Madeira Holiday: Luxury Quintas, Manors and Hotels

A Madeira Holiday in style!
It is becoming an unanimous understatement that the best place to stay in Madeira is a Quinta, which is traditionally an old family manor house and walled estate, with its own luscious gardens

On the following pages you will discover the most unique Manor houses, Quintas and Countryside hotels in Madeira - where you can enjoy your Madeira holiday - to the full.

This fascinating island has something for everyone. Whatever your taste or age you will find the perfect location to spend your precious time and a huge variety of things to do for the Madeira holiday of a lifetime.

Long ago the getaway brigade discovered on this island a welcoming populace, a wonderful climate and an ever increasing and diverse supply of hotels and other tourist accommodation to suit every taste and budget.

Early tourists to Madeira were the passengers of the great cruise liners because Madeira was an important coaling station and excursions into the countryside were a pleasant days break from the rolling Atlantic.

Today's tourists come mostly by plane from the UK, Germany and Scandinavia to find some winter sun, peace and quiet. The summer months see a greater demand from the countries of southern Europe, where people come to escape the searing heat and their own tourist influx.

As an echo of the past, many people now arrive by ship, as Funchal is a favoured port on the Atlantic cruising routes. Recent years have seen a slow but important extension of tourism out of Funchal and into the rural districts of the island. ‘Levada’ walking, surfing, deep-sea fishing and mountaineering are some of the many reasons why people now choose a Madeira holiday.

What they all find in common is that with its very low ratio of tourists to local population, they have a chance to visit an island that lives and breathes another life other than being totally in thrall to the tourist dollar. On Madeira life is different and you are welcome to leave if you can pull yourself away.