Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ber-and-thatch dwellings known
as
palheiros
. These brightly-paint-
ed triangular houses are comfort-
able but compact, and many now
have modern extensions to
accommodate the kitchens and
bathrooms that the originals
lacked. You can visit and take
photographs of a row of tourist-
board houses next to the church,
but wander the lanes of the vil-
lage and you will see plenty
more, with immaculate gardens.
d
Map H2 • São Roque de Faial bus 103
or SAM buses 53 and 78
A Day in Central
Madeira
Morning
Starting in
Monte
by 10am
at the latest, your first stop
is the summit of
Pico do
Arieiro
. (If it's too cloudy,
do the trip in reverse; the
weather may clear later on.)
Afterward, descend to
Ribeiro Frio
to visit the
trout farm and enjoy the
native Madeiran flowers in
the surrounding gardens.
Walk downhill past the
shop, and take the
levada
path signposted left to
Balcões
. A 20-minute
stroll through woodland
brings you to a cutting in
the rock with wonderful
views over the island's
central peaks and valleys.
For lunch, try
Restaurante
Ribeiro Frio
(see p79)
, or
continue on to
Santana
. If
you prefer to bring your
own food, there are picnic
tables around Ribeiro Frio.
Afternoon
If you're not already in San-
tana, make your way there;
the main attractions are the
traditional triangular hous-
es. Next, follow signs to
the Rocha do Navio Teleféri-
co, and you will find a
cable car and footpath to
Santana's beach
.
View from Pico Ruivo
)
Pico Ruivo
Madeira's highest peak is
reached from the road next to
the petrol station on the eastern
side of Santana. This leads to the
car park at Achada do Teixeira,
from where a well-paved path
climbs to the summit (1,862 m,
6,109 ft). To the south, the views
look over the high peaks and jag-
ged ridges of an arid volcanic
landscape; to the north, clouds
hang around the lush, forested
slopes. Back at the car park, look
for the eroded rocks called
Homem em Pé (“Standing Man”)
in a hollow behind the rest
house.
d
Map G3 • No bus
Now head west into
Faial
.
Two “balconies” along the
way give you memorable
views of
Penha de Águia
(“Eagle Rock”). In Faial
itself, there are numerous
signposted walks.
If you're staying in Fun-
chal, the fastest route back
is to follow signs to
Machico through a long
tunnel that links up at the
southern end with the air-
port road back to the city.
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