I live in Funchal - Madeira Island. I can advice

[roothy123]

Thank you very much! I guess I need to figure out what my priorities are and then I will have a clearer idea of what's possible, and how to get it! At least you have helped with lots of good information. Obrigarda again!

[biaria]

My pleasure! :-)

[roothy123]

Oops, I'm back with another question or two! I don't think I'll end up taking the bus up to Monte, but if I do, I was wondering about how long of a walk it is to the steps at the front of the church. I understand buses 20 and 21 go close to the church (and 22 a little farther east of the church. What I can't figure out is how close the bus stops for 20 and 21 are to the church or the cable car station, and if one is closer to the church than the other. I see one street listed on one of the schedules that I can find on a map of the area near the church, but it is a long street and I don't know precisely where the bus stops are.

 

Also, I have been unable to determine if I can use a credit card for the cable car. I believe I read that the gardens require cash, and that there are ATMS near by, but I wasn't sure if the same situation applied to credit cards at the cable car stations.

 

Biaria, would you have any idea? Would anyone else happen to know? (Did anyone take the bus up to Monte?)

 

Thank you to anyone who can help.

Edited June 4, 2014 by roothy123

[biaria]

Good morning roothy! :-)

 

Both buses 20 and 21 have their last stop in Largo da Fonte and it's about a 10 minute walk to the bottom of the steps that lead up to the church walking at a normal pace. Bus 22 finishes in Babosas and it's also about a 10 minute walk to the steps. Bus stop 22 is closer to the cable car station though. Please beware that there's two cable car routes out of Monte: one goes to town and the other to the Botanical Gardens.

 

Yes, you can buy your cable car ticket with your credit card.

 

Have a nice day!

[BigJon]

Thanks Biaria for the information you gave me. My cruise stop at Funchal was wonderful. What a beautiful place. You also said that I should pay only 10 euros for my cab trip back to town, after the toboggan ride. The guy wanted 20euros, but I ended up getting the taxi for 10 euros. Thanks again....jonathan

[biaria]

Hello Jonathan,

 

It was my pleasure! I'm so happy to know that you enjoyed your visit to Funchal and that you managed to get your taxi trip back to town for 10 euros. That's what they should ask in the first place, but they never do and as you could see they double the price!!!

[WWLL]

Hello Biaria

 

We are so grateful for your help.

 

On October 29 I will be in Funchal on the Norwegian Epic. I am interested in buying a very old bottle of Madeira wine. Recently one of the most eminent wine writers from the US spent three months in Portugal and made a side trip to Funchal. What he wrote about Madeira wines is revealing, to say the least.

 

Can you find me the addresses of

Vinhos Barbeito, and

D’Oliveira.

 

The reason I need this information is I am signed up for a tour and may have very limited time to shop for this bottle of wine.

 

Thank you.

[biaria]

Dear WWLL,

 

As much as I'd love to answer your question, I got in touch with CC first to ask if I'm allowed to post such a detailed reply. In the meantime, if anybody else has the answer please post.

 

The least I can do now is say that Vinhos Barbeito is near Cabo Girao and D'Oliveira is in Funchal.

 

All the best.

[merlin5353]

Hello Biaria

 

We are so grateful for your help.

 

On October 29 I will be in Funchal on the Norwegian Epic. I am interested in buying a very old bottle of Madeira wine. Recently one of the most eminent wine writers from the US spent three months in Portugal and made a side trip to Funchal. What he wrote about Madeira wines is revealing, to say the least.

 

Can you find me the addresses of

Vinhos Barbeito, and

D’Oliveira.

 

The reason I need this information is I am signed up for a tour and may have very limited time to shop for this bottle of wine.

 

Thank you.

 

You should give them your email. They can send you the information you need. I would like it also. Please send to merlin5353 at gmail.

[WWLL]

Found the web site of Vinhos Barbeito which gives the longitude and latitude of their place. It is quite a way out of Funchal.

 

Does the telephone directory of Funchal show the information?

 

My email is libill91030 at yahoo.

[merlin5353]

Dear WWLL,

 

As much as I'd love to answer your question, I got in touch with CC first to ask if I'm allowed to post such a detailed reply. In the meantime, if anybody else has the answer please post.

 

The least I can do now is say that Vinhos Barbeito is near Cabo Girao and D'Oliveira is in Funchal.

 

All the best.

 

Thank you for the email, Biaria.

