Romantic hotels, charming country inns, Madeira hotels
Welcome to Secretplaces Madeira. Stay in small, romantic hotels, pousadas and luxury hotels. Specially selected holiday accommodations from which to get to know Madeira – the pearl of the Atlantic. Whatever your reasons to visit Madeira, be it a romantic getaway or luxury hotel, Secretplaces will you help you find the perfect spot
The capital Funchal lays claim to being the island’s most monumentally impressive town. Manor houses and gardens go hand in hand with a profusion of religious building, which include the 15th century cathedral, the Santa Clara Convent (15th century) and numerous churches from the 15th to the 18th century, thus making Funchal an attractive city to visit in its own right. Other interesting architecture takes in the Customs building and Fortress-palace of Saint Laurence (both 16th century).
It is generally acknowledged that Madeira is one of the best places for trekking. The climate, landscape and “levadas” (the unique irrigation canals that offer the chance of trekking everywhere on the island) are just some of the reasons. Madeira is also walkable all year round - never too hot or too cold and the scenery is wonderful, taking in a vast panorama of vegetation, flaura, tunnels and gorges.
Madeira offers 45 holes of championship golf divided between two courses, both of which are remarkable for their scenic beauty – Palheiro Golf Club (www.palheirogolf.com) and Clube de Golfe Santa Serra (www.santodaserragolf.com) The island plays host to the P.G.A. European Tour every spring, when the Madeira Island Open takes place at Santo da Serra Golf Club.
Madeira is a premiere fishing location, with its waters home to a wide variety of species, many of which are seasonal. These include white marlin, tunas, amberjacks and spearfish. Bigger varieties include the shark, with the best time for fishing these fine specimens generally from September and December.
Madeira is a small island and travelling by car can be a fun and realxing way to get to know the island. Ferry services from Madeira to the small sister island of Porto Santo takes around 2 1/2 hours depending on weather conditions.
