is a very good alternative, though.

 

Enjoy your day on Madeira!

[Alphen]

Hello Jeroen,

 

The information is quite correct, due to some unfortunate land slides late last month, the Referta path was damaged and is now closed.

 

Quinta Grande is a very good alternative, though.

 

Enjoy your day on Madeira!

 

Many thanks for the quick reply, trying to contact our tour organiser now, they did not tell us, but did let us pay last week!

[biaria]

The land slides were on September 29, so last week they already knew that the path was closed. I bet they didn't want to risk loosing you... very bad customer service in my opinion!

[biaria]

Sorry, November 29 I mean.

[Alphen]

Sorry, November 29 I mean.

 

To bad we had to find out the hard way, they now say it is unpredictable when the walks are open again and we have already paid, so do not no what to do right now. Trust is a bit low now!

[biaria]

The area is badly damaged, so I can imagine that it may take some time to be walkable again. As you have already paid, your best bet now is to accept their alternative route - the island is so beautiful, so wherever you go will certainly delight you.