John

[biaria]

You're welcome, John. :-)

[biaria]

Hi everyone,

 

As I posted recently, following WWLL's question about the street address of two wineries, I contacted CC to ask if, as a local, I was allowed to post such info. What did I get as an answer?

 

Hi There!

 

I apologize but our ports of call forums are for cruisers to share info. tour guides, drivers, and the like are not to participate in our ports of call forums

 

JennK

Community Support

CruiseCritic.com

 

If after 5 years of posting on this and several other threads this is the type of treatment I get from CC, my contribution to these boards is closed right now!

 

All of the best to each and every cruiser and keep on visiting Madeira Island!

[roothy123]

I can certainly understand why "tour guides, drivers and the like" should not be allowed to participate here, and I, for one, like it that way, as I'd rather hear from people who have actually used a particular guide or driver rather than from someone who is just trying to get more business. However, as far as I can tell, you have never recommended a local business, and so I suspect it's fine for you to help people as you have. It's just what the tourism office would do (provide information without promoting particular businesses) if we cruisers chose to use an office instead of posing questions on Cruise Critic!

 

I hope you'll continue to help people who come to your beautiful island, as this response does not indicate you can't, just perhaps that the moderators do not have the time to read every post and know who's being helpful without any promotion involved and who's not!

 

In case it helps others, I found the following site helpful in planning my day in Funchal:

http://www.madeira-live.com. It may not be an official tourism site, but it IS a very comprehensive website.

[merlin5353]

 

All of the best to each and every cruiser and keep on visiting Madeira Island!

Your answers to our questions have been of such a value, I hope you reconsider.

John

[Apeeler]

Hi everyone,

 

All of the best to each and every cruiser and keep on visiting Madeira Island!

 

I also hope you continue with the excellent advice Biaria as I have been reading thru the many posts and found useful advice for our upcoming visit to Funchal in November.

 

Could Biaria or anyone else reading this give any advice on getting from Funchal to the Skywalk please? Methods, travel time, costs would be most useful.

 

:)

[roothy123]

I can't advise on how to get to the Skywalk (assuming that is at Cabo Girao), but here's how we saw it: We pre-arranged a taxi tour (4 people) through Daniel of Madeira Taxis. He has a 4 1/2 hour tour that many people like to take, and it includes Cabo Girao. However, I wanted to have some time in Funchal, looking at Sao Tiago fort and the old, painted doors near by. We were only in port 8 to 3, so I asked for a 3.5 hour tour. It cost the same (95 euros for 4 people plus we gave a tip, although it's possible we could have included 2 more people; don't remember). It was in a van with plenty of room, and was a compressed and slightly modified version of what Daniel normally does. If you're the kind of person who doesn't mind rushing a bit (and are not a shopper, drinker, eater, etc.) it will work; otherwise you might want the regular tour. It went to Pico de Barcelos (brief stop for overview over city), Eiro do Serrado for view over Nun's Valley (from lower point and/or higher point, with lots of steps up), Cabo Girao (glass area with view below; no charge for it; kind of small but fun nonetheless), Monte, and back to the ship by Daniel's cab after taking the cable car to Funchal (extra 10 euros one way for that). The driver also threw in Rancho viewpoint, which is basically a stop part way up the cliff to Cabo Girao, where you can see the little cable car that goes down to the beaches and farms below. My favorite stop was Camara de Lobos, but I also really enjoyed seeing (but not taking) those crazy Monte wicker sleds. I think Daniel of Madeira has a website, so you might want to check that out.

 

I felt our tour was worth it, and the guide (Joel), while a bit on the low keyed side, was good. You can pre-arrange this tour, just hop off the ship, and go. There also were a bunch of taxis at the pier, so I suppose you could just hire one for a similar tour, or just a trip to Cabo Girao if you wanted to reduce your cost.

 

I do know that the Hop On Hop Off bus goes to a couple places not too far from Funchal, as do public buses. However, I'm not sure if anything goes to Cabo Girao - don't think so. I don't even know if there's anywhere for a bus to park up there! If you are set on going to Girao, a taxi is probably your best bet. It's not too terribly far from Funchal, but of course, you'll be traveling up, with a few switchbacks, so it's not a really quick ride. As to how long, I can't say, except that it's possibly a half hour or 45 minutes from Funchal (really guessing here).

