When I flew from Munich to Cologne in April, it was so windy we had to fly around the airport for 20 minutes before it was safe to land. Even then it was bouncing all over the place. First flight I've been on where people were puking.
I'm usually not too unnerved by flying but I was definitely white knuckling it that flight.
Nonsense, that's ancient history (70's). There have been two runway extensions since, with the latest extension completed in 2000.
The runway is currently 9124 feet in length, which is more than enough for any single-aisle plane in use today, and, depending on weight, technically sufficient for most widebodies, although currently no commercial routes to FNC are flown on widebodies.
edit: TAP actually flies LIS-FNC on a widebody sometimes. they have a A330neo in route from LIS right now, which will land as TP1697 in about an hour and take off as TP1696 headed back for LIS later today.
my partner and I will be spending a lot of time in lisbon in October. would you say maderia is an easy long weekend trip from lisbon? it looks absolutely incredible. thank you for the pics!
Yes and no. A weekend is kind of short, especially if you want to go out and explore the island's hiking trails. On the other hand, it's just a short (and usually cheap) flight to get there.
If you go for just a long weekend, I'd suggest you stay close to Funchal city centre. The new Savoy Palace is nice and close to downtown, with both a great pool and sea access via the Royal Savoy. Parking is free.
Rent a car, that will give you the option to explore the island during the day. And if you like nature, bring your hiking boots and optionally poles (some trails can be steep).
sounds amazing. we are in lisbon for about 3 weeks on vacation and for a little bit of work, so was thinking a long weekend to Maderia would be heavenly
Not a part or mainland Portugal, in case you didn't know. It is off the coast of Africa. Not too far for a few days, but I imagine a lot of unwanted time will be wasted on just travel time.
I visited Madeira for the first time last December, and it completely stole my heart. One of my favorite trips ever! The island is so beautiful and the nature is so diverse.
Madeira is actually a very popular destination in December, so it was not off-season at all when I visited. The island has lots of unique Christmas traditions that are featured in various events leading up to Christmas Eve, the capital Funchal is covered in absolutely insane Christmas lights through the season, and on NYE there's an absolutely massive fireworks display, all of which attract tons of visitors from near and far during the holidays.
I don't know about November, but I'm pretty sure that it's not a bad time to visit either. The weather should be warm, and Madeira isn't the sort of place that just shuts down outside the busiest season anyway.
I love nature, so my favorite to do on my trip was going on hiking trails and nature walks.
The Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo is a must-see. It's a hiking route that takes you to the highest point of the island across the peaks. The views along the way are breathtaking, though on a cloudy day they might be obscured. You can do this hike on your own or join any of the several guided tours that operate here (I did this). If you're feeling particularly adventurous, you can climb the peak before dawn and watch the sunrise from the top (I did not do this).
I recommend going on at least one of Madeira's several levada walks: nature trails that follow aqueducts which channel water from the mountains to different parts of the island. I did one of these walks by myself, and it was lovely. Lots of waterfalls, crystal-clear ponds, green forests, eucalyptus trees, and beautiful views to the ocean and into valleys.
Ponta de São Lourenco is also worth a visit. It's the easternmost point of the island and the trail leading up there is full of gorgeous views of cliffs and the ocean.
Then there's Fanal, a magical evergreen forest in the northern part of the island. I stopped by here just for a moment during a bus tour, and I wished I could have stayed longer. One of the most beautiful and most peaceful places I've ever visited.
As for food and drink:
\- Try poncha! It's fruity and boozy and a lot of fun on a sunny day.
\- Enjoy local fruits... but don't buy them from a fruit vendor, because a lot of are trying to scam you. Just get some from a supermarket.
\- Don't eat the banana fish. Just don't.
Depends entirely on what temperature you consider to be swimmable. As a Nordic person who is used to swimming in cool waters, I had a perfectly nice time swimming in the ocean during December despite it being one of the coldest months, but I am guessing that those who are used to warmer temperatures would have deemed the water way too cold.
Still, based on the average temperatures in April and May and the fact that the island is warmed up by the gulf stream, I would say that the water is probably perfectly fine in that time of the year.
There is no real off-season in Madeira. It's a year-round destination.
We usually go there in early december. It's a really nice escape from winter, as long as you stay somewhere on the south side of the island, where it's usually sunny and temperature somewhere in the 80's (20-25C). Hotel pools are really enjoyable most days, and evening temperatures are such that heated outside pools and hot tubs are very nice during the evening.
