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My girlfriend and I are going to go on holiday.
Looking at January 2nd for a week.
Looking for somewhere warm, with a pool/beach but also things to do - i.e. wee streets, wee restaurants, markets... you know, holiday things.
And if I can get a day's mountain biking in - +1
We also don't have much money, so the Maldives or wherever are out.
Have seen a week in an all inclusive place is Funchal in Madeira. Well, Pestana Bay - which seems a few km from the centre of town, but has buses.
£500 each for everything seems good value.
Freeride Madeira seem good to hire bikes and get a day up a hill.
Weather seems good - 20c-ish and not too rainy or windy. We are both peely-wally Scots so that is enough for us!
Is there anything I need to know or have overlooked?
I've never been to an all inclusive resort before - I normally book my own flights and AirBnB an apartment. Will it be like SHAMELESS?
TripAdvisor reviews all seem good - food, service, rooms etc all get good ratings and there is a "no booking sunbeds" rule. I've heard about that kind of thing but it is alien to me, much like an STW Parking In Front of Neighbours' House Thread (I live in a tenement)
We’ve been many times, like you stayed just outside of Funchal (near the golf course on the hill)
I think you are making the right choice, all the things you’ve mentioned are correct.. but the old town isn’t really small streets and stuff.. yes there are but there are few of them... near the harbour there’s plenty of cafes/restaurants and such like, but many large hotels have thier own restaurants so it’s a bit of a mix between large and small.. but lovely and certainly not like Shameless at all.
The MTB is absolutely hilarious, I booked mine when I got there and it was bonkers. Lift up, hurl down in dusty brown loam through the pine woods.. I’m no downhill biker by any stretch and they had to wait for me plenty of times.
We always hire a car, there are some spectacular small roads leading into the heart of the island and we always take walking boots and head for the Levadas.. a vast Canal network bringing fresh water down from on the mountains to the bazillion banana plantations below.. utterly captivating walking around and really ought to be on your list if possible.
Head right out to the really rugged area and there are some massive mountains and very very sheer drops, littered with tiny pathways that you can get all the way across the island by.. head for Pico Ruivo by car and walk it.. utterly spectacular and damn well frightening TBH..
Foods great, mostly imported. Buy Madeira when you are there or go on a tour of one of the producers (has to be done)
+1 for hiring a car
Get the levada map that covers the whole island, they are awesome - Could easily spend a week just wandering along them!
A week is the right amount of time - its not a massive place.
You will struggle to find any beaches near Funchal, most places are steep and rocky and teeming with spiny sea urchins, I accidentally kicked one and got a foot full of the spines. It is really good for diving and snorkelling. Second the levadas, you can walk for miles.
FreerideMadiera will pick you up at the hotel, I've stayed at Pestana Bay. Drop them an e-mail beforehand to arrange a booking. It's a fair hike into Funchal and a bit of a hill straight out of it!!
Beach is all stone........
As per reviews rooms, food etc are all good. If the " cheap" rooms are in the old part of the hotel then they are not so good.
3rd for the Levada walks. Madiera is awesome. It's a pretty mature crowd for the most part, which means it's pretty mellow. I was there in January last year and the weather was as you mentioned but take a waterproof and something a bit warmer if you're heading up into the mountains as the weather is pretty changeable.
There's a beach at Calheta (about 15 mins west by car from your hotel) but it's man-made and not great. If you have a car, it's better to head up to Porto Moniz for a swim in the rock pools, or to Ponta do Sol which a nice village with a rocky beach just west of you. There's also a huge lido not far from Freeride's office (near the Porto Mare Hotel).
The Zona Velha at the east end of the Avenida do Mar in Funchal has some nice restaurants with Portuguese menus - the hotel zone is more aimed towards sunbathing oldies and the restaurant menus tend to be a bit more european. Some of the best fresh fish is in the village of Paul do Mar (if you have a car).
If you ride guided with Freeride, Marcos is great at putting together like-minded riders.
The levadas can be busy all year around - I'd avoid Rabacal and the 25 Fontes as it tends to be very busy - the north coast trails (like Caldeira Verde and Levada do Rei) are often quieter.
Also be aware that you will be in a "mixed" abilities group therefore be minded that most of the group will not be of the STW Gnarrrrr 😉 😉
Lobbing an alternative in, Mrs & I did 2 x days guided riding with Sergio at LokoLoko in the summer.
Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!
Bikes were great, not just great for hire bikes, scenery stunning and the trails were ace.
Madeira is nice, worth a visit for the airport landing and take off alone!
[quote=Trekster ]Also be aware that you will be in a "mixed" abilities group therefore be minded that most of the group will not be of the STW Gnarrrrr 😉
To be fair, I'm not that good on a mountain bike
What's the standard of riding required to enjoy the guiding days?
Looking at going over for a long wknd/2 days guided riding
interested to hear about freeride madeira and lokoloko
Cheers
James
Sorry, only just saw you asking about this.
Abilities wise, the Lokoloko days were find for the mixed group we had. I'd say everyone in our group would have been very comfortable on a typical UK Red route, few light-Black-ish bits but on the whole it wasn't overly technical.
It was almost all natural/big-country type riding, a handful of trails proper but mainly footpaths and cheeky off-piste that we rode.
That's to take nothing away from it though, it was 2 days absolutely brilliant riding and I'd book with these guys again without hesitation.
OK, that sounds about my level of riding
I ended up booking a wee farm cottage up in the north of the island next to a nature reserve and a bunch of the levadas.
Going to do.... em, chilling out and that's about it. I'll get a day on the bike though
Just done a week with Freeride Madeira. Flew from Edinburgh - plane was full of OAPS and about 15 wheelchairs... first question I was asked in the queue was if I was in the wrong queue as no one under 60 goes to Madeira.. haha!
We stayed just outside Funchal (20min walk into town downhill) in a big Airbnb spot. We got awesome weather all week.. not super warm but comfortable to ride in and no wind.
Funchal town I found pretty average / crappy like a bad example of an bustling Italian street. It just lacked character for me. The food was next level if you like garlic (I love garlic) tuna steaks were eaten a lot.
The people are wonderful and super friendly and helpful.
Freeride Madeira were awesome - we rode hard for 5 days. Our group were all very capable and I felt like we got to see the whole island. The technical stuff is up there with the best and it felt like if you didn't have the desire to ride the hard stuff then there were plenty of options for big epic descents that would put a grin on your face.
We rode through lavada tunnels with bikes - awesome. Loads of great viewing spots get a car or a motorbike. A really great country the terrain changes so much its like going through 3 or 4 countries on some runs.
Highly recommended just dont hold out for the town to hold much interest other than food and drink.