For The Love Of Port

Hi Roy et al

I haven't been around for a while due to moving and changing jobs, but finally found a spare 5 mins this evening and have now spent the last 1hr reading through the various threads, I love it and have missed spending time here.

I am hopefully goingto visit the island in a couple of weeks during my girl friend's half term ( she is a teacher ). I am going to spend 4 +/- days there and would love to hear of any must do experiences whilst there. I have a contact who I am hoping will arrange a few meetings for me, but if anyone can spare a few minutes I would be most appreciative.

Best
Tom

Ps Roy - sorry not to get around to posting the port offer.

Do visit Arturo Barros E Sousa in Funchal (traditional methods of making madeira) and the Madeira Wine Lodge for a tour (following that with a visit to the vintage tasting room).

If you can, spend at least 2 nights well outside of Funchal, thus splitting your time. You can try the Pousada dos Vinhaticos (also serves nice cuisine by a cozy fire) on the old road between Ribeira Brava and Sao Vicente, in the midst of the Serra de Agua. There is also the oceanfront hotel/restaurant Residencial Calhau in Porto Moniz where you can get a room on the lower level with HUGE terrace (I'm guessing something like 25 feet deep by 15 feet wide) extending directly on the ocean and amazing lava pools... (basic in terms of decor but it's really about the location/view when you have the right room, and the food actually was very good when I was there). You can also try Casa das Videiras in Seixal (somewhat luxury B&B type place) in Seixal, if it is still open - http://www.casa-das-videiras.com, but it does not have a head-on view like the place in Porto Moniz.

Whether or not you stay outside of Funchal for a night, you will want to have a car and tour around and at least visit the northwest coast between Sao Vicente and Porto Moniz (and, with caution, do take the old road for the best experience rather than the swiss cheese fast tunnel - it is all about scenery); if you can, also lunch up in Chao Ribeira above Seixal - good espetata and they also make their own table wine; on the way back to Funchal I highly recommend Ponto do Pargo for a rest stop (basically SW-most area of the island) which has an amazing and peaceful viewpoint area on a high cliff, and you are likely to see a cow grazing a bit too close to the precipitous edge.... I would also recommend a visit to Encumeada (also between Ribeira Brava and Sao Vicente), which has very nice hiking trails (and you can see both ocean on both the north and south coasts from there) and levadas that you can follow for a superb perspective of the central mountains. You can also drive up to Pico do Arieiro area, but as of 2 years ago at least, the pousada there was closed so it is more like a rest stop with a very basic gift shop (perhaps someone has an update on status here?). It feels very much like you are on a moonscape up there. Santana is also nice and Faial. But definitely do try to spend some of your overnights out in the country with day trips for an unforgettable experience.

I will try to post some photos when I get home.

Heather

Sorry.

Heather,

I truly appreciate your efforts to help. But including so many photos and of that size is going to be a bit much and not what the Forum is designed for. May I make a suggestion?

Please take remove your last post. Put your verbiage and photos into a word document and send them to me. I will be happy to include it in the FTLOP newsletter as a GUEST CORNER article where you can go into detail about your trip, put as many pictures as you'd like and at larger dpi's then would be acceptable in the Forum.

Besides, then you'd be famous.

Seriously, I think that would be the best approach!

Respectfully,

Roy

Tom,

I've never been to Madeira so can't offer you any advice - but it's great to see you back on the Board. Welcome home.

Alex

Tom,

Hopefully you received my email yesterday. I will look into why you only have one post listed but I have a feeling that you might have signed up a 2nd time on FTLOP, not sure.

Sorry. This wasn't about a trip, but about giving him some visual aids on the specific recommendations for this gentleman's upcoming trip. I had seen a bunch of photos on a thread elsewhere and it seemed to have worked, so I wasn't aware that posting pix was a problem for the forum, and I also didn't realize how difficult it would be to even accomplish it technically. I spent a lot of time trying to resize them down below 75k and finally succeeded.

A google image search will have to do for the trip recommendations. Again, my apologies.

Heather,

I appreciate you helping Tom with his upcoming trip, very commendable and no need for any apology!

If you can keep the size of the pics down (we typically don't ask folks to change theirs unless they have more than 1 or 2) then please feel free to proceed, if you don't want to do the Guest Corner bit. I don't want you to be discouraged from posting. We are in the midst of building a photo upload vehicle for FTLOP that will be much simpler, so hopefully in time, folks won't have to go through such a maze to have their pics on this site.

Heather,

Sadly I am kept busy and finding time to post is often difficult.

I am over whelmed by your time. Fantastic information. I can tell you obviously enjoyed yourself. Sadly I am going to hold off due to money issues. To sooth my mind I have just ordered 2 btls of Barbeito 1981.

I have been thinking of going for a little while and reading your thread has got me inspired, however i think i'm going to have to wait a little longer.

Thank you VERY much for your information. I have noted it and put it in a file.

Tom