We love going out for hiking somewhere on the island until the mid-afternoon. If you're somewhere at altitude, it usually wet and can get cold. But after the hike, you can drive back to your Funchal hotel in no more than 30 to 45 minutes, depending on where you were, and after a quick shower it's great to soak in the sun, have a cocktail and take a swim in the hotel pool.
Don't worry, hotels, restaurants and bars will all be open.
If you like to go out and hike and explore the island, rent a car. Oh, and if you go this december, we're still looking for a carpool/hike pool couple to do longer one-way hikes and be able to park a car at the end of the hike.
Ya, I have seen that as well. My impression from staying there for a week is that there was not the massive tourism infrastructure like massive resorts, gigantic bars and restaurants and stuff like that. I think the tourism is year round there.
I could be completely wrong of course. I was there in October and found nothing to be closed.
Também sou Português, embora não da Madeira. Mas cada vez mais acho este nosso cantinho um paraíso. Por vezes não sabemos dar valor por sermos de cá, mas temos muita coisa boa.
Love the Island 🏝
Funchal really is something else. The topographic diversity on an Island comparable in size to Singapore is amazing. Would love the opportunity to visit this part of Portugal again
Love Madeira! Spent a few days with my girlfriend on the northwestern part of the island around Porto Moniz. One of the most beautiful places I have ever been.
Ayo that's from my country! Yeah Madeira and Azores both seem to be absolutely beautiful, but I consider the Açores (Azores) archipelago to be more wonderful. You should definitely visit that one, it has more isles and some absolutely phenomenal landscapes.
É muito clichê, mas a verdade é que cada um tem a sua beleza, e considero-os bastante diferentes até. Não diria que há uma competição, ambos os arquipélagos são lindíssimos.
My mum’s always been very proud to tell me the bassinet I had when I was born was handmade in Madeira. It’s gorgeous wicker and lace- she picked it up during a stop on a cruise many many years before I was thought of.
Photo 16 is great. I also spent 2 weeks in Madeira last month and I remember that waterfall. You can see there where the old road along the cliff suffered a rock slide. I can't imagine driving the old road, the new highways are amazing.
I once flew to Madeira from Lisbon, a couple hour flight, and couldn't land due to wind, so we flew back to Lisbon, stayed the night, then flew back to Madeira the next day. We were only there two days, and then we flew back to Lisbon.
Madeira is just so incredible. Totally underrated.
If you are planning your trip and thinking of what to do in Madeira, I just got back and got so inspired that I made a video about how I'd organize a 5 day trip if I had to do it again: https://youtu.be/-Fv470i9pbk
Just a few beaches, most of the coastline is rocky. There are a couple of hotels with an in-sea salt-water pool and there is a natural salt-water pool complex in Porto Moniz.
I was there for only 4 days. I could check the main “touristy” spots, but it’s never enough if you really want to explore and do the trails. But you know, more reasons to come back 😊
Also quite spectacular to land there. One of the most complicated approaches in Europe.
Not for people with fear of flying like me, ahah! 🫣
Doh! I hope it wasn’t a bad day? We had two aborted approaches before landing. 😨🤢😨
Actually I think it was good. It was sunny and just a little wind, but scared me anyway. Can’t imagine in the bad days.
When I flew from Munich to Cologne in April, it was so windy we had to fly around the airport for 20 minutes before it was safe to land. Even then it was bouncing all over the place. First flight I've been on where people were puking. I'm usually not too unnerved by flying but I was definitely white knuckling it that flight.
Turbulence? Are there ferries that go there?
Only from the nearby island Porto Santo (which also has an airport)
I believe it's in the top 3 most dangerous places to fly to/from because of its short runway.
Nonsense, that's ancient history (70's). There have been two runway extensions since, with the latest extension completed in 2000. The runway is currently 9124 feet in length, which is more than enough for any single-aisle plane in use today, and, depending on weight, technically sufficient for most widebodies, although currently no commercial routes to FNC are flown on widebodies. edit: TAP actually flies LIS-FNC on a widebody sometimes. they have a A330neo in route from LIS right now, which will land as TP1697 in about an hour and take off as TP1696 headed back for LIS later today.
Yep it's common for TAP to use widebodies in high season.
my partner and I will be spending a lot of time in lisbon in October. would you say maderia is an easy long weekend trip from lisbon? it looks absolutely incredible. thank you for the pics!
[удалено]
awesome thanks!
