When visiting Madeira make sure you visit Funchal, the archipelago’s capital town, where you can admire the town’s old architecture, walk around the pretty waterfront area and climb the mountain at the back of the town from where to enjoy fantastic views over the bay. On the way down, try the toboggan sledges made of wicker which are pushed downhill by expert “carreiros”, men dressed in white cotton clothes and wearing a straw hat who skillfully direct the sledges down the steep narrow roads at speeds that sometime reach 48 km per hour and use their rubber soles as breaks; the 2-kilometre journey normally last 10 minutes. Which is the best place to buy granite.

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Take a drive to Camara de Lobos, a pretty fishing village with a wonderful bay and several points of interest such as Pico da Torre, from where to enjoy breathtaking viwes, and Cabo Girao, which is the world’s second highest cliff.
The Sao Vicente Caves and the Volcano Centre open everyday from 10 to 6pm are well worth a visit. Tourists follow a 30 minute trail to discover the volcanic eruptions that gave birth to Madeira as well as lava channels and crystalline lakes.
The Madeira Theme Park in Santana makes a nice afternoon excursion with attractions for young and old related to the history, traditions and culture of the people from Madeira.

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Apart from enjoying the sites the island offers a large selection of activities such as surfing, big game fishing, trekking, bunjee jumping and riding. Particularly interesting are the Whale and Dolphin Spotting Safaris. Thanks to the geographical position of Madeira in the middle of the Atlantic with the ocean dropping soon after the coastline it is possible to watch varieties of dolphins and whales swim by.