Property of the month...

Our holiday villa rental of the month is The Penthouse, a luxurious apartment in Mullins, Barbados. To see the property's website click here.

All about Madeira

Madeira is made of two main Islands, Madeira and Porto Santo. The main island, Madeira, is 56kms long and 19kms wide but it would take a day to drive around the island due to its volcanic peaks.

The town and port of Funchal is the main town of the Ilha de Madeira. The port is architecturally pleasing with the added attraction of its decorative paved streets. Visitors to the island are usually smitten by the impressive rugged beauty of its peaks in comparison to the lush semi-tropical vegetation around its coastline. The 15th Century Convento de Santa Clara is well worth a visit and the 17th Century church Igreja do Colégio dominates the main square. There are several museums worth visiting, from sacred art to local handcrafts. The quality of the Madeira Lace is world known and it continues to be produced with over 20,000 cottage industry workers scattered over the island. Another equally famous product is the Madeira wine. A visit to the Adegas de São Franciso to learn how it is made and stored as the oldest bottles still existing dates from 1772!

The hidden valleys and peaks of the Island all deserve a visit together as do the several botanical gardens, some of which are part of old private residencies opened to the public. A trip around the island has to to take in the village of Santana on the north coast where the visitor will still see the traditional triangular shaped homes of the islanders. For the healthy at heart is a trip to Pico do Areeiro and climb to the highest point on the island at 1862m. For fun there is the special and unusual dry toboggan ride on the Monte in the main town. Most visitors find too much to do on the island, and too little time! A very special time to visit Funchal is over the New Year’s Eve which is world famous for the quality of its celebration.

About two hours by boat will take you to the island of Porto Santo that boasts a sandy beach of 9kms in length. Here, you'll find a museum to Christopher Columbus who is said to have lived on the island after marrying the daughter of the first governor. Porto Santo has become very popular as a holiday destination in the last five years and Hotels and Resorts have stolen the peaceful beauty of the Island.

Most world travellers find the Madeira Islands so attractive and interesting that they tend to return more than once.

Photo: Red cliffs at Caniçal on the southern coast. Blooming local flora can be seen on the foreground.