november-2010
november-2010
november-2010
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150 | DESTINATION GUIDES<br />
Madeira<br />
Portugal<br />
DIALLING CODE +351<br />
CURRENCY €<br />
FLY FROM<br />
Bristol, Lisbon,<br />
London (LGW, STN)<br />
FROM THE<br />
AIRPORT<br />
TAXI<br />
SINCE<br />
2007<br />
Pre-book your taxi<br />
at easyJet.com.<br />
A local taxi costs €30.<br />
The Aerobus goes<br />
to the main hotel<br />
area. Tickets: €5.<br />
Visit the Europcar<br />
desk for special<br />
easyJet rates.<br />
BON APPETIT<br />
UP TO €30<br />
Restaurante Londres<br />
(64A Rua Carreira,<br />
tel: 291 235 329) This<br />
unassuming restaurant<br />
pulls in plenty of locals<br />
thanks to its consistently<br />
good local cuisine, such<br />
as bacalhau. The fresh<br />
fi sh is also good, as are<br />
the daily specials.<br />
EXCLUSIVE Xopana<br />
(Travessa do Largo da<br />
Choupana, Funchal, tel:<br />
291 206 020) A meal at<br />
this hilltop spa resort is<br />
memorable, not only<br />
for the breathtaking<br />
views over the town<br />
but for the modern<br />
take on Madeiran<br />
cuisine, such as fi llet of<br />
parrot fi sh and Atlantic<br />
tuna with potato and<br />
wasabi pureé.<br />
AFTER DARK<br />
LOW KEY Santinho<br />
(5 Avenida Mar C<br />
Madeirenses Marina,<br />
tel: 291 228 945) Enjoy<br />
a cocktail or two at this<br />
buzzy bar overlooking<br />
the boats of the marina.<br />
LATE & LIVELY<br />
Vespas (60 Avenida Sa<br />
Carneiro, Funchal, tel:<br />
291 231 202) Facing<br />
the harbour, this giant<br />
former warehouse<br />
is great for all-night<br />
dancing. It attracts<br />
a good-time crowd.<br />
THIS MONTH<br />
SHOP Funchal’s superb<br />
Mercado das Lavradores<br />
is packed with autumn<br />
produce: expect a riot of<br />
colour and lots of local<br />
characters. As well as<br />
fruit and veg, you’ll fi nd a<br />
diverse array of fi sh and<br />
some local handicrafts.<br />
SEE Christmas lights<br />
are all systems go from<br />
26 November, though<br />
the sparkliest place in<br />
town will be the football<br />
stadium, when soccer<br />
giants Maritimo take on<br />
Funchal rivals Nacional<br />
on the 14th. Maritimo’s<br />
other November<br />
matches are against<br />
União de Leiria (7th)<br />
and Guimarães (28th).<br />
NO WAY!<br />
One of the rarest birds<br />
in the world, the Zino’s<br />
petrel, breeds only on<br />
Madeira’s remote peaks.<br />
It was thought to be<br />
extinct until a shepherd<br />
reported that he had<br />
heard the wailing of dead<br />
souls, and ornithologists<br />
discovered that it was<br />
the cry of the birds.<br />
Matthew Hancock<br />
Madrid<br />
Spain<br />
DIALLING CODE +34<br />
CURRENCY €<br />
FLY FROM<br />
Amsterdam,<br />
Basel-Mulhouse, Berlin,<br />
Bristol, Bucharest,<br />
Casablanca, Edinburgh,<br />
Fuerteventura, Geneva,<br />
Ibiza, Lanzarote, Lisbon,<br />
Liverpool, London (LGW,<br />
LTN), Lyon, Marrakech,<br />
Milan (MXP), Paris<br />
(CDG), Rome (CIA),<br />
Sofi a, Tangier, Toulouse.<br />
FROM THE<br />
AIRPORT<br />
TAXI<br />
SINCE<br />
1998<br />
Pre-book your taxi<br />
at easyJet.com.<br />
A local taxi costs €30.<br />
Metro line 8<br />
connects to other<br />
lines and suburban<br />
trains. Tickets €2.<br />
Visit the Europcar<br />
desk for special<br />
easyJet rates.<br />
BON APPETIT<br />
UP TO €15 MCM (13<br />
Calle Desengaño, tel:<br />
915 217 590) Just off<br />
the Gran Vía, this stylish<br />
restaurant offers great<br />
value for money. Kick off<br />
the night with a cocktail<br />
before enjoying creative<br />
Spanish cuisine such as<br />
Iberian pork with boletus<br />
mushrooms, and cod<br />
with fennel sauce. Those<br />
with a sweet tooth must<br />
try the mango and<br />
pear crumble.<br />
UP TO €30 La Mucca<br />
de Prado (16 Calle del<br />
Prado, tel: 915 230 000)<br />
The beautiful décor is as<br />
good as the food. Savour<br />
pizzas with Spanish<br />
toppings, Asian and<br />
