Top 10 Madeira (Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides)
Top 10 Madeira (Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides)
Top 10 Madeira (Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides)
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* Diving<br />
Clean Atlantic waters, clear<br />
visibility and an array of beautiful<br />
fish and reefs make <strong>Madeira</strong> a<br />
popular spot for divers of all ages<br />
and abilities. d Manta Diving Center,<br />
Hotel Galomar, Caniço de Baixo. Map J6.<br />
291 935 588 • <strong>Madeira</strong> Divepoint, Carlton<br />
<strong>Madeira</strong> Hotel, Largo Antonio Nobre, Funchal.<br />
Map H6. 291 239 579<br />
( Adventure Sports<br />
<strong>Madeira</strong>’s challenging<br />
countryside lends itself to all<br />
sorts of adventure sports, from<br />
rock-climbing to hang-gliding, but<br />
few companies yet exist to<br />
provide organized excursions.<br />
One that does is Terras de<br />
Aventura, offering mountain<br />
biking, jeep safaris, off-road<br />
biking, climbing, kayaking,<br />
canyoning and paragliding. d 291<br />
776 818 • www.terrasdeaventura.com<br />
) Horse Riding<br />
The Associação Hípica da<br />
<strong>Madeira</strong> can provide lessons for<br />
beginners; for more experienced<br />
riders there are guided tours<br />
along <strong>Madeira</strong>’s beautiful, narrow<br />
mountain tracks and hidden forest<br />
byways. d Quinta Vila Alpires,<br />
Camhino dos Pretos, São João de Latrão<br />
• Map H5 • 291 792 582 • Open 3–6pm<br />
Tue, <strong>10</strong>am–1pm, 3–6pm Wed–Sun (Sun<br />
till 7pm)<br />
Horse riding<br />
<strong>Top</strong> <strong>10</strong> <strong>Madeira</strong>n<br />
Wildlife<br />
! Wall Lizards<br />
You will see them on<br />
every sunny rock or pavement.<br />
They feed on fruit and flies.<br />
@ Wagtails<br />
This yellow-breasted bird<br />
is never very far from water,<br />
hence its <strong>Madeira</strong>n nickname:<br />
“the washerwoman”.<br />
# Swifts<br />
Watch them wheeling and<br />
feeding at dusk along Funchal’s<br />
seafront promenade.<br />
$ Kestrels<br />
These chestnut-backed<br />
birds nest on the cliffs of the<br />
hotel district, and hover on<br />
the wind in search of prey.<br />
% Buzzards<br />
Often seen riding the<br />
warm air above the valleys of<br />
Funchal and Curral das Freiras.<br />
^ Robins<br />
The robins you will see<br />
on <strong>Madeira</strong> have the same<br />
cheery red breasts as their<br />
mainland cousins, and just as<br />
sweet a song.<br />
Sally Lightfoot Crabs<br />
& These dark brown crabs<br />
are often seen grazing tidal<br />
rocks for algae. They will disappear<br />
fast if threatened –<br />
hence “lightfoot”.<br />
* Perez’s Frogs<br />
Introduced to <strong>Madeira</strong> by<br />
the Count of Carvalhal, this<br />
noisy frog with a bright yellow<br />
backbone stripe has spread to<br />
every pond in the island.<br />
( Monarch butterflies<br />
These large orange-blackand-white<br />
gliding butterflies are<br />
seen in all <strong>Madeira</strong>n gardens.<br />
) Limpets<br />
Limpets are a traditional<br />
food on <strong>Madeira</strong>, but<br />
harvesting is now controlled<br />
to prevent over-exploitation.<br />
<strong>Madeira</strong>’s <strong>Top</strong> <strong>10</strong> 49
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