7 Days in Portugal’s Azores and Madeira
This is a first in a series of posts on Portugal’s Azores and Madeira islands.
The Portuguese Azores and Madeira archipelagos are distinctly different, yet they both offer nature, wellness, adventure, culinary delights and delicious wine on volcanic islands with perfect weather year-round. And you can have the best of all worlds in one week. Following are highlights from my one week trip this May 2018 to these fabulous islands.
Day 1
Onboard Azores Airlines (formerly SATA), the flight crew is a refreshing sight, dressed in stylish sea-blue uniforms, setting the tone for a sub-tropical island destination. We’re flying direct from Toronto Pearson to Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel island, Azores – in under 5 hours. An upgrade to business class provides with a lie-flat seat, and a package with nightshades, earplugs, lotion, socks and toothbrush.
Azores Airlines pack
Arriving at the Ponta Delgada airport, our guide picks up my travel pal and I, and we take a scenic drive to Furnas, which comprises a village, valley and lake roughly one hour away. We check into the Furnas Boutique Hotel, renowned for therapeutic thermal baths (indoor/outdoor), eclectic décor, and surrounding and peaceful nature. After a quick breakfast in the market restaurant, and visiting the thermal baths and spa facilities, popular with families and couples, a walk around the property helps to ward off jet lag.
Thermal baths
reception desk
Spa
Walk along the river
Late afternoon, we take a leisurely walk to visit Terra Nostra botanical gardens, a stunning 200 year old garden with more than 200 different kinds of trees and a hot springs pool. The day ends with a relaxing aromatherapy massage at the Terra Nostra Garden Hotel spa.
Lots of lovely ponds and spots to rest and reflect
Hot springs pool is a central feature of the gardens
Dinner is at Furnas Hotel’s restaurant, where I am served a vegetarian risotto with an Azorean wine from Pico island.
Dinner is a vegetarian risotto
Day 2
We begin the morning with a scenic driving tour, highlighting the spectacular volcanic crater Lake of Fire (Lagoa do Fogo), and the breathtaking waterfall and hot springs of Caldeira Velha.
Me at Lake of Fire
Hot springs Caldeira Velha
The northern coast
Lunch is at a restaurant popular with locals, Cantinho do Cais, for authentic Azorean fare. We dine on wine-soaked octopus, potatoes and onion, fava beans, shellfish, cheese, and wine from the Azorean island of Pico.
Octopus and potatoes marinated in red wine
Shellfish
Soft cheese with spicy red pepper sauce, Pimenta Moida
The delicious Frei Gigante wine from Pico, Azores
We stop by the Gorreana tea gardens en route back to the city for a look around.
Gorreana tea gardens, with ocean in background
Feeling satiated from lunch, we then check-in at the contemporary Azor Hotel, and relax on the rooftop patio overlooking the marina with a view for whale watching.
Rooftop patio at Azor Hotel
View from my room
Azor Hotel
Dinner is at the local and quaint restaurant, Saca Rolhas Taberna, which has a stellar wine collection and made me a delicious vegetarian meal of vegetable tempura, followed by an walk around the town square to take in the Santo Christo Feast, the most popular festival in the Azores, where locals come out to enjoy food, music and carnival rides, and the town is lit-up.
Saca Rolhas Taberna restaurant interior
That’s a lot of tuna
Wall of wine behind our table
Atlantis wine is a popular wine in the Azores, produced on Pico island
The restaurant owner has an extraordinary wine selection. This one stood out for me (3,075 euros).
Ponta Delgada Town Square lit-up during Santo Christo festival
Entertainment, in more ways than one.
Day 3
Early morning whale watching excursion (Futurismo), featuring performances from dolphins, and humpback and fin whales.
Ponta Delgada from the boat
Humpback whale lifting its tail and then going for a deep dive
Ponta Delgada marina
Lunch at a tourist favourite, the Association of Agriculture restaurant, where I am served delicious soup and salad – again with local cheese!
Salad with local Azorean cheese – yum
Pineapple is popular dessert on Sao Miguel; it is a popular export
Red wine from Douro, Portugal: Duas Quintas
Restaurant interior
Following that, we take a drive to the volcanic crater twin lakes, Sete Cidades. One lake appears green and the other, blue.
Another lake view
After lunch, back in Ponta Delgada we visit a market and taste several local cheeses.
Cheese market O Rei dos Queijos
Winner of ‘best cheese in the world’
Then it’s dinner at San Pedro restaurant, which served me a lovely curry. And back to the Azor Hotel to pack for an early morning flight.
Calamari starter
A fresh take on curry
Jardinette branco, a popular Azorean wine
Day 4
Morning flight to Madeira – only 90 mins – on Azores Airlines. Landing at Funchal’s Christian Ronaldo Airport, named after the famous local soccer player. Lunch at the Beerhouse in Funchal’s harbour, and indulge in a soup and salad, followed by a stroll along the promenade.
Good-bye Azores!
Hello Madeira!
Beerhouse restaurant in Funchal, Madeira’s marina
Funchal marina
Funchal promenade
Funchal promenade 
Funchal promenade
We ride the cable car to the top of the hill with its spectacular panoramic view of the island, to visit Monte Palace Gardens, a multi-level private garden with influences from Japan and China, and infused with art, sculptures and ponds.