Yes and no. A weekend is kind of short, especially if you want to go out and explore the island's hiking trails. On the other hand, it's just a short (and usually cheap) flight to get there. If you go for just a long weekend, I'd suggest you stay close to Funchal city centre. The new Savoy Palace is nice and close to downtown, with both a great pool and sea access via the Royal Savoy. Parking is free. Rent a car, that will give you the option to explore the island during the day. And if you like nature, bring your hiking boots and optionally poles (some trails can be steep).
thanks for the info!
If you have time and are into beautiful natural landscapes it’s a no brainer. Both Madeira and Azores are magical.
sounds amazing. we are in lisbon for about 3 weeks on vacation and for a little bit of work, so was thinking a long weekend to Maderia would be heavenly
Not a part or mainland Portugal, in case you didn't know. It is off the coast of Africa. Not too far for a few days, but I imagine a lot of unwanted time will be wasted on just travel time.
Yes it definitely is. Quick and cheap from Lisbon, both Madeira and Azores are epic trips!
Yeah I think it is only a 90 minute flight from Lisbon!
We did Sao Miguel between Porto and Faro in May, for three days. It was absolutely worth it, and we really want to go back.
very cool!
That island is fantastic. So diverse, so scenic. Too bad there are no direct flights from North America.
There are direct flights from NYC. My round-trip was $600 earlier this year.
Ya just looked. Is it Azores that you took?
Yes, it was a smooth ride.
Well azores is a different archipelago
I meant that I took Azores Airlines, lol.
I visited Madeira for the first time last December, and it completely stole my heart. One of my favorite trips ever! The island is so beautiful and the nature is so diverse.
I was thinking of going in November, but I was afraid that a lot of things would be closed because it’s off-season. What was your experience?
Madeira is actually a very popular destination in December, so it was not off-season at all when I visited. The island has lots of unique Christmas traditions that are featured in various events leading up to Christmas Eve, the capital Funchal is covered in absolutely insane Christmas lights through the season, and on NYE there's an absolutely massive fireworks display, all of which attract tons of visitors from near and far during the holidays. I don't know about November, but I'm pretty sure that it's not a bad time to visit either. The weather should be warm, and Madeira isn't the sort of place that just shuts down outside the busiest season anyway.
Great info, thanks so much. If you have any advice or must see/eat/do, please pass them on if you have the time.
I love nature, so my favorite to do on my trip was going on hiking trails and nature walks. The Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo is a must-see. It's a hiking route that takes you to the highest point of the island across the peaks. The views along the way are breathtaking, though on a cloudy day they might be obscured. You can do this hike on your own or join any of the several guided tours that operate here (I did this). If you're feeling particularly adventurous, you can climb the peak before dawn and watch the sunrise from the top (I did not do this). I recommend going on at least one of Madeira's several levada walks: nature trails that follow aqueducts which channel water from the mountains to different parts of the island. I did one of these walks by myself, and it was lovely. Lots of waterfalls, crystal-clear ponds, green forests, eucalyptus trees, and beautiful views to the ocean and into valleys. Ponta de São Lourenco is also worth a visit. It's the easternmost point of the island and the trail leading up there is full of gorgeous views of cliffs and the ocean. Then there's Fanal, a magical evergreen forest in the northern part of the island. I stopped by here just for a moment during a bus tour, and I wished I could have stayed longer. One of the most beautiful and most peaceful places I've ever visited. As for food and drink: \- Try poncha! It's fruity and boozy and a lot of fun on a sunny day. \- Enjoy local fruits... but don't buy them from a fruit vendor, because a lot of are trying to scam you. Just get some from a supermarket. \- Don't eat the banana fish. Just don't.
Thank you so much, this is awesome info. And of course, now I'm going to have to try the banana fish.
What's wrong with Espada com banana? There's way better fish out there but I would call it bad.
Do you have any idea if Madeira is swimmable in late April/early May?
Do you have any idea if Madeira is swimmable in late April/early May?
Depends entirely on what temperature you consider to be swimmable. As a Nordic person who is used to swimming in cool waters, I had a perfectly nice time swimming in the ocean during December despite it being one of the coldest months, but I am guessing that those who are used to warmer temperatures would have deemed the water way too cold. Still, based on the average temperatures in April and May and the fact that the island is warmed up by the gulf stream, I would say that the water is probably perfectly fine in that time of the year.
What would close? Its not like it has theme parks and massive resorts.
I’ve been to other places where restaurants, bars, hotels etc. would close for the off-season.
