Lisbon and Funchal

[woogie]

Can anyone recommend a tour company for 1 day in Lisbon and 1 day in Funchal?

We will be on the Voyager crossing in Nov. 2008 and will only have a day in each place.

 

Thanks in advance,

Carol and Rich

[Goofyisme]

We're on the same crossing as well as the segment before so also looking for advice for Funchal.

[wripro]

I can recommend a great guide for Lisbon who is completely knowledgeable, speaks perfect English and drives a new Mercedes. His name is Jorge and can be reached at: jmbras@netvisao.pt. If you contact him Henry from California sent you.

[JoAnne B]

For Funchal I'd skip a "tour company" and hire a good cabbie. They give you the best trip around the island. You can find them through sites such as Madeira Islands.com, Madeira Times, and The Caring Company. You'll be able to zip around easier than in a bus or van and the trip can be tailored to your interests. While it's a small island, it's easy to underestimate the time it takes to make your way around. The roads are narrow, traffic hectic, and the mountains steep. They know the best routes, as well as the most typical places to catch a bite to eat.

 

JoAnne B

Houston

[RachelG]

We just hired a cabbie for the day in Lisbon too. He took us all the places we wanted to go, including a museum where he picked us up 2 hrs later. Also took us to a wonderful shop to buy port. Really nice guy and spoke English well.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

I hired a private guide, highly recommended from others that stood us up last year. We waited at the dock for over an hour for them to call back and tell us their status. They totally forgot us. We ended up with a cab to Sintra and had a lovely time - the cab driver also drove us all over Lisbon old town to get a feel for the city and we stopped in Belem on the way back to the ship for a short time.

 

When we disembarked for a day of fun in Funchal, we knew what we wanted to do and decided to hop a taxi. There are two lines of taxi's outside the ship - one for tours and one for hopping a cab to a specific destination. They have an association and each driver owns their own cab and they take turns as to which line they service. They also set their own rates.

 

Our good luck was our Driver was a native resident and spoke perfect English. When we told him what we wanted to do and negotiated a flat rate - 4 hours for 90 euros (time approximate). He added to our suggested itinerary and we ended up being out there for 6 hours without nary a word on his part. We did compensate him for the additional time. He was the perfect host and I would highly recommend him. He has a Mercedes that was clean and comfortable. He opened and closed doors for me at every stop, made sure that we knew where clean restrooms were, waiting for us through 50 people in line at the Sledge in Monte and followed us down the hill too. He told us many things about the areas, made photographic stops without our asking him to and was more of a guide then I ever expected.

 

His mobile is 91-764-2250 and his email address is johnpereira@netmadeira.com

[Goofyisme]

Thanks for the information on the Funchal cabs.

What suggestions for must sees there on the island.

Thanks

[neviboy]

I usually look over the tours available which list the villages and 'must see 'spots. www. azores-islandsinfo.com is the place to start.

[Goofyisme]

Thanks Nevi. I didn't find the listed tours very helpful (maybe just having senior moments) but thank you for the link it is a good starting point. Since Portugal is one of the very few european countries I haven't had the pleasure of visiting or living in I am very much looking forward to a small taste of the people and culture.

Thanks again

[JoAnne B]

Funchal is not part of the Azores. Again there are several good websites, even a webcam of the port and current weather that provide great information. Also a message board where individual questions can be answered.

 

A good cabbie will direct you to the typical sites. The basket ride, the central mercado, Madeira tasting, the small villages, etc. You can also do jeep rides into to volcanic mountains, a helicopter ride, and numerous specialized activities. Try to have lunch in one of the villages. The food is not fancy, but can be very tasty.

 

JoAnne B

Houston

[Goofyisme]

Thank you JoAnne

[Hambagahle]

Goofyisme

IF you go up into the mountains while in Funchal DO bring warm clothes. We did this in Nov 06 and stupidly forgot that altitude changes temperature - since we live in the Swiss Alps, this was truly stupid on our part!! The temp at the dock was 25C. Very comfortable. Up on the top of the mountain it was about 8C and windy. We froze! So take an anorak or a sweater along in case.

[Goofyisme]

Thanks for the warning we will definitely keep it in mind since I suspect the views are magnificent and we will seriously be considering going up.

[dougburns]

For Lisbon I would highly recommend Tours For You. You can e-mail them at http://www.toursforyou.pt. They normally require a deposit, but if you tell them you're on a Regent ship they will waive that. Recommend the tour along the Estoril coast, then to Sintra, then back to Lisbon for a tour of the city. It's an all day trip, but a great one. They have really modern 6 pax vans and the drivers/guides are superb. Cost for the van and guide plus tip was around $75/couple in '04. You can also just get a car and driver if there are only 2 of you. We had 6. The guide we had even e-mailed pictures that he took of us. Nice touch!

[ChatKat in Ca.]

Doug,

 

Tours for You stood us up in port. There was a group of 5 of us from the boards and we had even confirmed before we left for the cruise. After that our TA was in Lisbon and tried them as well without the knowledge of her being a TA. No longer a recommended choice. I think some had a good experience with a particular guide with the company a few years ago. Even in port, several of the guides waiting for other passengers told us there were problems with that company. Very easy to do a cab for far less from the port with good results.

[dougburns]

Sorry to hear that about toursforyou. They did a fantastic job for us. I wonder if there wasn't some kind of misunderstanding. They can't come to the ship, but meet you just outside of the terminal bldg, which is a short walk from the ship.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

I wish it were so, but, I called them on my cellphone and was told that we were forgotten. We waited for a call back because they wanted to see if they could get a guide to the port in time, but after more than an hour delay, we got a cab and then they called to tell us they could not even get there for yet another hour. A cab was a great way to go. Actually, that experience has taught me that taking a cab in port is a great alternative. There are ports where I would not think twice about it. Sometimes, however, a private guide is best. Lisbon, Sintra and the Estoril Coast are perfect for a cab tour.

[neviboy]

Kathy, I have sent two e-mails to John Pereira with no reply. In my experience I have found that taxi drivers' e-mail addresses are only good for a year or two.

 

I may have my Portuguese friend call him. We will be in Funchal May 10th. on Voyager.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

Neville - I'd try calling him - email may not be his stong suit. We were very happy with his service.

[judobarz]

Can anyone recommend a tour company for 1 day in Lisbon and 1 day in Funchal?

We will be on the Voyager crossing in Nov. 2008 and will only have a day in each place.

 

Thanks in advance,

Carol and Rich

 

 

My husband and I will be on that cruise. We are considering booking with Mouriscastours in Lisbon; they arrange private tours depending on your interest. I found them online, but I thought I would ask the cruise line's concierge service before I finally decide. Don't know about Funchal. when you find out, I'd like to know. Which hotel did you choose in Funchal? See you on board.

 

Judith and Sal