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Home / Portugal / Madeira
Madeira Holidays
Madeira is an exceptionally attractive Portuguese island situated in the North Atlantic. The island has a subtropical climate and an extraordinary landscape, with beautiful beaches and spectacular coastline often referred to as ‘the floating island’. When on holiday in Madeira the main tourist area is the capital city of Funchal, located on the South East coast. The lido area is where most of the hotels in Funchal are located and offer some cheap bed and breakfast deals in Madeira. The bustling centre of Funchal is made up of charming cobbled streets lined with traditional bars and restaurants and is home to a blue flagged pebble beach
Portugal is a member of the European Union and its official currency is the Euro (EUR), which is divided into 100 cents. There are numerous banks, bureaux de change and ATMs available in main cities and tourist destinations. Foreign currency can be exchanged at banks, bureaux de change and automatic currency exchange machines. Banking hours are generally 8.30am to 3pm Monday to Friday. Major credit cards are widely accepted, as are traveller’s cheques.
Holidays in Madeira
There’s lots do on holiday in Madeira. Funchal has wealth of historical sights including the 15th century cathedral and a visit to Funchal market is a great place to sample the local produce. Boat trips from the port are also an excellent way to see the island and for dolphin, whale and turtle spotting. Other popular resorts in Madeira are Canico, a traditional village and tranquil resort ideal for watersports enthusiasts. Machico is the oldest town in Madeira with a beautiful harbour surrounded with shops, bars and restaurants and Calheta with it’s manmade beach is ideal for relaxing and visting the local seafood restaurants. The island of Madeira is also popular all year round for golfing holidays and has some fantastic golf courses.
Language
Portuguese is the official language, but English is widely spoken and understood.
Nightlife in Madeira
At night Funchal comes to life and there are numerous seafood restaurants around the harbour and plenty of bars open until the early hours. Machico, Calheta and Canico all offer a good selection of bars and restaurants and a wonderfully relaxing atmosphere.