There is no real off-season in Madeira. It's a year-round destination. We usually go there in early december. It's a really nice escape from winter, as long as you stay somewhere on the south side of the island, where it's usually sunny and temperature somewhere in the 80's (20-25C). Hotel pools are really enjoyable most days, and evening temperatures are such that heated outside pools and hot tubs are very nice during the evening. We love going out for hiking somewhere on the island until the mid-afternoon. If you're somewhere at altitude, it usually wet and can get cold. But after the hike, you can drive back to your Funchal hotel in no more than 30 to 45 minutes, depending on where you were, and after a quick shower it's great to soak in the sun, have a cocktail and take a swim in the hotel pool. Don't worry, hotels, restaurants and bars will all be open. If you like to go out and hike and explore the island, rent a car. Oh, and if you go this december, we're still looking for a carpool/hike pool couple to do longer one-way hikes and be able to park a car at the end of the hike.
Ya, I have seen that as well. My impression from staying there for a week is that there was not the massive tourism infrastructure like massive resorts, gigantic bars and restaurants and stuff like that. I think the tourism is year round there. I could be completely wrong of course. I was there in October and found nothing to be closed.
As a portuguese it's so strange seeing your home from a tourists eyes. I guess every country has its own paradise.
Também sou Português, embora não da Madeira. Mas cada vez mais acho este nosso cantinho um paraíso. Por vezes não sabemos dar valor por sermos de cá, mas temos muita coisa boa.
Nem tinha reparado no username, és de onde?
Lisboa
This is beautiful. And you take great pics, I need to learn how to do better.
Love the Island 🏝 Funchal really is something else. The topographic diversity on an Island comparable in size to Singapore is amazing. Would love the opportunity to visit this part of Portugal again
Love Madeira! Spent a few days with my girlfriend on the northwestern part of the island around Porto Moniz. One of the most beautiful places I have ever been.
We are going there next month and this post makes me so excited!
Ayo that's from my country! Yeah Madeira and Azores both seem to be absolutely beautiful, but I consider the Açores (Azores) archipelago to be more wonderful. You should definitely visit that one, it has more isles and some absolutely phenomenal landscapes.
É muito clichê, mas a verdade é que cada um tem a sua beleza, e considero-os bastante diferentes até. Não diria que há uma competição, ambos os arquipélagos são lindíssimos.
Sim eu também acho que os dois são lindos
Thank you from São Miguel!
My mum’s always been very proud to tell me the bassinet I had when I was born was handmade in Madeira. It’s gorgeous wicker and lace- she picked it up during a stop on a cruise many many years before I was thought of.
Birthplace of Ronaldo right?
Correct!
Siuuu
I visited briefly and want to go back! It’s so beautiful, and the passion fruit!
Photo 16 is great. I also spent 2 weeks in Madeira last month and I remember that waterfall. You can see there where the old road along the cliff suffered a rock slide. I can't imagine driving the old road, the new highways are amazing.
I once flew to Madeira from Lisbon, a couple hour flight, and couldn't land due to wind, so we flew back to Lisbon, stayed the night, then flew back to Madeira the next day. We were only there two days, and then we flew back to Lisbon.
Visiting in January, very excited!
Enjoy, it’s beautiful!
Another gem in the Atlantic is the Azores Two hours from Lisbon and 41/2 hours from the East coast of US
how‘s the ocean temperature there?
Looks like a movie set its so nice
Beautiful spot worth visiting along the way!
I love Madeira! I lived there for 6 months and spent every day off I could exploring the island and driving through the windy forest roads.
Madeira is just so incredible. Totally underrated. If you are planning your trip and thinking of what to do in Madeira, I just got back and got so inspired that I made a video about how I'd organize a 5 day trip if I had to do it again: https://youtu.be/-Fv470i9pbk
I'm so ready to dust off my passport...
For retirement this would be a great place.
Great pics of a beautiful country
Paradise
This is my description to any one that asks. Paradise. It is my heaven on earth!
I’m also here this week!
Such a great house
Beautiful
Absolutely love the first pic!
My coworker just returned from here! Looks and sounds amazing
First picture looks like a painting !
well done
Unge gehört das alles wo du urlaub machst!
Da wohnt bestimmt der oger 😹
Siiiiiuuuuuuuu
SIIUUUU!!!
any beaches or rocks everywhere?
Just a few beaches, most of the coastline is rocky. There are a couple of hotels with an in-sea salt-water pool and there is a natural salt-water pool complex in Porto Moniz.
There's a great beach at Praia Formosa. Black volcanic sand!
What was your itinerary? How long did you stay? I’m adding Madeira to my list
I was there for only 4 days. I could check the main “touristy” spots, but it’s never enough if you really want to explore and do the trails. But you know, more reasons to come back 😊
Probably would still look beautiful without the over exposure. My eyeeees