Old Town (Zona Velha) – Funchal

Funchal`s Zona Velha (Old Town), formerly the city`s slum, is now an area of quaint cobbled streets with craft shops occupying the low, one-roomed houses where at one time whole families slept, ate and played. The old fishing community has not been entirely eradicated, however, for there is still a working boatyard at the western end of the Zona Velha. At the eastern end, under the walls of the Fortaleza de São Tiago, there is a tinny black-pebble beach (the Praia da Barreirinha) where local people still come to bathe and eat grilled sardines sold by enterprising street vendors.” (pg. 26)

“Travellers Madeira” (2001), Hampshire: AA Publishing

Funchal.........

Far from being the provincial island backwater you might expect from its remote location, Madeira`s capital is a bustling city of 100.000 people (a third of the island`s population). Visitors from mainland Portugal frequently refer to Funchal as “little Lisbon” because of its elegant architecture, fashionable shops and lively cafés. Again like Lisbon, the city streets twist and tumble up and down the steep hillside that rises from the harbour.

Only in the city centre are the streets level, and here the main avenues and squares are elegantly paved with black and white stone forming mosaic work patterns based on heraldic flowers or arabesques. Flowering trees provide shade from the sun, while the heady scent of jasmine betrays the presence of one of Funchal`s many hidden patios and courtyard gardens.” (pg. 30)

“Travellers Madeira” (2001), Hampshire: AA Publishing

“Peace and Quiet”

“On Madeira you can escape quickly and easily from the bustle of modern life by walking alongside the island`s extensive network of irrigation canals. Called levadas, these watercourses link village to village and penetrate deep into the mountains heart of the island. Levadas follow the island`s contours, falling with an almost imperceptible gradient so it is possible to walk for miles on level paths, enjoying Madeira´s exhilarating landscapes with none of the physical effort normally associated with mountain climbing. Along the route you will encounter shady eucalyptus forest, fragrant with menthol, sundappled clearings where butterflies feed, banks of wild hydrangeas and amaryllis, rural farms and orchards, rockcut tunnels and waterfalls.” (pg. 12)

(The AA travel guide “Essential Madeira” (2001))

“Essence of Madeira”

The AA travel guide “Essential Madeira” (2001) says:

“Landscape and climate combine on Madeira to create an island of all-year-round appeal. In winter, while northern Europe shivers, southerly Madeira is basking in balmly sunshine. In summer, whilst searing heat turns much of southern Europe arid, the island remains a green semi-tropical paradise. The air heavy with the scent of flowers To travel around Madeira is to encounter breathtaking views at every turn, whether sheer rock cliffs battered by Atlantic waves, burnt volcanic rocks lit gold by the setting sun, or valleys carved into tiny fields, forming a patchwork of stepped terraces.” (pg. 8)