4-Madeira (Portugal) 9th June 2014

9th June (Monday)

Estrelas white label (Continente). Cheap and delicious cereals! 

Big Portugal flag that I bought

 Madeiran scarf 

Zona Velha / Old town area in Funchal. I loved these original wall decorations! In the Rua de Santa Maria, the street of the painted doors in old town of Funchal we can find many things like the Art Gallery in an on old building

Decorated doors in Funchal's Old Town 

Travessa das Torres, Restaurante Sabor a Fado

The Sabor a Fado is a highly recommended restaurant for those looking for food accompanied by a Portuguese Fado experience

Between Zona Velha e Rua Bela São Tiago. 

Adjacent street to the office building where Micaela works 

Rua Bela de São Tiago 

Mercado dos Lavradores (Farmers' Market)

Located in the heart of the old town Funchal, the “Mercado dos Lavradores” (Farmers' Market) is a place that overflows colour, aroma, sound and tradition. Inaugurated in 1940, the “Mercado dos Lavradores” was built to provide the island's inhabitants with a central location to buy and sell local products

Talented musician

Fish market into the Mercado dos Lavradores. Walking down steps to the ground floor you will stumble into the area where fresh meat and fish such as “peixe espada preta”, tuna, octopus and lapas (mussels) are sold

There're many souvenir shops inside the market... :-)

At the main entrance you will find women dressed in the Madeira traditional costume selling flowers. You can find a wide range of flowers available to choose

There're always many tourists looking for souvenirs

Football t-shirts

Cristiano Ronaldo everywhere xD

As always, I bought a lot of souvenirs here xD

I don't like the Spanish National Team, so I gave my support to Portugal during the World Cup. I hate R. Madrid but I recognise that CR is a great player... and  he never forgot his poor and humble origins

Century 21 Prestige in Rua da Bolívia 138, very near my friends' home.

Waiting for an interview

Express way 

Near Casino

Near Casino and Parque Santa Catarina

  This is a statue made in Emtress Sissi's honor at Casino Park Hotel, next to the Pestana Casino Park. Elizabeth, the Empress of Austria, visited Funchal several times

Near Casino and Parque Caterina

Advertising poster of the Casino da Madeira

Casino da Madeira

The Madeira Fórum - Madeira Casino - which building was also designed by the renowned Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, offers a wide space for exhibitions, meetings and events as well as small breakout rooms. In the same building, but with independent entrance you will also find the Casino, the Bahia Restaurant, two bars and the Nightclub Disco Copacabana

Beautiful mosaic path (poker figures)

Centro de Congressos da Madeira. The Madeira Congress Center and the Pestana Fórum are part of the Meeting and Conferences complex of the Pestana Casino Park. These facilities are, as a whole, the largest conference hotel structure in the island, located only a few minutes’ walk from downtown Funchal. The meeting rooms include an auditorium with a capacity for 628 people and a conference room that can accommodate up to 450 people

Pretty flowers :)

Andreia, Micaela and I went to the Parque Santa Catarina, the best city park

Of all the parks in Funchal, Parque de Santa Catarina is the most crowd-pleasing, with many things to see and do. This park is 36.000m2 and it's an exquisite place with large green areas, many trees and a vast variety of flora and fauna

Parque Santa Catarina is an excellent place to kick back, relax or be active as it has a playground, a snack bar and a small lake with an island where you may find swans and other bird species

The park has 36.000m2 of green space

The small lake with Island

Swans on green water lake in Santa Catarina tropical city park gardens

Andreia and me :)

Wide variety of flora and fauna

Micaela and me :)

Small dog running! 

At Parque de Santa Catarina, near the chapel of the same, a monument in Honor of Gibraltarians Refugee who died in Madeira between 1940 and 1945. This monument offered by the Community of Gibraltar symbolizes also the gratitude of the people of Gibraltar for the affectionate way they were welcome in Funchal in that difficult period. The bonds of friendship and solidarity between Madeirans and Gibraltarians have long been consolidated

 Wonderful panoramic views of the Marina and whole of Funchal

Santa Catarina Chapel - Capela de Santa Catarina

Christopher Colombus' Statue (Cristóvão Colombo)

The park has lovely views over the port and sea, 
where you get a great view of all the cruise ships

 

Playground area

The park has several hiking trails

The playground behind us

Crazy trio xD

Stone steps

 Cat area

People feeding these lovely cats

LOL. Having fun in Praça do Mar (public square)

 

Near Praça do Mar (Avenida do Mar e das Comunidades Madeirenses) 

Praça do Mar, inaugurated on October 7th 2011, runs along the Avenida de Sá Carneiro, stretching from the port all the way to the Funchal Marina. This infrastructure has majorly improved Funchal's downtown core and is not just considered a place of gathering and leisure but as a gate to Funchal´s city centre

Avenida Francisco Sá Carneiro

Rua Princesa Dona Maria Amélia

Cristiano Ronaldo Museum situated in Rua Princesa D. Amélia, 10

The CR7 museum, dedicated to the professional career of Cristiano Ronaldo, displays the two Ballon d'or , his wax statue  and 145 other individual and team awards, some dating back to his Madeira childhood

Rua Imperatriz Dona Amélia 64, SPAR Supermarket. A street where a number of good restaurants are located, although the traffic noise is minimal

Rua Imperatriz Dona Amélia

Prince Albert Pub (Sé) in Rua Imperatriz Dona Amélia 86

The Istanbul Restaurant is the only Turkish restaurant to be found in Madeira and offers the best of Middle Eastern and Turkish cuisines. Located in close proximity to the Pestana Carlton Hotel and next door to the Moynihans Bar

Madeira's finest Indian Restaurant Taj Mahal

Largo Antonio Nobre between Pestana Carlton Madeira Hotel
and Ponte (Bridge) do Ribeiro Seco 

Villa Caffé Restaurant-Bar. Serves meat, veg options available. One of the better veg choices on the island. The menu includes a vegetarian section, and chef is willing to accommodate requests. Dinners only. Price: Moderate

Praia Formosa at the western end of Funchal

Praia Formosa is considered by many as one of the best beaches in Madeira

Nice sunset and breathtaking views over the ocean and the surrounding areas!