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Fun and Frolics in Funchal
With a few hours to fill on this weary Wednesday I thought I’d pen the intro to this short diversion to Madeira.
I was just perusing the latest contributions to the forum and there are some amazing and outrageous trips going on at the moment, Hong Kong, Singapore, Alaska, Japan, Australia, Antarctica, Around the World, First class, La Premiere… and that list is just the first ten posts! Well, you’ll get none of that aspirational travel reporting here :D Heading out early on Friday this weekend sees me heading to Funchal for a little weekend break. This is another redemption and I’ll be all back of the bus once more in BAs spacious exit row for all 4 flights. There’s a few new and exciting things going on this week, not least of which will be my very first time ever in Gatwick airport, and the anticipation of the LHR-LGW National Express coach cannot be understated! This is going to be a very chilled weekend with a bit of wandering around and the almost ubiquitous food tour on Saturday which I have high hopes for given the stupendous reviews it has garnered. If anyone has suggestions, or a Must Do, then feel free to throw ideas into the pot Next Stop: Newcastle Airport at stupid o’clock Friday morning. |
Looking forward to this. I was in Madeira only once, in late 2021, but I enjoyed myself immensely, and am looking forward to going back hopefully soon.
... would you look at that. 10,000 posts. |
Originally Posted by Fabo.sk
(Post 36938122)
Looking forward to this. I was in Madeira only once, in late 2021, but I enjoyed myself immensely, and am looking forward to going back hopefully soon.
... would you look at that. 10,000 posts. |
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Never been to Madeira before so looking forward to reading your report. I have been to Gatwick many times though and providing you miss the morning rush you should have a very pleasant ground experience and I hope you get some decent lounge time as I think both the First and Club Lounges at LGW are a step up compared with BA's offerings at Heathrow. The Club Lounge has just had a new cocktail bar installed which serves champagne and a variety of gin and spritz cocktails.
Also, if you want to avoid trawling through duty free shops while en route to the lounge then, when you clear security, instead of going down the stairs to duty free turn left and use the corridor to come out into Departures above the duty free zone. |
If you like Madeira (the wine) we have enjoyed D'Olivera in Funchal very much. Not fancy and timing matters (tour groups wash through often). But a huge range of very old and reasonably priced Madeira to choose from. Blandy's is much posher but D'Olivera more approachable somehow. Full disclosure last time we were there was 2021.
Looking forward to reading of another of your adventures! |
Originally Posted by babystepper
(Post 36938610)
If you like Madeira (the wine) we have enjoyed D'Olivera in Funchal very much. Not fancy and timing matters (tour groups wash through often). But a huge range of very old and reasonably priced Madeira to choose from. Blandy's is much posher but D'Olivera more approachable somehow. Full disclosure last time we were there was 2021.
Looking forward to reading of another of your adventures! Starts at the 4 minute mark |
Looking forward to this one JapesUK! We have visited Madeira several times and my current wife is happy to visit solo when work gets in my way. Lots to see and do. If you are a fan of a Cheese & Ham toastie then there will be no issues there - it seems to be an island favourite! Watch out for the Poncha though! Over consumption of this delicious beverage in various flavours leads to unplanned siestas. There are no end of tour operators but the Tuk Tuk tour (Tukxi.pt) is probably the most fun as it can get to places in Funchal that cars cannot. There is even a company offering tours of the island on the back of a big motorcycle trike - Adventure Trikes. Enjoy yourself!
PS - forgot to add - enjoy the landing at FNC - it's a "Captains only" airport. If you are landing on 05 then the approach from the north over nearby Porto Santo and a sweeping right turn for the landing make it a spectacular event. |
Originally Posted by bigbadjoe
(Post 36938929)
Looking forward to this one JapesUK! We have visited Madeira several times and my current wife is happy to visit solo when work gets in my way. Lots to see and do. If you are a fan of a Cheese & Ham toastie then there will be no issues there - it seems to be an island favourite! Watch out for the Poncha though! Over consumption of this delicious beverage in various flavours leads to unplanned siestas. There are no end of tour operators but the Tuk Tuk tour (Tukxi.pt) is probably the most fun as it can get to places in Funchal that cars cannot. There is even a company offering tours of the island on the back of a big motorcycle trike - Adventure Trikes. Enjoy yourself!
PS - forgot to add - enjoy the landing at FNC - it's a "Captains only" airport. If you are landing on 05 then the approach from the north over nearby Porto Santo and a sweeping right turn for the landing make it a spectacular event. Never done a tuktuk tour and not been in a tuktuk for a very long time, booked for after the food tour, I’ll appreciate the sit down :) Great suggestions, thanks! |
Originally Posted by Fabo.sk
(Post 36938332)
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Aha! Bon Voyage! :cool:
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Loved Funchal when I visited there in 2022; amazing approach if you have a window seat on the right hand side of the aircraft (but I know that you prefer the aisle) as it’s another of those “challenging” airports.
If you like pastel de nata, good place for it. Friend of mine from Sunderland is in Funchal at the moment, weather looks good there today. |
Originally Posted by Nimrod1965
(Post 36940434)
Loved Funchal when I visited there in 2022; amazing approach if you have a window seat on the right hand side of the aircraft (but I know that you prefer the aisle) as it’s another of those “challenging” airports.
If you like pastel de nata, good place for it. Friend of mine from Sunderland is in Funchal at the moment, weather looks good there today. I thought about the window seat at the weekend but alas I was too late and an aisle seat it is. At the moment expertflyer is showing 8F as being free, I may ask at the airport about upgrades but unlikely to be cheap enough to make sense. Fingers crossed for a decent weekend, the forecast looks promising. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...c92651e6d.jpeg |
I thought the National Express transfer LHR-LGW-LHR was quite pleasant.
The quickest transfers are via rail\tube but you have to be HBO for that. The only problem really is that they are not super frequent, so if you miss one it feels like an age waiting with the great unwashed for the next to arrive. NB Don't bother getting a 'anytime' ticket. If you get a ticket for a specified time on a single day, they are good for travel before or after on the same day anyway (not advertised but universally true). Also agree with the advice to turn left after security to stay on the same level and go directly to the lounge lift. As you exit the security lanes, everyone has to go left along to the exit, but just after the last security lane (the fast track one you will be using) is a little signposted shuffle to the left again. I missed it the first time I went. There are some great views in LGW F lounge. But there is one corner spot that is absolutely prime. Also the ordering from your seat in the F lounge worked last time I was there, unlike at LHR. |
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