Funchal, Madeira (Portuguese island)
We left St. Barts on March 27, traversed the Atlantic Ocean, and arrived a week later at the Portuguese island of Madeira, port of Funchal, some 550 miles/885 kilometers southwest of Portugal. That’s about 3,000 miles/4,800 kilometers east northeast of St. Barts. Our approach was in the early morning hours, and Funchal was still enshrouded in darkness.
Early Morning in Funchal
Ursula had us set up for a group tour, so we spent our day touring the sights. Along the way we saw some spectacular cliffs:
Madeira cliffs
Our tour guide:
Our Madeira tour guide
One of our stops was the Madeira Botanical Garden. Here you’ll find perfectly preserved examples of traditional Madeira houses.
Traditional houses at the Madeira Botanical Gardens
Madeira Window
Of course, we simply had to hit a local grocery store. Those are a must for both Ursula and me.
Madeira grocery store
Our tour also included a nice lunch at a very charming restaurant:
Madeira tour lunch
Decisions — Murder in Paradise
The Globe — Murder in Luxury