The Garden Island of Madeira with Russell, Marguerite & Netty

 The Garden Island of Madeira 

The sun was shining and we set up camp around the fabulous pool making a splash, playing games and relaxing on the sun loungers in the glorious warm weather. 

We explored Funchal where the gift shops were a hit as purchases were made for our friends and family. Then it was on to the cathedral, which was so magnificent, it took our breath away. There was a service going on, so we stood at the back and took in our peaceful surroundings. We stopped for a drink and took the opportunity to try a Pastel de nata which is a traditional Portuguese custard tart. Our next stop was at Blandy’s Wine Lodge where we learnt about the history of Madeira wine and the family business that has been in the family for 7 generations. To remind us of our visit we bought a small battle of the sweet wine parcelled with fruit cake – the perfect gift! 

We were picked up for our island tour and our guides Gary and Ruben were ever so knowledgeable. The first stop was Cristo Rei (Christ King) which had a viewpoint with a statue similar to that in Rio of Christ the Redeemer. 

From there we followed the road along the coast and stopped at Santa Cruz a small but pretty village. We walked through the market and saw some gigantic moray eels being sold. Next stop was one of the only sandy beaches on the island at Praia de Machico.  We then moved along the coast through a series of viewpoints before arriving at Santana where there are some traditional Madeiran houses. These buildings are thatched, triangular and unique in colour. Next on our tour was all the way to the top of Pico do Facho which gives stunning views down to the valley. Our final stop was right out on the furthest point west of the island at Ponto de Sao Lourenco with yet more stunning panoramic views of the coastline. 

The football fans amongst us couldn't wait to visit the  Museu CR7 dedicated to world famous footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. It is full to burst with memorabilia from his childhood along with replica trophies such as the FA Cup he won whilst playing at Manchester United. There were signed football shirts, golden boots and even the Ballon d’Or which he won in 2018.

Today we headed to a small village in the hills just behind Funchal. This is renowned for the Carreiros Do Monte, a basket sledge that was used as transportation dating back to the early 19^th century. We relaxed in a local café, watching other tourists enjoy the ride and we took in the views from the top of the mountain. We could see right down to the port and spot all the cruise ships in the harbour. 

From there we went and got the cable car for the short trip across the mountain to the Botanical Gardens. It was full to the brim of bright colours, amazing smells and some very impressive cacti. There were also some very big and complex spider webs, which were an unexpected find! 

There was some fantastic evening entertainment at our hotel. With live singers, perfectly performed dance routines and even some magic shows we loved every minute. In true JollyDays style we partied the night away showing off our disco  moves.