Lisbon to Madeira

We had a mid morning flight from Lisbon to Funchal, the capital of Madeira.

Funchal Airport has a reputation as one of the most difficult approaches in the world, mainly due to the unpredictable winds off the nearby mountains. The runway was also very narrow because of the limited space, so they have now widened the runway with pylons built over the sea. But ours was a smooth, textbook landing.

Our accommodation wasn't available until 3pm, so we dropped our bags, had some lunch in the square outside our apartment, and went for a walk around the foreshore. There was only 2 cruise ships docked today, but they have had up to 15 (to watch the New Year's Eve fireworks display last year).

After a visit to the supermarket for supplies, Oliver and I went for a walk back to the foreshore to attend a geocaching event, then a quick walk around the old town before a much anticipated quiet night in after our busy last few weeks.Read more