Middle Eastern-inspired<br />
dishes, as well as pasta<br />
and home-style desserts.<br />
The trendy front bar pulls<br />
in a hip crowd. Sit down<br />
with a cocktail, such<br />
as the elderfl ower and<br />
cucumber martini.<br />
UP TO €50 Europa<br />
Decó (34 Carrera de<br />
San Jeronimo, tel: 917<br />
877 770) Oceanic,<br />
ethnic décor provides<br />
the setting for the<br />
innovative dishes from<br />
Spanish chef Joaquín de<br />
Felipe. The lunch menu<br />
in this lively restaurant<br />
includes pasta and<br />
market-fresh vegetable<br />
and fi sh dishes. At night,<br />
the lighting creates an<br />
atmosphere perfect<br />
for lingering over more<br />
elaborate cuisine. Don’t<br />
miss the calamari<br />
sashimi and Kobe-style<br />
beef from New Zealand.<br />
AXOR<br />
FERIA<br />
★ ★ ★ ★ ★<br />
This smart and<br />
modern hotel has<br />
fantastic themed<br />
rooms with a<br />
minimalist feel.<br />
Breakfast included.<br />
From €65, book at<br />
hotels.easyJet.com.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
EXCLUSIVE Gastro<br />
de Sergi Arola (31<br />
Calle Zurbano, tel: 913<br />
102 169) Treat yourself<br />
to gastronomic delights<br />
from acclaimed Spanish<br />
chef Sergi Arola. Gastro<br />
offers an informal<br />
midday menu and<br />
haute cuisine at night.<br />
Don’t miss the red<br />
Palamos prawns with<br />
cava and mushrooms,<br />
or the exquisite black<br />
grouper served with<br />
vindaloo coconut soup.<br />
Excellent Spanish wines<br />
add to the experience.<br />
AFTER DARK<br />
LOW KEY La<br />
Venencia (7 Calle de<br />
Echegaray, tel: 914 297<br />
313) Step back in time at<br />
La Venencia, a traditional<br />
Spanish sherry bar<br />
where you will be greeted<br />
by friendly staff, an even<br />
friendlier cat and décor<br />
that looks like it was last<br />
retouched in the 1950s.<br />
LIVE MUSIC Siroco<br />
(3 Calle San Dimas, tel:<br />
915 933 070) A lively<br />
programme of local<br />
funk and rock bands<br />
is on offer at Siroco,<br />
which opens its doors<br />
to the city’s young, cool,<br />
twentysomethings<br />
around 10pm for gigs,<br />
before turning into a top<br />
nightclub after midnight.<br />
LATE & LIVELY The<br />
Glass Bar (34 Carrera<br />
de los Jeronimos, tel: 917<br />
877 770) Sip a classic<br />
cocktail or a glass of<br />
champagne while you<br />
savour some delicious<br />
oysters in the company<br />
of international<br />
trendsetters. From fl oor<br />
to ceiling, everything<br />
in this stunning bar is<br />
made of glass. As the<br />
night moves on, the wow<br />
factor cranks up a notch.<br />
THIS MONTH<br />
SHOP Revive and<br />
refresh both body and<br />
mind at the luxury spa<br />
Fusiom. Choose from<br />
a menu of more than<br />
40 massages and<br />
treatments, including the<br />
heavenly Bali Chocolate<br />
(44 Calle de Alcala,<br />
fusiom.es).<br />
SEE Dive into the<br />
Prado Museum to<br />
discover Passion for<br />
Renoir. This spectacular<br />
special exhibition<br />
brings together 31<br />
acclaimed works from<br />
around the world by<br />
the much-loved French<br />
impressionist artist<br />
(museodelprado.es).<br />
GO Discover the<br />
multitude of colours<br />
in the autumn foliage<br />
at Madrid’s Botanic<br />
Gardens. Situated<br />
right next to the Prado<br />
Museum, there are<br />
hundreds of exotic<br />
plants, old trees and a<br />
greenhouse to explore.<br />
ESCAPE November<br />
is a great time to visit El<br />
Escorial, which is just a<br />
45-minute ride on bus<br />
No. 661 from Madrid’s<br />
Moncloa bus station.<br />
Visit the massive 16thcentury<br />
royal monastery,<br />
before strolling around<br />
the shops and galleries.<br />
NO WAY!<br />
Although Madrid is<br />
relatively fl at, it is in fact<br />
650m above sea level<br />
and has the honour<br />
of being the highest<br />
capital city in Europe.<br />
Scott Adams
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