Anyone been to Madeira?
Discussion
My missus has got it into her head that Madeira is a nice place to go for a holiday! I thought it was spposed to be a bit cheap & tacky, but I honestly don't know. She's suggesting that we go in February, during the half-term break, when the temperature averages about 18 degrees - which sounds quite pleasant!
Anyway, I haven't got a damn clue whether Madeira is good, bad or indifferent. As such, any feedback would be helpful.
Secondly, if anyone can recommend it as a reasonable destination I'd be interested in knowing any decent hotels (4/5 star).
Anyway, I haven't got a damn clue whether Madeira is good, bad or indifferent. As such, any feedback would be helpful.
Secondly, if anyone can recommend it as a reasonable destination I'd be interested in knowing any decent hotels (4/5 star).
Madeira is lovely, though it's not a 'beach island' so if you want miles of golden sand try the canaries. The best activity their is walking, and the scenery is spectacular, it's very green/hilly. Food is excellent espcially the fish ( as you'd expect )
Due to the lack of beaches Iv'e never found it to be either mass market or chav-ified.
Due to the lack of beaches Iv'e never found it to be either mass market or chav-ified.
Madeira is very mountainous and beaches are not brilliant. But lovely scenery and famous gardens. Good for walking and things like that. Reids is the best hotel, but is IMHO over-rated.
If you want to head in that direction, try the Azores. Less developed and good for whale watching, volcanos and stuff like that. And green & lush, unlike the Canaries.
And there are direct flights there now, if I am not m mistaken.
If you want to head in that direction, try the Azores. Less developed and good for whale watching, volcanos and stuff like that. And green & lush, unlike the Canaries.
And there are direct flights there now, if I am not m mistaken.
Madeira is a place for Newly weds and nearly deads. Sod all to do, very boring, no beaches as its a rough atlantic island with very changable weather. I think its great of you want to go on a rambling holiday as the scenerey and mountains are very pretty. Also I was there in the winter months (Flew down there in my job as a pilot, so got stuck there for 10 days... interesting approach and landing 
)
) anonymous said:
[redacted]
If you're into walking and scenery and aren't too bothered about the nightlife you'll probably like Madeira, the hotels all seem to be of a pretty good standard, we stayed at the Crown Plaza in Funchal, which was fine, though we also have rele's who do the self catering apartment thing , which seems to work well too.
The other thing Madeira is famous for are the flowers, which are amazing IMO.
It's def a Mr & Mrs type place rather than a lads / beach bums holiday location, but it's horses for courses IMO.
When are you thinking of going, Srebbe?
Another place worth considering if you like walking is La Gomera in the Canaries. Fantastic scenery, rugged cliffs etc. And all capped off with a World Heritage Site rainfirest. I will attempt to dig out some pickies from our holiday last year. But the walking is best done in our winter as it is too hot in our summer.
Another place worth considering if you like walking is La Gomera in the Canaries. Fantastic scenery, rugged cliffs etc. And all capped off with a World Heritage Site rainfirest. I will attempt to dig out some pickies from our holiday last year. But the walking is best done in our winter as it is too hot in our summer.
diddyman said:
When are you thinking of going, Srebbe?
Another place worth considering if you like walking is La Gomera in the Canaries. Fantastic scenery, rugged cliffs etc. And all capped off with a World Heritage Site rainfirest. I will attempt to dig out some pickies from our holiday last year. But the walking is best done in our winter as it is too hot in our summer.
We're thinking of going during the February half-term week. I've never been turned on by The Canaries - it seems to "touristy" to me, but I'm very open to ideas.
Im gonna book a trip there soon, I went when i was a kid 23 years ago and it still has good memories for me...
I was 11 sat in a coctail bar buying any girl i could find a cocktail or 2.. until my dad found out the bill I'd run up :-))
Looking at Choupana hills at moment, looks great, or Reids Palace that looks fun too. Let us know where you decide to stay and look at www.tripadvisor.com
I was 11 sat in a coctail bar buying any girl i could find a cocktail or 2.. until my dad found out the bill I'd run up :-))
Looking at Choupana hills at moment, looks great, or Reids Palace that looks fun too. Let us know where you decide to stay and look at www.tripadvisor.com
srebbe64 said:
When are you thinking of going, Srebbe?
