10/10 Excellent
Jackie C.
Oct 15, 2023
Liked: Cleanliness
Fantastic views
The property is very well equipped & the outside bbq was great. Made use of the washer, so took far less clothes. It is quite a steep walk to the property from the road where there is a local bar, so just bought enough shopping to be able to carry down in one go. We didn't hire a car, opted for the local taxis to take us on half day trips around the west & east of the island, plus they were very knowledgeable. Spent a full day in Funchal (check bank holidays as museums, cathedral & market were closed) Cable car, tropical gardens & toboggan run were impressive. It is a 30 minute walk up to Loreto from the villa, where there is a fantastic pizza restaurant. There are also a few bars & a small local supermarket. The supermarket in Calheta is a lot bigger & cheaper, which takes an hour to walk, all downhill & less than 10 Euros back. Take binoculars as the dolphins swim by the fishing nets, which is where we saw them on a boat trip. You could see the villa & it's prominent position from the boat & it is a good way to see the coastline. Spent an evening in Ribeira Brava, which has nice bars, shops & restaurants. Had a good meal at Muralha & not expensive. The church was beautiful & we went to the Ethnography museum, which is well worth a visit. We did the Rabacal walk to the waterfalls, which was beautiful, but very busy so go early in the morning. You need decent footwear & a torch for the tunnel. Duarte was very helpful & generous with plenty of fruit. Would highly recommend.
Jackie C.
Stayed 14 nights in Sep 2023