Madeira-A Feast for the Eyes

One of the most beautiful places I have ever visited.

Funchal, Madeira’s beauty simply took my breath away. It is the perfect port city to visit because it combines beauty, history, hospitality, and ease of access, all into one spectacular package.

It is eternally spring in this small, peaceful, volcanic island that features soaring cliffs, clear blue water, stunning mountains, deep canyons, and prolific city gardens with breathtaking displays of flowers rarely seen outside Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. There are beautiful gardens EVERYWHERE and Funchal was awarded the 2000 competition for Greening and Flowering of Towns. Also, it was recently voted cleanest city in Portugal.

We took the full circuit of the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus tour. The bus transported us through the beautiful harbor, through the winding streets of the old quarter, then, high into the mountains atop all the lush green flora and past beautiful residences that overlook the harbor. We climbed as high as the cable car ride.

On the tour, we learned about how Funchal was an important supply point on transatlantic trade routes leading to the Americas, Africa, and India because the predominant trade winds naturally led ships here (and to the Canaries).

I am simply stunned by the beauty of this city that is a continuous feast for the eyes. I would visit Funchal, Madeira again in a heartbeat.