Here are the available villas for rental in Madeira.

1966 all over again

From the Mail on Sunday

Until we got to the Bay of Biscay it was pretty smooth sailing. Then things got a little bumpy.
What was slightly worrying was that the ship was going all over the place - while the captain was sitting next to me enjoying a five-course dinner.
I've been on cruises before and, apart from the fact that I always put on weight, I love them.
The nice thing about cruises is that mix of being on the sea then on land. And seeing a lot of countries in the space of two weeks.
So when former England footballer Dave Watson asked me if I'd be interested in a 1966 World Cup reunion cruise with the lads on the good ship Sundream, I didn't need persuading.
The idea was that we'd talk football to the other passengers and just generally enjoy ourselves sailing to Portugal, Morocco and Madeira. The wives thought it a great idea, too, as they always enjoy seeing each other again.
Sadly, it couldn't be the full team. Our great captain Bobby Moore died tragically young back in 1993 and our boss, the legendary Sir Alf Ramsey, passed away two years ago. But of those of us who survived, only Bobby Charlton couldn't make the cruise because of business commitments.
There was still the same banter and usual mickey-taking. If that's changed at all it's only to have got worse as we've become even more familiar with each other.
There's always been a strong bond between the players. Sir Alf Ramsey created a club environment within a national team and succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. Sir Alf's not here today but he would have been proud about how we still feel about each other.
That's something he was totally responsible for. ... more

Relaxing, warm and friendly

We have only been abroad twice and both times we have visited Maderia.
After getting over the landing we found Maderia extremely relaxing, warm and friendly. Use the local buses which are cheap and efficient and if you get lost ask a friendly local they are always amused and delighted when you try out some Portuguese words.
Go to the Irish bar in the lido area in Funchal for a good night as hotel entertainment tends to be poor. Do try the black scabbard fish which is delicious and eat in local places which are reasonable.

Slide off to mellow Madeira

From the Daily Mail

Tearing down a steep city road on a large toboggan wasn't what I had expected from my first morning in Madeira. I had always thought this little Portuguese island off the coast of Africa was a sedate sort of place. After all, this is where the likes of Churchill came on painting holidays, and well-bred consumptives used to winter (thanks to its subtropical climate, Madeira stays balmy all year round).
Yet my three-mile dash down to the capital, Funchal, from the mountain suburb of Monte, dodging walls, ditches, potholes and oncoming cars, was real heart-in-the-mouth stuff. Ernest Hemingway - a man not exactly deprived of thrills - thought so, too: he claimed his ride was one of the most exhilarating experiences of his life. The toboggans date back to the 1850s when they (along with hammocks and bullock-drawn sledges) were the island's main transport, and rides come complete with white-suited drivers in natty straw boaters.
But my Victorian-style adrenalin rush wasn't the only surprise waiting for me on Madeira. The other was just how quickly the place is hurtling into the 21st century, propelled by generous EU funding. Photographs in tourist guidebooks depict the island as a flowery haze of mists and mellow fruitfulness - a green, volcanic peak jutting out of a calm blue sea, cloaked in forests and stepped terraces that stretch down to the water's edge. They never show Funchal's burgeoning hotel zone, or the legendary Reid's Hotel, sitting magnificently overlooking the sea.
Further along the coast, a mass of concrete tower blocks has sprung up. More are in the pipeline, too - there are plans to increase the number of hotel beds on the island from 22,000 to 24,000 in the next two years. Meanwhile, local civil engineers have risen to the challenge of providing a modern road network for their sheer-sided homeland by blasting a series of tunnels through its volcanic heart, and building some of the highest bridges in Europe. And while this means all sorts of unspoiled inland villages and beautiful countryside are now an easy drive from Funchal, more development is an inevitable by-product.
What's more, in the past ten years, thousands of Madeiran emigrants have streamed back to this small island, having made their fortunes abroad in such places as South Africa and Brazil. It is they who are largely responsible for the rash of ugly modern villas that clog the cliffs and valleys of the south coast with all the trappings of suburbia.
Of course, the steepness of the cliffs means there are hardly any beaches near Funchal, and not a single white, sandy one (most are black pebbles). This is why Madeira has always been bypassed by the mass of tourists who descend each year on the Canaries just a few hundred miles further south. But now - in an explicit bid to expand the holiday industry - Funchal airport is being upgraded, with a new full-length runway opening in 2002. ... more

Sun times on Porto Santo

It's the sunny, sandy sibling of Madeira which is wooing more and more British holidaymakers.

Porto Santo is in stark contrast to the virtually beach-free landscape of and now attracts 100,000 visitors a year.
While it may be sleepy, it boasts a top-class golf course designed by Seve Ballesteros, health spa relaxation and many scuba diving opportunities.
British visitors will have to fly to Madeira to get to this idyllic backwater 37km away.
After a three-hour flight to Madeira's capital Funchal, you can take a 20- minute plane ride to Porto Santo.
Or you could spend a few days on Madeira and take the ferry for a two-hour voyage to Porto Santo's capital Vila Baleira.
But what is really the jewel in the island's crown is its 8km stretch of golden beach.
Temperatures average about 20C in February and March so it is just right for water sports such as windsurfing, water skiing, sailing and deep sea fishing.
With just 5,000 inhabitants, the island never feels crowded and the beach is clean and unspoilt with very few large hotels.
The small to price to pay for this peace is that the choice of restaurants is limited.
Dishes include scabbard fish, barbecued chicken "frango" and meat cooked on a skewer called espetada.
The island's tourist bosses want to encourage more golf holidays with its new 18-hole course designed by Seve Ballesteros opening last October.
It's been created to international standards, overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and should appeal to most players. ... more

If it's good enough for Ron...

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo's homeland Madeira is a classy sunshine goal for many holidaymakers fed-up with Britain's freezing winter.

And as it's only three and a half hours away by plane it's the perfect place for a midwinter break or long weekend.
Not only does it boast luxury hotels and a fascinating history, but stunning flowers and a landscape dominated by volcanic peaks rising up to 6,000ft.
Relaxation or exploration - the choice is yours.
Temperatures are rarely below the 70s so you can perfect your tan by the pool - beaches are scarce - at one of the dozens of lavish hotels or visit the capital Funchal's many shops.
For the more adventurous, you can explore the island's breathtaking mountains and valleys on foot.
No visit would be complete without tasting the sweet wine which takes its name from or local delicacy the black scabbard fish.
The wine is best drunk as an aperitif or with a dessert. The fish (espada) - a long, ugly creature with big eyes - is only caught off Madeira and Japan.
It's delicious fried or grilled. Also try the honey cake (bolo de mel) and wild cherry liqueur (ginga).
Madeira is already the destination for 175,000 Britons annually - 70% of all visitors.
Wealthy Brits first came in the 19th century to spend the winter in sunnier and warmer climes.
One highlight not to be missed is the two-mile toboggan ride from Monte to Funchal when you are pushed in a giant wicker basket by two drivers.
It's about £7.50 and follows a cable car journey up to Monte costing £6.50. ... more