Cable car in Funchal
View of Funchal harbour from cable car going up
Funchal’s Monte Palace Gardens (photo courtesy Vivien Vassos)
Now the crazy-fun part. To get down from the top, we take the “basket sledge” a tradition going back many years. Today it is a white-knuckle thrill ride for tourists, but in the past, it was a practical way for locals to get down from the steep hilly streets to lower Funchal.
Tourist getting prepped for the basket sledge
Then it is check-in time at Pestano Casino Studios, a new, long-stay hotel. Cozy studio room, with use of the amenities of the grand Casino Hotel next door.
Hotel Pestano Casino Studios
My hotel room view
Dinner is at the chic Wine Hotel, on a patio with an ocean view, and we dine on fish, vegetables, dessert paired with various wines. My friend and I share dishes. Here are some of them, plus wines:
Vegetarian fare
Mushrooms
Vegetarian pasta
Beets in a sauce
Outside patio of The Wine Hotel, a bit chilly, so they have blankets on the chairs for guests.
Oceanview from The Wine Hotel
Day 5
A local storyteller (Sofia) takes us on a food and wine walking tour (winetoursmadeira.com). We are joined by a small group of tourists. We have 11 food tastings and taste 6 beverages, in 2.5 hours.
That’s me with our group tasting wine and Azorean delights at Made in Madeira
WALKING TOUR: We begin with a tasting of a 2012 Barbusano white wine in the cellar of a former brothel (Made in Madeira); a tasting of a selection of fortified Madeira wines (Pereira de Oliveira); visit a chocolatier where we try tree tomato chocolate (Uau Cacau); and visit a bakery where we have passion fruit juice and ginger cookies (Pabrica de Santo Antonio). We tour the local market (Mercado dos Lavradores), and then enjoy lunch on a patio (Donna Maria), where we have a sit-down lunch complete with Coral beer, traditional Madeira bread, fish and meat (for meat-eaters); followed by a tasting of the island’s traditional cocktail, poncha, (Mercadora). Then lunch of scabbard fillet sandwich and Brisa passion-fruit drink (at Cristalina Chique). Finally, back at the market, we finish with fennel tea and traditional cake.
We stop at a square with typical Portuguese tiles and a Jesuit Church.
Tasting Madeira wine
Tasting chocolate
Tasting Madeira baking treats
Local produce market
Lunch with our storyteller, enjoying Coral beer (her father invented it)
Learning how to make Poncha (traditional Madeira drink)
Brisa, Madeira’s soft drink
Pot of fennel tea
One of the streets of the old fisherman’s ‘hood is lined with doors painted by artists
Afternoon, we tour a traditional Madeira embroidery factory, Bordal, and watch women in the process of creating linens with embroidered pieces that Madeira is famous for.
Early evening, we drive to the sea cliffs of Cabo Girao, the highest in Europe, complete with a skywalk.
View from the cliffs of Cabo Girao
Madeira island in the background from top of the cliffs, where there is a skywalk
Me, posing.
Followed by dinner at Vila da Carne – and another spectacular ocean view.
Dinner at Vila da Carne, only a few mins. drive from the cliffs
Dessert of ice cream
Cheese and wine, my favourite
My travel partner enjoying her steak, cooked and hanging by basically a sword.
Day 6
Morning scenic tour of island by Jeep and then hiking (Hit the Road Madeira) to see waterfalls and beautiful foliage. The trail at points is steep, but we manage.
Our hiking guide is pictured at the rear of the jeep, in the purple
Off we go hiking!
It was a chilly morning (14C). We walked along the aqueducts.
Beautiful waterfall
After, lunch in Porto Moniz, Madeira at Sea View Restaurant and hotel – and another incredible view.
Restaurant Sea View
Yummy salad with Madeira cheese
Fried cheese with salad
Later we took a drive along the coast:
Our driver with stones on the beach
After a good hike, who wouldn’t love Poncha? We stop for one on our way back.
Poncha Tavern
After a short rest at the hotel, taking in the views, it is our last night. On our walk to the restaurant for dinner, we stumble upon the Flower Festival, with traditional music and booths (wine, food) with flowers on them.
Our dinner is at Santa Maria restaurant and we dine on scabbard fish and a last glass of delicious Madeira fortified wine.
Santa Maria’s patio with some of the famous painted doors as art
Madeira’s traditional scabbard fish
Mushrooms in a butter sauce
Artist painted doors as art on patio
Day 7
Last morning on the island. I go for a walk, pick up some Madeira wine for a friend and have breakfast (yogurt, fresh fruit, walnuts and tea). Good-bye Madeira. Flight home to Toronto on Azores Airlines, with an easy connecting flight in Sao Miguel, Azores. Smooth sailing all the way.
Resources: Azores Tourism, Madeira Tourism and Azores Airlines.
Airfare, land transfers, accommodations and meals provided by Azores Airlines in Azores; and accommodations and land transfers in Madeira by Madeira Tourism.
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Shannon Skinner is the host/creator of ExtraordinaryWomenTV.com, radio host, author, international speaker and travel writer.
