There are many reasons for travelling light: it's easier, cheaper and better for the environment than bringing excess luggage on the plane. When you book a flight, you are allowed to bring one piece of hand baggage no bigger than 43cm x 28cm x 23 cm and 5kg in weight per person, mobility equipment and children's pushchairs. When you book short haul flights such as flights to Funchal, it is possible to add hold baggage allowance of 20kg online via "Your booking" page from 12 pounds per person per flight for or with the call centre from 17 pounds per person per flight. But before you do so, ask yourself: do you really need it? Here are some tips for travelling light with toddlers.

Continue reading... Travelling light with toddlers

The botanic gardens in Madeira have become one of the most treasured attractions within the Madeira. This attraction is one of the famous attractions. These botanic gardens cover an area of about eighty thousand square meters. The collection within the gardens includes more than two thousand five hundred different species of plant. This attraction is very popular with tourist and a lot of these people take advantage of the frequent flights to Funchal.

Continue reading... Madeira Botanic Gardens in Funchal

The name of the town Funchal comes from the Portugese word Funcho which means fennel. Fennel is a unique herb that was discovered in large amounts in the town by the Portuguese naval leaders, Tristao Vaz Teixeira and Joao Goncalves Zarco when they landed here in 1418. You can reach Funchal by air as it has an airport. There are regular flights to Funchal from many international airports. Funchal contains the castle, the old town, numerous museums, cathedrals, a cable car right up till the Monte Gardens and palace, a great place to shop, bars, cafes and restaurants. As you progress more towards the west, further from the port you will land right inside the famous Santa Catarina Park.

Continue reading... Santa Catarina Park in Funchal

Funchal is one of the most entertaining places of all because of its variety of festivals and great tourist destinations. You can reach Funchal by air as there are a couple of flights to Funchal everyday. One of the most popular places to visit in Funchal is the Madeira Story Centre. It is a remarkable modern museum representing the history of Funchal and its culture. It is unlike a typical museum, designed to bring alive a unique experience. As you enter this museum you will feel as if someone is weaving a story in front of you.

Continue reading... Madeira Story Centre in Funchal

Funchal got its name from a Lisbon Italian sailor who lived in the 16th Century. His name was Joao Zarco and he was exploring the island at that time. Funchal has three beautiful rivers named Ribeira de Joao Gomez, Ribeira de Santa Luzia and Ribeira de Sao Joao. It is truly refreshing to see them while sightseeing. Apart from the natural set up, Funchal consists of urban holiday resorts. Hotels and resorts here offer good amenities and great ambience and some have swimming pools too. Regarding travel, you can expect to travel by air as there are more than 20 flights to Funchal available every day from several international cities and about 50 flights from Funchal to other cities. Funchal is located at 15 minutes distance from the airport.

Continue reading... Funchal in Levada Walks

Funchal is a place full of picturesque gardens growing all kinds of trees to preserve its natural beauty. If you are planning your next vacation to Funchal, there are several hotels and resort where you can stay. Regarding your journey, there are many flights to Funchal from almost all the major international airports. Funchal consists of Monte Palace Tropical Garden, Quinta Magnolia, Quinta Das Cruzes, Quinta Palmeira, Santa Catarina Park, Botanical GardenThis property, now belonging to the Blandy family, boasts some of the most valuable and rare exotic plants on the island.

Continue reading... Quinta do Palheiro Ferreiro

During the 18th century, a property was bought by Charles Murray, who was also the English Consul at the time. The property was none other than the Monte located to the southern part of the church. It was bought and converted in to a heavenly estate. It was called Quinta do Prazer which means The Pleasure Estate. As the 19th century arrived, a few rich families from Madeira, who had some vast estates themselves, came to live here whenever they came to visit Funchal.

Continue reading... Funchal Monte Palace Tropical Garden

Planning your trip to Funchal. Dont forget to pack your walking shoes for the amazing walking festival held at Madeira. Funchal makes a great place for a holiday all through the year, being a region with sub tropical weather. The Walking Festival held every year in January presents a great opportunity to enjoy the scenic beauty of Madeira in the most natural way possible, that is, by simply walking along the natures trail. Started by writer photographer, Terry Marsh, the festival has become quite popular, attracting several visitors from Europe as well as other parts of the world. The main airport being at Funchal, the only way to reach Madeira is by catching a flight to Funchal. There are several airlines offering their services to Funchal, both through major international airports and via different European cities.

Continue reading... Funchal Madeira Islands Walking Festival

Funchal Film Festival is held every year to celebrate the culture of art and fiction films. Film enthusiasts from all over Portugal as well as several neighboring countries flock around Madeira where the festival is hosted. As the craze of films is building up everywhere in the world with increasing fervor, the crowd attending the film festival is also increasing almost with the same pace. The festival mainly covers fiction feature films of 35mm reel.