[Apeeler]

Thanks Roothy, info appreciated. Reckon will be a taxi ride depending how our time goes in Funchal itself. Sounded like a great tour though.

[roothy123]

You're welcome. Just so you know, the Skywalk IS popular, but it is not a huge area, and not really a walk - just a fairly small glass platform that is not crystal clear that looks down over farms and beaches. It IS, however, fun to take pictures on it. I took a picture of my feet, and did a selfie with not much more than sky and clouds showing behind me. It was hard to get a good picture of the farms below (through the glass) but with effort you might be able to do that, and at least you can see them. If you go, a stop at the Rancho viewpoint isn't too far away and is interesting, as you see the little cable car that goes down the hillside.

 

Sure wish cruises stopped longer on Madeira - too much to see and do for a short day! But it's a long way back up to the mainland of Europe, so it is what it is! I guess we'll all just have to visit again!

[Apeeler]

You're welcome.

Sure wish cruises stopped longer on Madeira - too much to see and do for a short day! But it's a long way back up to the mainland of Europe, so it is what it is! I guess we'll all just have to visit again!

 

I totally agree with the stopping times in port, but I always treat cruise ports of call as a taster for future visits to that particular country, island etc...

 

I had a holiday in Tenerife last year and loved it, a hire car is a real boon.

 

As to Cabo Girao I love great views combined with the unusual such as glass floor even though now I'm older I seem to have developed a slight fear of heights. Discovered that on RCI's rock wall last year lol.

[dixcy69]

Hello

 

We are due to visit on the 26th December and wondered if you could tell me what would be open and if this is possible to do while we are there we dock at 8am to 5pm.

 

We would like to do the Market (if open) then do the cable car to Monte then have a wander around the Monte Palace Tropical Garden then do the Tobaggon run and then back to town may be do the HOHO if it is running and then head back to the ship.

 

Do you think this is possible to do in the time and we have a 9 year old with you

 

Many thanks for any replies all much appreciated. :)

[roothy123]

Hello

 

We are due to visit on the 26th December and wondered if you could tell me what would be open and if this is possible to do while we are there we dock at 8am to 5pm.

 

We would like to do the Market (if open) then do the cable car to Monte then have a wander around the Monte Palace Tropical Garden then do the Tobaggon run and then back to town may be do the HOHO if it is running and then head back to the ship.

 

Do you think this is possible to do in the time and we have a 9 year old with you

 

Many thanks for any replies all much appreciated. :)

 

I don't know what's open on the 26th, but website for cable car is madeiracablecar.com. I imagine opening days/hours are listed there.

 

Your plans sound reasonable to me, but I don't have a 9 year old to think about, so really can't say. Just keep in mind that the HOHO bus has a couple routes and, when I looked, the frequency wasn't so great on at least one route. I might be tempted to just spend the time in the Zona Velha Old Town and around that area, but I suppose you'll see a wider variety of things on the HOHO - but not the Old Town, as the bus can't get in those narrow streets. My pictures from my cruise are here if you want to see what we did: http://www.pbase.com/roothy123 Funchal is about halfway through. (I take a LOT of pictures!)

 

Also, you might want to pull up tomsportguides.com - wonderful information. He has a guide for Funchal.

[dixcy69]

Thank you for your reply. She is a good 9 year old and handles sightseeing very well to be honest so she should be able to cope with this.

 

I will have a look at the websites you have suggested

 

Thank you :)

[disneykins]

We are thinking of taking a city bus to Monte to see the Cathedral and Palace Gardens, then ride the toboggan down and city bus back to Funchal to see the market and make our way back to the ship. Not crazy about heights so avoiding the cable car.

 

Some questions. Where do we catch the bus to Monte and how long does it take? As an alternative what would a taxi from the ship to Monte cost? Can we catch a bus where the toboggan ride ends or do we need a taxi?

 

Thanks,

Tony

[roothy123]

Most or possibly all of that info is covered in the Tom's guide I mentioned above. Just make sure you go to the bus web site and determine if the bus you need is affected by the construction along the marina. We were in Funchal in late August and some of the bus stops had been changed. There are several bus systems in and around Funchal, so make sure you know whether the bus is a city bus or longer-distance bus.

 

A taxi from one part of central Funchal (for example, near the McDonalds along the maritime avenue, not too terribly far from the port) to another part of central Funchal was 10 euros in August. It may be more for Monte, and more for the port pickup.