Another place worth considering if you like walking is La Gomera in the Canaries. Fantastic scenery, rugged cliffs etc. And all capped off with a World Heritage Site rainfirest. I will attempt to dig out some pickies from our holiday last year. But the walking is best done in our winter as it is too hot in our summer.
We're thinking of going during the February half-term week. I've never been turned on by The Canaries - it seems to "touristy" to me, but I'm very open to ideas.
Diddyman may have a point with La Gomera, Iv'e been wanting to go there for a while, as I understand it you need to fly to Tenerife then get a ferry to la Gomera as no airport there, which keeps out the crowds. I was chatting to guy at a conference a while ago who was raving about the place, apparently it's rugged and desertlike on the outer parts but the interior ( effectively a great big collapesd volcanic cone ) is green and lush.
srebbe64 said:
When are you thinking of going, Srebbe?
Another place worth considering if you like walking is La Gomera in the Canaries. Fantastic scenery, rugged cliffs etc. And all capped off with a World Heritage Site rainfirest. I will attempt to dig out some pickies from our holiday last year. But the walking is best done in our winter as it is too hot in our summer.
We're thinking of going during the February half-term week. I've never been turned on by The Canaries - it seems to "touristy" to me, but I'm very open to ideas.
February would be nice for walking in La Gomera. It is not like Tenerife or Lanzagrotty or La Palma. There is one very nice hotel on La Gomera called Jardin Tecina. It is quite big but well spread out with beautiful gardens, pools, tennis courts, golf etc. They have a super restuarant you get to down a lift in the cliff to the shore. www.gomera-island.com has some info on what the place is like.
srebbe64 said:
titiany said:
I thought Madeira was built to stick old people on.
No, you're thinking of Worthing.
No, the pensioners in Easbourne can beat the crap out of the old fogies at Worthing!
Ah, Eastbourne, the towns coat of arms is a bathchair and incontenence pants
diddyman said:
srebbe64 said:
diddyman said:
When are you thinking of going, Srebbe?
Another place worth considering if you like walking is La Gomera in the Canaries. Fantastic scenery, rugged cliffs etc. And all capped off with a World Heritage Site rainfirest. I will attempt to dig out some pickies from our holiday last year. But the walking is best done in our winter as it is too hot in our summer.
We're thinking of going during the February half-term week. I've never been turned on by The Canaries - it seems to "touristy" to me, but I'm very open to ideas.
February would be nice for walking in La Gomera. It is not like Tenerife or Lanzagrotty or La Palma. There is one very nice hotel on La Gomera called Jardin Tecina. It is quite big but well spread out with beautiful gardens, pools, tennis courts, golf etc. They have a super restuarant you get to down a lift in the cliff to the shore. <a href="www.gomera-island.com">www.gomera-island.com</a> has some info on what the place is like.
Thanks for your advice and the web-site link. Do you reckon they used a native Brit to translate the web-site, or did they do it on the cheap? An example:
"The tripo from one ridge to another of a valley or ravine, descending a slope to cross the bottom and climb up the other side, sould supposse various hours for the traveller, although the distance might be scarcely a few hundred metres. In this geographical environment, the gomeran whistle was a special form of communication originated in pre-Hispanic times and does not constitutea language in the strict sense of the word, but a modality of speech that spells out syllabes by means of the whistle, with the help of the fingers introducen into the mouth."
>> Edited by srebbe64 on Tuesday 30th August 12:11
vixpy1 said:
vixpy1 said:
titiany said:
I thought Madeira was built to stick old people on.
No, you're thinking of Worthing.
No, the pensioners in Easbourne can beat the crap out of the old fogies at Worthing!
Ah, Eastbourne, the towns coat of arms is a bathchair and incontenence pants
Unlike Worthing, whose coat of arms is an incontenence chair and bath pants!
srebbe64 said:
Thanks for your advice and the web-site link. Do you reckon they used a native Brit to translate the web-site, or did they do it on the cheap? An example:
"The tripo from one ridge to another of a valley or ravine, descending a slope to cross the bottom and climb up the other side, sould supposse various hours for the traveller, although the distance might be scarcely a few hundred metres. In this geographical environment, the gomeran whistle was a special form of communication originated in pre-Hispanic times and does not constitutea language in the strict sense of the word, but a modality of speech that spells out syllabes by means of the whistle, with the help of the fingers introducen into the mouth."
>> Edited by srebbe64 on Tuesday 30th August 12:11
Know eggspence haz bean spaird inn the inglish tranzlashun!
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff