| |
| description |
PORTO SANTA MARIA 4 STAR HOTEL
Porto Santo Maria lies at the water's edge in the very heart of Funchal's old centre..
Its close relationship to the sea, the outstanding and exclusive views over the harbour where the cruise ships dock, its picturesque surroundings and the unique flavours of its cuisine result in genuine urban tranquility.
A congenial hotel offering 146 rooms, restaurant, bars with terrace, direct access to the promenade, outdoor pool, indoor pool, SPA, gym, parking... all in the heart of the city.
LOCATION OF THE PORTO SANTA MARIA 4 STAR HOTEL
Porto Santo Maria is located on the sea next to the sea-front promenade in the middle of the old centre of Funchal in the renowned “Old Town”; it faces the harbour used by cruise ships and pleasure boats. Close by are the cable car which links Funchal with Monte, Forte de São Tiago (a fortress built at the beginning of the XVIIth century) and the famous Mercado dos Lavradores (market)...
FACILITIES AT THE PORTO SANTA MARIA 4 STAR HOTEL
Heated indoor pool (175 m2) • outdoor pool (138 m2)• outdoor children's pool (22 m2) • direct access to the sea-front promenade • jacuzzi • gym • sauna • massage room • billiard room • lounge • meeting room • reading room • covered parking • restaurant • two bars
SERVICES AT THE PORTO SANTA MARIA 4 STAR HOTEL
Live music everyday • weekly rotation of daily themed buffets • free Internet access terminal at reception • Wi-Fi access in the lobby • beach towels • massage services* • Golf green fee* • rent-a-car* • tours*
*subject to a charge
ACCOMODATION AT THE PORTO SANTA MARIA 4 STAR HOTEL
ROOMS
No veranda can escape the salty sea-breeze which is all pervasive here.
Porto Santa Maria's proximity to the harbour makes for a front row view of the spectacle provided by the coming and going of cruise ships and leisure boats.
At dawn many verandas light up as guests peak out ... a unique phenomenon.
JUNIOR SUITE
In the Junior Suite your relaxation is sacrosanct: large double beds and a magnificent veranda for inhaling the fresh morning breeze or watching the sunset. Area: 40m2 • bedroom with en suite bathroom • kitchenette • living room (some may not have a dividing door) • veranda overlooking the Atlantic
Rooms details
FIXTURES AND FITTINGS
Bedroom with twin beds, armchairs, desk with mirror and chair, cable TV with LCD screen • marble bathroom with shower and bath, hairdryer, make-up mirror • living room with dining table, sofas and side table • kitchenette equipped with a fridge, cooker with two electric rings, cutlery and crockery • air-conditioning (heating/cooling) • veranda with table and chairs
SERVICES AND AMENITIES
Bathroom supplied with bath products, bathrobe • Internet access* • fridge • safe* • tea and coffee making facilities
* subject to a charge
SEA VIEW STUDIO
Overlooking the sea, this room provides an especially warm welcome for your stay with us.
Area: 24m2 • bedroom with en suite bathroom • kitchenette • veranda overlooking the Atlantic
Rooms details
FIXTURES AND FITTINGS
Bedroom with twin beds, armchair, dining table and chairs, desk with mirror and chair, cable TV with LCD screen • marble bathroom with shower and bath, hairdryer, make-up mirror • kitchenette equipped with a fridge, cooker with two electric rings, cutlery and crockery • air-conditioning (heating/cooling) • veranda with table and chairs
SERVICES AND AMENITIES
Bathroom supplied with bath products • bathrobe • Internet access* • fridge • safe* • tea and coffee making facilities
* subject to a charge
GARDEN VIEW STUDIO
Wake up to a beautiful garden right outside your window. How often have you dreamed of this? In this room dreams are reserved for your sleeping hours. In the morning inhale the fragrance of the greenery and fill your lungs with freshness.
Area: 24m2 • bedroom with en suite bathroom • kitchenette • veranda overlooking the hotel gardens
Rooms details
FIXTURES AND FITTINGS
Bedroom with twin beds, armchair, dining table and chairs, desk with mirror and chair, cable TV with LCD screen • marble bathroom with shower and bath, hairdryer, make-up mirror • kitchenette equipped with a fridge, cooker with two electric rings, cutlery and crockery • air-conditioning (heating/cooling) • veranda with table and chairs
SERVICES AND AMENITIES
Bathroom supplied with bath products, bathrobe • Internet access* • fridge • safe* • tea and coffee making facilities
* subject to a charge
GASTRONOMY AT THE PORTO SANTA MARIA 4 STAR HOTEL
At Porto Santa Maria every detail is invested with good taste. Dining is no exception – see for yourself at Arsenal where it will be our pleasure to serve you meals to make your stay even more unforgettable. Offering a buffet breakfast, à la carte lunch and dinner, every meal is a feast. Quench your thirst at the pool-side bar with your favourite drink or, if you prefer a more vintage atmosphere, head for the Captain's Bar.
ARSENAL RESTAURANT
At Arsenal you will discover a range of themed menus to make your meal more interesting. Allow yourself to be surprised...
CAPTAIN'S BAR
The simple pleasures of life are sometimes the best. In this bar you can sit and read, watch the boats from the terrace, catch a glimpse of Forte São Tiago or simply gaze at the sea... to the sound of good music. At night enjoy the weekly programme of live music.
PROMENADE BAR
The soothing sound of the pool water, the waves lapping just a few feet away and a relaxed atmosphere ... time just slips by. Located next to the sea-front promenade.
SWIMMING AT THE PORTO SANTA MARIA 4 STAR HOTEL
With the ocean just two steps away, the scent of the sea breeze mingles with the fresh water of the outdoor pool. How about some invigorating strokes with a view of the cruise ships? An unbeatable setting...
Porto Santa Maria's indoor pool complements the outdoor one. The perfect solution for chillier days...
Outdoor Pool
Opening times: 08.00 to 20.00
Average temperature: 24ºC
Indoor Pool
Opening times: 08.00 to 20.00
Average temperature: 28ºC
|
| locally |
HISTORY OF MADEIRA
References to the Madeira Archipelago can be found dating back to Roman times when they were known as the purple islands... However, their discovery in 1419 is attributed to the Portuguese Tristão Vaz Teixeira and João Gonçalves Zarco.
The name Madeira (wood) comes from the abundant vegetation which the navigators found on this paradise floating in the middle of the Atlantic. Composed of the Islands of Madeira, Porto Santo, Desertas and Selvagens (the last two are nature reserves), the Madeira Archipelago is situated in the Atlantic ocean between 30º and 33º latitude north, 978km south-west of Lisbon and around 700km off the African coast at almost the same latitude as Casablanca, relatively close to the Straits of Gibraltar.
Since its discovery in the XVth century the Island of Madeira became a strategic staging post for ships leaving Europe en route to South Africa, Africa and the Orient. A crossroads for different cultures and people many of whom fell in love with the island and decided to stay, contributing to a multi-cultural society. The island's main crops were sugar and the famous Madeira wine which is still widely appreciated all over the world today.
The island of Madeira is one of the oldest and most prestigious tourist destinations in Europe. With around two thirds of the island classified as a Nature Reserve, contact with nature is unparalleled. The abundant prehistoric Laurisilva forest found on Madeira was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999.
EVENT CALENDER
November and December 2008
Christmas and New Year Festivities
Well established in the habits of the people of Madeira, Christian Christmas traditions lead into the celebrations that commemorate the arrival of the new year with a rich and varied programme of cultural, ethnographical and artistic events, beginning in November with the switching on of the lights in the streets in the centre of Funchal and continuing throughout December until Epiphany – the Twelfth Day of Christmas.
The high point is New Year's Eve when the Funchal amphitheatre is transformed into a grandiose nativity scene illuminated with over 250 coloured lamps and the hillsides are pinpricked by white lights. The scene is set for an unforgettable spectacle.
At midnight on 31st December the skies are lit up with fire, colour and hope in the forthcoming year which could not get off to a better start – a moment already recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.
TOP TEN
On Madeira walking and hiking is an invigorating, exciting and highly rewarding activity. Walkers will find the trails and “levadas” of Madeira challenging and pleasantly surprising.
Built by the early settlers, the “levadas” are watercourses which wind their way through the mountains carrying water to inaccessible agricultural land. Today the “levadas” are one of Madeira's most important tourist attractions. A real foray into untouched nature in the interior of the island.
Some of the “levadas” recommended by the Direcção Regional das Florestas (Regional Forestry Office):
“Levada” Name Distance Time
Levada do Caldeirão Verde 6,5km* 5h50
Levada do Rei 5,1km* 3h30
Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço 4 m* 2h30
Caminho Real da Encumeada 12,5km 6h30
Levada das 25 Fontes 4,6km* 3h00
Levada do Furado, Ribeiro Frio - Portela 11km 5h00
Vereda do Areeiro 7km 3h30
Caminho Real do Paúl do Mar 1,8km 1h20
* each way
The Sea
The smell of the sea and spellbinding views over the Atlantic Ocean are omnipresent in Madeira. Madeira's clear and temperate waters are a source of inspiration and delight.
Renowned amongst enthusiasts, Madeira is considered one of the best deep sea fishing spots in the world. The island's natural resources also provide scuba divers with unforgettable moments.
The waters around Madeira offer a wide and varied range of boat trips to enjoy the magnificent ocean with opportunities for watching dolphins, turtles, whales...
Surfing, windsurfing and sailing as well as other water sports are also possible.
Monte
The Monte parish overlooks Funchal and is famous for its summer “quintas” (properties) that belonged to the high society of Madeira and European nobility who used to sojourn in Madeira for medical reasons.
Here you may visit captivating gardens and the Church of Nossa Senhora do Monte, the patron saint of the island, in honour of whom Madeira's biggest religious festival is held on 15th August.
An interesting way of getting to Monte is to take the cable car which leaves from Funchal (in the old part of town, next to Hotel Porto Santa Maria). To return to Funchal, we recommend a unique experience: a ride in the typical wicker sledges which, pushed by two “carreiros” (sledge handlers), slide down the hill on wooden runners covering the 4km down to Funchal.
The east of the Island
The Island of Madeira is marked by contrasts. Exploring the east of the island makes for a wide range of experiences. Leaving Funchal we suggest you head for the town of Camacha renowned for its typical folkloric traditions and wicker-work handicrafts. From here you may continue to the top of the island's second highest peak, Pico do Areeiro (1810m) where you can enjoy views over Curral das Freiras and the north coast of the island. Afterwards descending to Ribeiro Frio you will find the Laurisilva forest which is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The picturesque “A” form houses with thatched roofs originated in Santana which is on the north coast of the island. Here you may also visit the Madeira Theme Park. On your return you may see Ponta São Lourenço, Madeira's most eastern point, from the town of Caniçal.
The west of the island
Just outside Funchal you will find the fishing village of Câmara de Lobos, painted by Sir Winston Churchill when he stayed in Madeira. Next you should not miss Cabo Girão, the 580m sea cliff which is one of the highest in Europe. After passing through the town of Ribeira Brava you will come to Madeira's only flat area, the Paúl da Serra plateau. Continuing onwards to the lush north coast you will come to Porto Moniz with its natural sea-water pools bordering the sea. Following the coast beyond Seixal – a good wine producing area – you will arrive in S. Vicente where you may visit the Caves and the São Vicente Volcanic Studies Centre. On your return journey you will cross the range which divides the north and south sides of the island at Encumeada at an altitude of 1007m.
Museums
The Madeira Story Centre
Located in the Old Town of Funchal next to Hotel Porto Santo Maria and the Cable Car which runs between Funchal and Monte, the Madeira Story Centre offers a complete overview of 14 thousand years of Madeira's history in a visit lasting one and a half hours. From the Archipelago's geological formation to the present day...
R. D. Carlos I, 27 -29
Opening times: Everyday from 10.00 to 18.00
www.storycentre.com
Museu de Arte Sacra
Founded in 1955, this outstanding museum is located in the old Episcopal Palace, a building dating from the beginning of the XVIIth century. The collection of Flemish paintings, religious sculpture and goldsmithery includes items from the diocese's churches and chapels and from private donors. A large part of the collection dates back to the golden age of sugar production on the island when this delicacy, widely appreciated on the European continent, was traded for works of art with Flemish merchants.
Rua do Bispo, 21
Opening times: Tuesday to Saturday from 10.00 to 12.00 and 14.30 to 18.00.
www.museuartesacrafunchal.org
Some other museums
Casa Museu Frederico de Freitas (Funchal)
Centro das Artes "Casa das Mudas" (Calheta)
Museu de Arte Contemporânea (Funchal)
Museu da Quinta das Cruzes (Funchal)
Photographia Museu Vicentes (Funchal)
Gardens
The Botanical Gardens
The Botanical Gardens were opened in 1960 on an old property belonging to the Reid family – Quinta do Bom Sucesso – located around 3 kilometres from the centre of Funchal. Covering around 35 thousand square metres, there are over 2,500 exotic plants and flowers from all over the world. The garden can be reached by the Jardim Botânico Cable Car. A colourful mosaic offset by the beauty and luxuriance of the Funchal amphitheatre ...
Caminho do Meio – Bom sucesso
Opening times: Everyday from 09.00 to 18.00
Monte Palace Tropical Gardens
The Monte Palace Tropical Gardens are located in the picturesque parish of Monte. Here you will find one hundred thousand species of plants and flowers from all over the world. Next door is the Monte Palace Museum which houses two permanent collections, one displaying minerals and the other contemporary sculpture from Zimbabwe.
Caminho do Monte, 174
Opening times: Everyday from 09.30 to 18.00 (Gardens) and from 10.00 to 15.30 (Museum)
www.montepalace.com
Some other gardens and parks
Jardim do Hospício Princesa Dª. Amélia (Funchal)
Jardim Municipal (Funchal)
Palheiro Gardens (Funchal)
Parque de Santa Catarina (Funchal)
Parque Ecológico do Funchal (Funchal)
Parque Florestal das Queimadas (Santana)
Parque Florestal do Ribeiro Frio (Ribeiro Frio)
Parque Municipal do Monte (Funchal)
Quinta das Cruzes (Funchal)
Quinta Magnólia (Funchal)
Funchal Old Town
The settlement of the island began over five centuries ago in what is known as the Old Town of Funchal in the typical and colourful quarter of Santa Maria; a street of the same name built in 1430 is the city's oldest thoroughfare.
The narrow cobbled streets and the restored facades of the old houses warrant a stroll which will, of course, take you through the typical Mercado dos Lavradores (market). The flower sellers' exuberantly colourful regional attire and their flowers – strelitzias, orchids, proteas, roses, cattelyas, camelias – are complemented by the exotic array of subtropical fruit and vegetables. In the fish market the scabbard fish and the exoticism of the huge tuna are a great attraction along with other more common varieties of fish.
In this quarter, on your way to the Forte de São Tiago which houses the Museu de Arte Contemporânea and is situated next to the Hotel Porto Santo Maria, you will find the Madeira Cable Car which transports passengers over the city's hills to Monte, the small Corpo Santo chapel and the Barreirinha Swimming Facilities which offer sea bathing. Next to this you will find the Igreja de Santa Maria Maior, also known as the Igreja do Socorro, dating from 1803.
The Madeira Wine Company
It is impossible to disassociate Madeira's history from its famous wine. Over the ages Madeira wine has been used to toast special occasions in European courts, the palaces of the Russian Tsars and the independence of the United States of America. The Madeira Wine Company's museum is located in a collection of buildings boasting Baroque civil architecture where Madeira Wine used to be made, stored, commercialised and exported; these are the oldest Madeira Wine cellars on the island.
Avenida Arriaga, 28
Opening times: Please ask hotel reception for information about guided tour times.
www.madeirawinecompany.com
Related services
> tour booking at the hotel receptions. Tours may be pre-booked on book@portobay.pt
Golf
Madeira is fast becoming a popular golf destination with two golf courses fully operational (one 27 hole and another 18 hole course) and a third in the planning stage.
At Palheiro Golf you may play the outstanding 18 hole course with views over the bay of Funchal. Since 1993 the 27 hole course at Santo da Serra Golf has hosted the Madeira Island Open which is part of the PGA European Tour.
Palheiro Golf: www.palheirogolf.com
Santo da Serra Golf: www.santodaserragolf.com
USEFUL INFORMATION
Climate
Madeira's climate is a blessing which invites outdoor activities. The subtropical climate with mild temperatures throughout the year – 24ºC in the summer and 18º in the winter – guarantee an ideal balance. Warmed by the Gulf Stream, the sea temperatures record around 22ºC in the summer and 18ºC in the winter.
Average Temperature/Month
Month Min. Max.
January 14 17
February 13 17
March 14 18
April 14 18
May 15 20
June 17 22
July 19 23
August 20 25
September 20 24
October 18 22
November 16 20
December 15 18
Source: WeatherOnline.com
What to wear
Despite its temperate climate Madeira is rich in micro-climates and you may even experience all four seasons in a single day. We suggest you bring light clothing for the many sunny days. However, something warm and a waterproof are also recommended. For those who plan to walk in the hills in Madeira, please do not forget to bring appropriate footwear and sunscreen.
Language
Although the official language is Portuguese you will find other languages such as English, French, German and Spanish widely spoken especially in hotels, restaurants and tourist infrastructures.
Population
According to official data the population of Madeira stands at around two hundred and forty five thousand people of which one hundred thousand live in Funchal.
Time
The time in Madeira is GMT, the same as in Lisbon and London. It is just1hour behind Germany, France, Spain, Belgium, Holland and Scandinavia (two hours behind Finland).
Currency
The currency used is the Euro (€). Foreign currency may be exchanged at the many banks in the region or at bureaux de change. Banks are open on weekdays from 08.30 -15.00. Bureaux de change are open everyday from 09.00 -13.00 and 14.00 – 19.00. Main credit cards are accepted in most places. The island has an excellent cash-point network.
Shopping
In Madeira, and especially in Funchal, you will find a whole range of international brands. Many of the island's shops are open from Monday to Friday from 09.00 – 13.00 and 15.00 – 19.00 and on Saturday from 09.00 – 13.00.
In Funchal you will also find relatively large shopping malls which are open from Monday to Sunday from 10.00 – 23.00.
Shops selling souvenirs and mementoes can be found all over the island; this is where you can buy the famous Madeira embroidery and typical Madeira wine.
Electricity
220 volts; two-pin European plugs.
Water
Tap water in Madeira is good quality and safe to drink.
Health
Funchal has two hospitals and several private clinics. Each of Madeira's 11 districts has at least one health centre. The Porto Bay hotels also have an in-house doctor who will come to the hotel if necessary (subject to a charge). There is also an extensive network of modern chemists throughout the region and there is always an on-call chemist open 24hours/day in each district.
Emergencies
The emergency phone number is 112.
Driving
In Portugal driving is on the right-hand side of the road. The use of a safety belt is compulsory in passenger and heavy goods vehicles. The use of a crash helmet is compulsory on motorbikes.
The legislation in force prohibits speaking on mobile phones while driving except when using a hands-free system.
Traffic signals are the same as those used internationally.
The maximum alcohol consumption permitted is 0.5g/litre.
There are service stations in the main towns, highways and main roads. They are open 24 hours/day. Petrol pumps have a varying opening hours.
|
|
|
