twoatsea

Thank you Biaria for such specific info. Should be easy to find our way around now.

But.....the toboggan ride! We were all ready to take it when we saw a video showing walls along the sides of the street - that's a good thing!

But.....then the video continued & it showed cars sharing the same street as the toboggan! It looked very dangerous for the toboggan & occupants! Cars were weaving in & out to try & avoid the toboggan. Then the toboggan came to a crossroad, missing a car by seconds.

Was this video an accurate depiction?

Biaria, I just found this thread since I am researching Funchal/Madeira for our visit on Tuesday, April 20 via the RCCL Independence. I'm so sorry about what happened to your hometown and area, but mostly for the families who lost loved ones and those seriously injured. Glad to read that you are fine. Hope you and your neighbors are soon back to normal.

I read all of the many pages of this thread & thanks to you I got an itinerary for our day -

- Taxi from pier to Market.

- Taxi* from Market to Monte Tropical Gardens.

- Basket ride.

- Taxi to ship

*Note we will taxi, not cable car. I saw pictues of the cable cars & they are much too high for us!

So, if you would not mind receiving more questions, I have some, please.

1. Will there be taxis outside the Market?

2. Should we taxi between the Tropical Gardens & the basket ride, or are they located close to each other?

3. If we decide not to take the basket ride, are there taxis outside the Tropical Gardens to take us back to the ship?

4. Is the toboggan ride scary? I'm not interested in experiencing a feeling of going over the side of a cliff!

Lastly, the HoHo bus, just in case the weather is not good, &/or we decide not to venture to Monte -

1. What are the directions from the ship to the nearest bus stop & how far is it?

2. Do we just pay the bus driver?

Thank you for your generous help to all of us.

Sorry, this thread is too long, so I did not read every post. However, I'd like to offer some info to hopefully ease apprehension of doing it independently.

IMO, it appears that most people agree that one cannot see/experience a country, city, or sometimes a site as a cruise port. To experience anywhere in Europe (or anywhere as far as that is concerned), you need to take a land trip - group tour or independently. If one if really apprehensive, start with a guided group bus tour, such as, Globus, Trafalgar, etc. Sure, these are not the best way, but definitely a bonus for those who fear "doing it on their own"? Make it a shorter tour, maybe 5 days in cities you specifically want to see, such as, Rome, Venice, etc. Then return independently & you will feel comfortable.

RE: Rome - IMO, the Rome bus system is not easy to use. On our 3rd trip there (all land trips), we asked locals, our apartment owner, etc. & no one knew how to use it - they drive. We asked other tourists we met - they were not using it because they couldn't figure it out. I use the Fodors talk board to plan my trips & no one on there could answer my questions. So, while in Rome, I finally bought the route map & guide & studied it one evening. I posted instructions here - http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2 - but for the short amount of time in Rome as a port stop, I wouldn't bother trying to figure out the buses.

In Rome for a day, I suggest using the #110 HoHo bus - red double decker. Here are 2 sites - http://www.romaturismo.com/v2/romatiaccoglie/en/autobus2_4.html, http://www.atac.roma.it/. It is easy to use & stops near most tourist sites. Get on at any of the stops & pay onboard. However one needs a good map so once off the bus you can figure your way around. I like Brendt & Freytag's Rome map (in Italian so the map names & the street names match); buy at Barnes & Nobles or Borders or local map store; about $10.

Keep in mind that when you land tour independently, as long as you are staying in hotels vs. apartments, your hotel staff will give you most of the info you need - you will not be on your own.

Also keep in mind that when you sit at a cafe in the tourist centers, you are observing tourists, not locals; except maybe those who work in the area & are rushing in & out of the city! If you want to feel the life of the locals, you have to stay in their neighborhoods in an apartment, buy groceries where they buy, etc.

Enjoy!