Madeira is often remembered for two things: its warmth and its wine — traditionally taken with a slice of cake.
Tempted by the thought of this trio, I headed off to the sub-tropical island just as the weather took a turn for the worse in the UK. Landing in 23C in October, I had clearly made the right decision.
In truth, I expected little more than sun, sea air and lots of sleep. Because the other side to Madeira’s reputation is that this Portuguese island off the north-west coast of Africa, has long been popular among a more senior community.
But is it time for change? Madeira’s economy depends on its tourism industry — and its representatives are looking to appeal to a younger generation.
“More and more young people have started to come to Madeira,” explains one local tour guide. “And it’s important for us that they do.”
The efforts have borne fruit. Now on offer are water sports, walking tours of the picturesque Old Town which has been regenerated with street art, and what’s marketed as a Jeep Safari Tour. More than a few operators offer the latter, so we take one up on it.
The jeep part is certainly essential. Madeira and the landscape around capital Funchal is hilly. Numerous times we are driven up 20 degree tilts — or steeper — to get to the main viewing points. It’s worth it: the views themselves are spectacular, high above clouds with vast vistas showing what the island offers.
On the drive back down, our tour guide tells us about the mountains, the fauna and banana trees of the area — as well as encouraging us to look out for the ‘naked ladies’. These are, of course, the pink Belladonna lilies that grow without leaves; one of many blooms which have long made Madeira famous. They’re celebrated in the island’s festivals, with the next flower festival set to take place in May.
Around 250 metres up in the hills, we see an elderly lady baking flat circular breads. She’s making bolo de caco, a local recipe that we later eat with garlic butter. Around 40 per cent of the island’s inhabitants live high on these steep slopes and winding roads. I can’t help wondering how she gets her groceries as we head back down to level ground and the comfort of our hotel.
Staying in the adults-only Allegro Madeira hotel, less than 30 minutes from the airport, its sea views, top service from helpful staff and clean crisp-white sheets tick all the necessary boxes.
And its prime location and reasonable price make it the perfect fit if you’re looking to get out and explore, rather than simply lounging around by a pool. Refurbished in September 2017, the hotel is popular with English, French and an increasing number of German tourists.
There is a pool, spa and small gym for those keen to keep up their levels of self-care but this hotel focuses on smaller sweet personal touches rather than full-scale luxury — for instance, local chocolates on the pillows (of which there are four choices to sleep on).
From my sea-view room, I take a moment to tie on my white robe, grab a hot drink and sit out by the balcony, gazing down to Funchal and out to the waves. Here, we’re just 500 metres from the beach and less than two kilometres from the city centre.
While the hotel’s continental breakfast buffet appeals to most guests, the hotel is empty for lunch and dinner as most guests dine out — save for those who take advantage of the reasonably priced cocktails at the hotel’s rooftop bar with its wonderful 360 degree views.
There are choices galore nearby if you want to try local cuisine, both in the Old Town and along the seafront, with many specialising in locally caught tuna.
But I was even more interested in a different set of marine creatures. On the southern coast of Madeira, you can go whale and dolphin watching. Seeing them up close has always been a dream of mine and our trip was scheduled for the last day of our visit.
Except my luck with the weather didn’t hold. It poured. Not only did it rain, there were thunderstorms. And no, we could not convince the boatmen to head out and hope the clouds would get out of the way by the time we discovered a pod of whales.
Head in hands over the breakfast table, one middle-aged lady overhead our conversation. She had gone on the whale-watching tour the day before, and got lucky.
“We saw two Pilot whales, they were beautiful. Oh, and I got a photo. We also saw four dolphins, not that we want to rub it in.”
I could have cried. “I have been here for a week,” she went on, “but there was so much more we could have done and wanted to do.”
“Maybe it gives you more of a reason to come back,” the waitress chimed in.
And you know what? I agreed with her — just as the sun started to break through once more on our way back to the airport.
Like this? Sign up for more with our JC Life newsletter https://www.thejc.com/subscribe
From fabulous recipes, to parenting tips; travel and West End entertainment; insightful interviews and much more: there’s more to the JC than news
