Going to Madeira, where to next?

Hi,
I am going to Madeira, Portugal for a business conference in January
and I want to extend the trip into a vacation for my husband and
myself, but I'm not sure where the best places to go are from there.
We are interested in seeing places in Portugal, Morocco, or Spain, but
have a limited budget and less than a week. We love exploring urban
settings.... my impression of Madeira is that it is less urban and
more of a resort island. Maybe I should meet my husband after the
conference in Lisbon and begin exploring from there?

What would you recommend if Madeira were your launching point for a
trip??

thanks for any suggestions!

JMD

On 3 Nov 2003 14:00:28 -0800, (JMD) wrote:

Hi,
I am going to Madeira, Portugal for a business conference in January
and I want to extend the trip into a vacation for my husband and
myself, but I'm not sure where the best places to go are from there.
We are interested in seeing places in Portugal, Morocco, or Spain, but
have a limited budget and less than a week. We love exploring urban
settings.... my impression of Madeira is that it is less urban and
more of a resort island. Maybe I should meet my husband after the
conference in Lisbon and begin exploring from there?

What would you recommend if Madeira were your launching point for a
trip??

thanks for any suggestions!

JMD

I spent a week on Madeira a few years ago. It is a special place; an
island with a relaxed pace, friendly people, and beautiful scenery. I
wouldn't consider it a resort island in the same way as the islands of
the Caribbean. Yes, it has some beachfront hotels & restaurants, but
it is also European: urban centers, cultural events, people living and
working and raising families.

Lisbon is probably the closest and easiest big city to get to from
Madiera. I had to change planes there going & coming. So if you've
never been to Lisbon, that should be easy enough to get to and should
give you the big city energy that you'd like. If your whole trip is
less than a week, don't even bother to think of doing more; and do
spend a couple of days exploring Madeira. Enjoy!!



Cheers,
Ann

To email: replace 'REMOVE' with 'b' in email address.

Following up to JMD

I am going to Madeira, Portugal for a business conference in January
and I want to extend the trip into a vacation for my husband and
myself, but I'm not sure where the best places to go are from there.
We are interested in seeing places in Portugal, Morocco, or Spain, but
have a limited budget and less than a week. We love exploring urban
settings.... my impression of Madeira is that it is less urban and
more of a resort island. Maybe I should meet my husband after the
conference in Lisbon and begin exploring from there?

Its not really much of a resort island (from a while back) there
is a limited amount of holiday development but most of the island
is untouched. It makes good walking country, along made up paths
on the highest mountains and along levada (irrigation channel)
paths. I agree its not much of an urban scene, so perhaps Lisbon
would be an idea if you have to travel via Lisbon anyway?.

--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
UK walking & photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Spain,cuisines and walking "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Reid wrote in message
...
Following up to JMD

I am going to Madeira, Portugal for a business conference in January
and I want to extend the trip into a vacation for my husband and
myself, but I'm not sure where the best places to go are from there.
We are interested in seeing places in Portugal, Morocco, or Spain, but
have a limited budget and less than a week. We love exploring urban
settings.... my impression of Madeira is that it is less urban and
more of a resort island. Maybe I should meet my husband after the
conference in Lisbon and begin exploring from there?

Its not really much of a resort island (from a while back) there
is a limited amount of holiday development but most of the island
is untouched. It makes good walking country, along made up paths
on the highest mountains and along levada (irrigation channel)
paths. I agree its not much of an urban scene, so perhaps Lisbon
would be an idea if you have to travel via Lisbon anyway?.


I don't know the logistics, but equi-distant as Lisbon (which obviously has
very easy connections) is Marrakesh, an altogether far more fascinating
experience!

Surreyman

thanks for all this information! I'm excited to hear it isn't a
"resort" type island.

do any of you know of airlines (or airline websites) that specialize
in that area? (Portugal or Morocco) Maybe I could get a flight through
Morocco.

JMD

(JMD) wrote in
om:

thanks for all this information! I'm excited to hear it isn't a
"resort" type island.

do any of you know of airlines (or airline websites) that specialize
in that area? (Portugal or Morocco) Maybe I could get a flight through
Morocco.

JMD

I'd be surprised if you could fly from Madeira to Morocco direct (on
scheduled flights).

To Lisbon try AirPortugal (TAP) which has by far the most flights in & out
of Madeira.

I would agree with others who say if you only have a week I'd stay there
and explore both islands of the Madeira region: Madeira and Porto Santo.