THE PEARL OF THE ATLANTIC........
15/02/2010
Madeira
Also referred to as "The Floating Garden” of the Atlantic, Madeira has a great natural beauty with tropical gardens and spectacular panoramic views. It’s gentle climate is neither too hot in summer nor too cold in winter and whether you’re a first timer or a returning visitor, the island will leave you speechless with its stunning natural beauty and culture.
The quaint cobblestone streets of Funchal, Madeira’s capital, are abundant with craft shops and pavement cafés and the covered market is colourful collection of exotic fruit stalls and flower-sellers wearing traditional costume. Explore the marina with its fine seafood restaurants before admiring the city’s impressive Sé cathedral with its ornate ceiling and artworks or taking a cable car to the mountain village of Monte and hurtle back down the cobbles towards Funchal in a wicker toboggan.
There is a wide range of opportunities to satisfy your leisure requirements. Whilst renowned as a walkers paradise there is so much more to do. You can explore the island by bike, or join a four-wheel drive tour of the eucalyptus-clad mountains. The latter will give you a good sense of how steeply Madeira rises from the sea. Madeira also boasts two championship golf courses the Santo da Serra Golf which is home to the Madeira Open, and regarded as one of the most spectacular courses in Europe, and the challenging 18 hole Palheiro Golf.
The Atlantic invites you to go sailing, fishing, whale & dolphin spotting, water skiing, surfing, diving and swimming. Monastery Reef and Garajau Marine Reserve, both off the southeast of the island, are popular sites, and shore diving is possible in several locations.
For more sedate pleasures, holiday-makers can meander around the Botanical Gardens to admire their dazzling displays of orchids, cacti and Madeira’s iconic dragon trees or go to a wine lodge to learn Madeira’s age-old wine making secrets.
Atlantic Holidays offers accommodation varying from the old-fashioned elegance of the iconic Reids Palace, to modern spa-focused resorts such as Cliff Bay, which offers ocean swimming, and many more besides.
Holidays from Norwich Airport include an in flight meal, 20Kg baggage, transfers, no fuel surcharge and representative in resort. These direct flights from your local airport are price matched with Gatwick. Departures from Norwich Airport are available on the following dates 26 July, 02, 09, 16, 23 and 30 August 2010
