Madeira

[Lisa in Ottawa]

Just returned from Madrid, Lisbon and Madeira. As much has been written about previous 2 thought I would just make some comments on Madeira. If anyone interested in more just send me a message and I'll be more specific.

Well, we were a little disappointed in Madeira. We had hoped to see more countryside and have more walks than was actually possible. It was very busy with the mass tourism crowd. And it wasn't even high season. Many many restaurants and cafes and some very large grocery stores.
Every other storefront seemed to offer some kind of outdoor acrivity such as the famous levada walks.

Our experience is, these walks aren't that easy to get to with public transport. It takes a long time. You don't want to drive. Crowded with tour buses.

On the walks you're racing to keep ahead of the tour groups. That's how we felt anyway. There were soooo many people. All doing the same walks.

We went on several walks. The last one truly beautiful but large parts of it you are walking very high up along a narrow ridge. Thank god there was a railing of sorts. However, it wouldn't be so difficult to fall through if wet and you are aware of groups behind you.

We thought if it's like this in March when weather is iffy, what is it like in June?
I don't think it matters what what guide book you use, they all more or less have the same walks. We used Sunflower but you don't even need a book as information readily available. At least for the classic walks.

 

[Pauline]

Lisa, I am very disappointed to read this about Madeira! A friend of mine goes there every year and loves it - but she has been going for many years and maybe these crowds are recent because of the cruises. A neighbor was over yesterday and my Walking in Madeira book was out and she commented how much she liked going there and walking - but it was many years ago.

I do not like hiking when it is that crowded. In England you always see other people on the trails but you don't feel like there are large groups or too many people.

Maybe this is another destination impacted by the volume of tourists on cruises. Or do you think it was not related to the cruises?

I was going to choose Madeira instead of the Canaries for a next winter vacation, thinking the Canaries are overrun with people.

 

[Lisa in Ottawa]

Pauline,
You should chat with your neighbor and find out more. I don't think the crowds have anything to do with cruises. At least on the walks. I think Madeira like Costa del Sol has always attracted many Brits and Europeans escaping winter. With cheap airlines that has increased. Plus it's relatively inexpensive.

The walks. There are some beautiful ones with amazing vistas. The classic ones. We went on 3 are very popular. Perhaps if you know the island you can find ways to avoid the masses. We really did have people behind and in front for most of the time. I think towards the end the groups may have taken a shortcut back. As we seemed to lose them. But we didn't pause. It was disconcerting. We also noticed that independent walkers seemed to go at breakneck speed, I think like us to get ahead of the groups. We were going to go on a 4th one but decided against as felt we had seen enough. Plus a 11/2 hour bus trip back was unappealing. I'm not sure having a car would improve things as roads get very crowded as do parking lots.

We did 1 small group tour in a Jeep and thus saw the whole island. It is beautiful but at every point with a view there were tour buses. The roads are like Almalfi so large buses on narrow winding roads. We hiked in the Amalfi one year using Sunflower Guide and it was fantastic. Unlike Madeira. Oh dear, I sound negative.

Our Airbnb host said tourist season was just beginning so gets more crowded.
But I would think the Canaries are the same.

Keep in mind this is my experience having been there for 1 week. I'm curious about your neighbors experience. What did we miss?

 

[Lisa in Ottawa]

Just to add. The weather probably influenced me. It was not the best. It gets foggy and rainy. We spent one day at a lovely garden but couldn't see much due to the fog. I wouldn't totally dismiss Madeira as a walking destination. Perhaps having a car would have helped and a week wasn't enough time to familiarise ourselves with all possibilities especially with poor weather.

 

[Pauline]

I was revisiting my decision against going to Madeira and was reading the hiking book. Some of the trails look very narrow as you said @Lisa in Ottawa and I don't like that. Plus it looks like when walking beside the levadas you are walking on a concrete or stone path. That isn't good. That plus what you said about the crowds - now I have ruled it out. Thanks again for these details.

 

[Lisa in Ottawa]

I'm glad I ws helpful. Hopefully I didn't do Madeira a disservice. Good to hear from you as I was beginning to wonder if something was wrong b/c you haven't posted in quite awhile.
Perhaps just enjoying all the fun the UK has to offer right now

 

[Pauline]

... Good to hear from you as I was beginning to wonder if something was wrong b/c you haven't posted in quite awhile. Perhaps just enjoying all the fun the UK has to offer right now

More like being consumed by getting us settled into this house and new location, plus a lot of walking!