The Wicker Man
There’s a pub in Camacha called ‘Moses Bar’. We stopped to ask directions and I noticed an extensive selection of high-priced European...
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Madeira Travel Stories
In a Nutshell
When leaves turned to yellow and red, the chestnut trees of my Scottish youth were beset by legions of school kids armed with sticks &...
Wiston Churchill's Viewpoint
“There’s so much made of Sir Winston Churchill’s visit to Madeira, you’d think he had ‘time-share’ at Pestana Palms. ” Sir Winston...
Lord of Miracles
“It was a miracle! And we almost missed it!” This silent, candlelit parade is held here each year in October. This year, in spite of the...
Sea Wolves of Madeira
A mother Monk Seal looks after her precious pup. “I’m confused! My friends have been telling me this for years... I thought ‘Lobo...
The Wolf from Scotland
“It all started with a Scotsman who just couldn’t hold his tongue!” This is rather a long tale, enough for a book or indeed a Netflix...
Santo da 'Sidre'
“Cider or ‘Sidra’ is synonymous with Santo da Serra and there is normally a festival held each September to celebrate the fact” We’d come...
Bio-Quinta do Pântano
“This is where golf originated!” I thought that might get your attention ... We all know the game took a firm grip on the sandy shores of...
North Mills Rum Distillery
“Why does it not surprise me that much of Madeira’s earliest and most successful industries were related to alcohol?” Of course, Madeira...
The Wonder of Wicker
“If the Wicker Man reminded me of Carlos Santana, the gentleman who showed us around the wicker processing plant was the spit of Humphry...
Casa dos Salgados
“There’s a unique restaurant just below the village of Camacha... not easy to find... but well worth the effort!” The road is rough and...
Cottage Country
“In a cottage in a wood, a ‘Quinta’ and its gardens stood” Chilling out in your own garden space Hansel & Gretel would be absolutely...
Santo's Singing Baker
“Trying to make a crust these days is no laughing matter and in these troubled times, Madeira people have been rising to fresh...
Rural Golf Retreats
Legions of holidaymakers queuing for a trough of bottomless buffet breakfasts? Packed hotel elevators and sardine-style swimming pools....
Ukulele Blues
I was intrigued to learn that the Ukulele originally came from Madeira! The ‘Braguinha’, the forerunner of the Ukulele was developed here...
The Healing Sands of Porto Santo
Scientists from the University of Oslo in Norway and the University of Aveiro, just south of Porto in mainland Portugal found that the...
Fajã dos Padres
“Do you ever dream of being transported to the ‘perfect spot’, somewhere where you can totally relax and get away from it all? I think...
Casa Bettencourt
It’s a good idea to arrive either early or late as they don’t take bookings. “I came to the village of Prazeres for lunch and got more...
Maktub Pub
“Why does Maktub remind me of Katmandu? Not that i’ve been to Katmandu. I’d like to but this will do meantime...” Madeira Institution To...
The Playboy from Scotland
“Why is it that Scotsmen have a penchant for stirring up trouble on these islands?” Henry Gordon Veitch was the British consul on...
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