Funchal – day 2

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Paul Garbett — Leave a comment

Yesterday (Tuesday) ended quite well really – our ‘Jet2Holidays Customer Helper’ Pedro turned out to be really helpful giving us tips on how best to do the things we wanted to do.

Following that there was the hotel’s “Welcome to our guests” event – again our expectations were quite low but a free drink and a chance to mix with other guests was really quite enjoyable. We struck up a conversation with Marie (a older solo traveller). The evening meal was as expected – for a restaurant called Beef & Wine it is fairly clear (although Ally had cod). Once again the friendly relaxed service was welcome and the food, while not epic, was perfectly acceptable.

Today dawned dry and sunny and we resolved to make use of the “hop on-hop off” tour bus as recommended by Pedro. The plan today was to head west to Camara de Lobos stopping off at various points on the way – the chapel of Sao Martinho and a viewpoint (looking inland for a change)

Not quite as ‘blingy’ as some and very quiet

Finally we arrived in Camara de Lobos. Sadly the place itself was a disappointment and while having a quick drink at a bar near the harbour we managed to miss our onward connection to Cabo Girao. Ally seemed quite relieved because that involved the “highest cliffs in Europe” and becomes the 3rd such place we have visited that claims the title!

Faced with a long wait we decided to head back to Funchal on the next available bus. Much of the route was different to the outward one and it became very clear why the area immediately west of Funchal is called the hotel district.

All was not lost though – after a little debate we decided that a late lunch/early supper called and we ended up having a pizza at The Ritz which we passed yesterday. Good food, good service and eating outside made it memorable. Naturally we stopped by the patisserie to buy in a treat for tonight.

As I finish Ally is having a bath and I am out on our wee balcony just taking it easy. Tomorrow we use the 2nd of 2 days of our tour bus ticket and we head along to the eastern end of Funchal and the ‘telerifico’ – the cable car up to Monte. Ally is being brave (not a fan of cable cars) but it should be worth it for (a) the view and (b) the Monte Palace Tropical Garden.