NIGEL HEATH finds out why so many Brits are passionate about the island’s charms DRINK IN MADEIRA
HE’S the hotel’s longeststaying guest. He arrived one day and has been there for almost 60 years... still shows no signs of leaving. He is Colombo, a giant tortoise who wanders around the lush grounds of a former 18th century manor house on the enchanting Atlantic island of Madeira.
Many other visitors, first arriving on cruise ships, have been so captivated that they’ve flown back here time and again from the UK.
Little wonder, when they can enjoy a temperate year-round climate, exotic flora and stunning coastal and mountainous scenery.
Colombo’s home – and formerly that of England’s Napoleonic Wars general William Beresford – is the small and exclusive Quinta Jardins Do Lago Hotel overlooking the capital, Funchal.
We arrived on a Monday in time for lunch by the pool and spent the rest of the day wandering around the exotic grounds which have more than 600 species of plants.
We’d only just set out to walk to the harbour the following morning when we met a crocodile of children on their way up to the hotel’s vegetable garden to learn about herbs.
Continuing our descent through quaint and narrow streets, we reached Funchal’s wide and bustling promenade where we basked in the holiday atmosphere along with crowds of visitors just landed from the three gleaming white cruise ships towering over the harbour.
Since the country joined the EU in 1980, Madeira has benefitted substantially from investment in roads and, more importantly, tunnels which have greatly improved accessibility for islanders and tourists alike.
We spent that afternoon on a Funchal ‘must do’ experience, a guided tour of Blandy’s centuries-old lodge where the famous Madeira wine is produced.
Back in those far-off days when barrels of Madeira were exported to British India, it was discovered the wine improved on its voyage through the tropics so exposure to heat is now part of the maturing process.
Steeply sloping vine-covered terraces, together with thousands of banana plants, were much in evidence as we left Funchal on a small group bus tour the following morning.
Climbing ever higher through wooded areas of pine and eucalyptus, we eventually crossed to the far steeper northern side of the 13 mile-wide island at a height of some 3,000 feet before descending through shady forests of laurel to reach the small coastal town of San Vincente.
From here it was a short, dramatic coastal drive via tunnels through towering coastal cliffs to reach Porto Monz, the most north westerly point of the 35 mile-long island.
Here we dined on fish while overlooking the ocean before continuing our tour, winding up and over Madeira, whose highest mountain, Pico Ruivo towers to more than 6,000 feet.
Instead of returning to the Quinta Jardins Du Lago we were dropped off at the five-star Cliff Bay Hotel, which enjoys a stunning position over the harbour.
A surprise treat was in store the following morning as we breakfasted in the terraced restaurant overlooking lovely gardens.
We’d left Colombo behind but now we were to make the acquaintance of a Harris Hawk called Thonder who my wife Jenny spotted sitting quietly on a railing with his keeper, Norberto.
He explained that he or a colleague visited the hotel with the hawk for a couple of hours every day to deter pigeons or seagulls from nesting or roosting there.
After breakfast we ascended by cable car to the famous botanical and Monte Palace Gardens, followed by a thrilling wicker toboggan ride back down.
The toboggans were introduced by a British merchant in the early 19th century as a means of moving freight down the steep hill to the old town, and then someone came up with the bright idea of putting a seat on them.
Later, we calmed our nerves in the tranquil Palheiro Gardens high above the city and lunched on home-made quiche in its little tea house.
No visit to Madeira would be complete without taking a walk along one of its famous Levada water channels, introduced in the 18th century as a means of irrigating the hundreds of man-made vegetable and fruit growing terraces clinging to the mountainous terrain. There are dozens of them at varying heights all around Madeira, of which 28 are officially designated walking routes, giving visitors a wonderful opportunity to explore the countryside.
A visit to Funchal’s Friday market was rewarded by a mouthwatering display of locally caught fish and a vast array of exotic fruits all grown on Madeira.
There were 15 different varieties of passion fruit alone – just another reason why so many return visitors are passionate about Madeira.