Continue reading... Funchal Film Festival

Remarkable gardens, deep blue sea and picturesque landscapes are some of the things that greet you as you enter the city. Surrounded by huge mountains on one side and clear waters on the other, Funchal is truly blessed by nature. Music is an inseparable part of cultural heritage of Portugal, which is amply reflected in the music festivals held in the city.

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For tourists who desire to experience a curious mix of culture, music, history, merry-making, and a hint of wordly sophistication, flights to Funchal this September will take you just in time to take part at the the Madeira Wine Festival.

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For a break from museum hopping, the Funchal region offers a wealth of botanical gardens and parks in which you can relax and enjoy the vistas in the area.

Continue reading... Wine and Gardens in Funchal

Madiera, known for holding a Guinness World Record for the largest firework display, looks set to hold yet another birthday celebration as judging by last years 502nd they would be mad not to repeat proceedings on the 21st August. As well as the main parade, with participants dressed in various costumes, there will be outdoor concerts, theatre performances and other celebrations.

Continue reading... Funchal set to celebrate its 502nd birthday!

For shopping, visit the Workers' Market (Mercado dos Lavradores), an open market that is alive with activity, noise, color and the hustle and bustle of the locals. Here you can buy any Madeira's specialties such as fresh fish, vegetables, spices, exotic flowers and local handicrafts. The building is in the late 1930s art deco style and designed by Portuguese architect Edmundo Tavares. Local handicrafts in the region include hand made embroidery and lace items, ceramics, tiles, and wicker objects. Locally made honey is a perfect souvenir.

Continue reading... Feel Free in Funchal

April is a month of tradition, sport and culture on the Atlantic island of Madeira.

Continue reading... Madeira Island Open Golf

Earlier this year, the inhabitant of Madeira worked together with determination to recover quickly from the destructive storms that hit parts of the island during February. After showing so much resilience, the annual Flower Festival on Madeira during April provided an opportunity for them to put recent events behind them and look forward to another great summer.

Continue reading... Madeira's Flourishing Flower Festival

The tourist authorities of the island of Madeira have recently published a listing of some of their most significant cultural events for 2010.

Continue reading... Madeira Publicises 2010 Events

For an alternative winter sun getaway why not consider Funchal on the island of Madeira. The typical winter sun locations like Malta, Egypt or the Canary Islands like Tenerife, Gran Canaria or Lanzarote are all popular destinations for those seeking to spend a week or two escaping from the UK winter weather, but the island of Madeira is also a great option.

Continue reading... Funchal For February

The 17th December, was the shortest day of the year in Funchal on the island of Madeira in 2009, dusk arrived at 4 minutes to five in the afternoon only 600 minutes after sunrise. Compare that to London whose shortest day came a day or two later and was only 470 minutes long. So a winter break on the island of Madeira will not only provide more sun and warmer temperatures, but the days will be over two hours longer too.

Continue reading... Funchal's Shortest Day

The month of November on the island of Madeira is certainly one when food seems to take the centre stage.

Continue reading... Madeira Food Focus

New Years Eve celebrations seem to be getting bigger and bigger every year. London now stages a major public fireworks display, centred on the London Eye on the Thames, while TV news broadcasts always show the New Year being welcomed in different parts of the world. These reports usually show fireworks displays in Edinburgh, Paris, Sydney, Copacabana beach, Hong Kong and or the million or so revelers who converge on Times Square in New York. The New York celebrations are interesting as they first started in 1904 to commemorate the opening of the New York Times' new offices, when 200,000 people came to enjoy an all-day party put on by the newspaper. It is now estimated that 1 billion people worldwide watch the Times Square celebrations.

Continue reading... New Years Eve on the Algarve

Mention International Film Festivals and places like Cannes, Berlin, Edinburgh and Moscow spring to mind. But there are many other festivals celebrating the work of filmmakers and the island of Madeira hosts its own event which has slowly been growing in stature since it first started four years ago.

Continue reading... Funchal International Cinema Festival

For anyone visiting the island of Madeira during the middle of October, the town of Ribeira Brava provides the chance to experience some traditional local music and culture.

Continue reading... Autumn events on Madeira

A heady combination of natural delights, culture, and activities, Funchal is a colourfully vibrant place to visit. The attractive city is known for its appealing Mediterranean temperatures, Madeiran wine and local handicrafts. It makes a great spot for a weekend break or a week away to explore this region in the Madeiran archipelago.

Continue reading... Funchal - Part 1