Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Madeiran policeman
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Pharmacy
Health and Security
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Insurance
Treatment should be
sought for dog bites, but
there is no record of
rabies on Madeira.
larger hotels have thera-
py centres offering hydro-
therapy, aromatherapy,
skincare, detox and mas-
sage treatments. Ask
your hotel to give you a
recommendation.
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Crime
Make sure that you
take out adequate travel
insurance to cover
yourself for private
medical treatment, as
well as for loss or theft
of belongings. You should
also be certain that your
policy is valid for any
holiday activities you
might undertake, such as
riding, scuba diving or
waterskiing. If you plan
to hire a car while you
are on the island, it might
also be advisable to take
out personal liability
cover for damage to
rented vehicles.
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Sun Protection
It is easy to suffer
sunburn on Madeira at
any time of the year,
especially as the effects
of too much sun are not
apparent until some time
after exposure. Cover
your head, neck, arms
and legs if you are
exposed to the sun, use
sunscreen, and carry
sufficient water to
prevent dehydration.
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Health Centres
Madeira is still refresh-
ingly safe and free from
crime - including pick-
pocketing, vandalism and
generally antisocial behav-
iour. Even so, it would be
unwise to tempt fate by
being too careless; lock all
your valuables in a hotel
safe, or keep them close
when out and about.
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EU Form E111
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Police
If you do need
medical help, you will
receive both swift and
attentive service by going
to the nearest health
centre - in Portuguese,
Centro de Saúde. Such
centres are found in
every village and parish.
If you are an EU citi-
zen, you are entitled to
claim free emergency
medical treatment, but
you must obtain and
complete a form E111
from a post office in
advance of your trip. You
usually have to pay for
any medical treatment in
the first instance, then
reclaim costs later - so
you must be sure to
retain any receipts for
medical expenses that
you incur.
If you lose any valua-
bles, and intend to make
an insurance claim, you
will need to make an offi-
cial police report. The
main police station in
Funchal is at Rua da
Infância 28; the police
telephone exchange can
be reached on 291 208
200. There are police
posts in every town.
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Pharmacies
Pharmacies - or
farmácias
- have staff
trained to diagnose minor
ailments and prescribe
appropriate remedies.
Every village has a late-
opening pharmacy - and
any pharmacies that do
not open late will have a
notice on the door direct-
ing you to one that does.
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Spa Therapy
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Vehicle
Breakdown
There is no national
breakdown service on
Madeira, but car rental
companies will give you
the emergency number
of their own service.
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Bites and Stings
Mosquitoes are not a
major problem on the
island, and there are no
poisonous snakes or
insects. Stray dogs and
so-called “guard dogs”
can be a hazard, and
some walkers carry dog
dazers in order to protect
themselves from any
unwanted attention.
Emergency
Services
Fire, police and
ambulance
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You don't have to be
ill to benefit from the
many spa therapies on
offer in Madeira. This is
especially true of Porto
Santo, where all of the
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