Lonely Planet Pocket Madeira (Travel Guide)

Product Information

Spend a night discovering the bars and restaurants of Zona Velha, ascend to the cool, leafy neighbourhood of Monte on a cable car, and explore the elegant mansion house museum of Quinta das Cruzes – all with your trusted travel companion. Brave the crowds at Mercearia da Poncha to try the unmissable poncha (a highly alcoholic drink mixing sugar cane aguardente, honey, sugar and fruit juice).

Much of the local rum makes its way into poncha, a drink that combines white rum, orange and/or lemon juice and honey and/or sugar, which is then whipped to a frothy consistency with a special wooden tool. The market has a particular emphasis on drinks, with vendors selling pitchers of poncha, local cider, and even boozy coffee drinks, all of which are paired with dentinhos – snacks that can range from deep-fried pork rinds to a tiny salad of favas. Get more travel inspiration, tips and exclusive offers sent straight to your inbox with our weekly newsletter .

This item may ship from the US or other locations in India depending on your location and availability. You'll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, videos, 14 languages, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more, enabling you to explore every day. I will be using buses and liked that lots of info is given even where to find the main central bus stops.

Most purchases from business sellers are protected by the Consumer Contract Regulations 2013 which give you the right to cancel the purchase within 14 days after the day you receive the item. Seller has stated it will dispatch the item within 1 working day upon receipt of cleared payment - opens in a new window or tab . North Mills Distillery, on the island’s north shore, is one of the only remaining steam-powered factories in Europe.Today, it’s the only place in Europe that produces agricultural rum – rum distilled from sugarcane juice rather than from sugar or molasses. Vendors assemble in the early morning and bring a huge variety of tropical fruits – bananas, of course, but also passionfruit, guava, papaya, custard apple, pitanga, tamarillo and other fruit generally more associated with South America. The most famous natural pool is in Porto Moniz, on the island’s northwestern corner, although with its extensive handrails, bathrooms and changing rooms, it doesn’t feel so natural these days. Choose the capital city of Funchal if you’re pressed for time, want to be close to all the action (and the airport) and travel on a budget.

Levadas exist in varying degrees of difficulty and repair; check out WalkMe, a regularly updated guide, to see if the levada you have in mind is open and safe.

Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.

These days a cable car has eliminated the need for commuting in this way, so the sledges have become the island's best one-of-a-kind amusement. You can slowly mosey onto the glass-bottom lookout at Cabo Girão, which sits atop one of the highest sea cliffs in the world (from below, the menacing 580m-high rock wall rivals 'the wall' from Game of Thrones); or hike the cinematic mountain-strewn landscape at Pico do Arieiro (1818m), Madeira's third-highest peak, showered in yellow gorse and purple massaroco flora in spring. Try Santo António, a family-owned restaurant in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos, known for traditional espetadas (beef kebabs on laurel branch skewers).Make the most of a quick trip to Madeira with trusted travel advice to get you straight to the heart of the city. Borges, in Funchal, was founded over a century ago and is one of the more traditional houses on the island – they offer a visit and tasting with advance notice. The island is also a place of gentler pleasures, such as wine-tasting, visiting lush botanical gardens and watching embroiderers and wicker weavers at work.