Madeira Short Break - Wine Festival

On the 12th of September, my husband and I had a lovely “adult” weekend away in Funchal in Madeira

Having visited Madeira in April 2024 as a family, when we had the opportunity to take a short break, whilst our lovely 18-year-old daughter looked after her sister, we jumped at the chance to return to Madeira for a three-night stay in the Old Town.

Madeira is a brilliant destination for a short break. We stayed just back from the promenade in the old town in Funchal, at the 5* Barceló Old Town hotel, which is in a fabulous location on a pedestrianised street opposite the Cathedral.

It was a fabulous weekend of sunshine, food, drinks and walks, over 10km boxed off on our first full day from the old town back to our hotel from last year!

Each year on the same weekend, the Madeira wine festival takes place, which this year ran from the 24th of August until the 14th of September.

There was a pop-up “wine lounge” with 10 of the Madeira local wine producers taking part. You pay a 2.50 euro deposit for your wine glass, and then you work your way around the stands sampling and buying your glass of wine, most are 5 euros per glass. There’s also a DJ and live music with a mix of jazz and pop music, all of this takes place on the seafront, set back from the promenade and across the road from the old town and our hotel.

We had some fabulous food during our stay, at Arsenal restaurant in the old town, Cafe Funchal right next to the cathedral in the old town and opposite our hotel and Solar Da Ajuda, what a restaurant recommended by one of my travel colleagues.

The weather was wonderful during our stay, in the high 70s and having visited the botanical gardens, taken various cable car rides and experienced the traditional Madeiran toboggans in April 2024, this weekend was all about chilling by the rooftop pool, taking in some lovely food and drinks, coupled with some lovely walks around the Old Town and the Funchal promenade.

Having only discovered Madeira last year as a destination, I suspect this is an island that we will return to time after time, the people, the culture, the food and drink, what’s not to like

If you haven’t been to Madeira, then add it to your bucket list; you will not be disappointed