Page 357 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Portugal

The 15th-century
church on Machico’s
main square

STAY

Vila Teresinha
Some of the pleasant
rooms in this townhouse
have balconies with
great views over
the city.
! B7 ⌂ Rua das Cruzes
21, Funchal
∑ vilateresinha.com
¡¡¡
Quinta de Casa on the mid dle floor as (Chapel of the Miracles). The
Branca an advertisement of the present structure dates from
A Modernist boutique local wicker-weavers’ skills. 1815, but it stands on the site
hotel set in its own of Madeira’s first church. The
semitropical grounds, earlier church of 1420 was
with a fabulous health destroyed in a flood in 1803,
centre and restaurant. 5 but the 15th-century crucifix
! B7 ⌂ Rua da Casa Machico was found floating out at sea.
Branca 7, Funchal Machico celebrates the return
∑ quintacasabranca.com ! B7 @ n Avenida Arriaga of its cross with a procession
16, Funchal; 291 211 902
¡¡¡ on 8 October.
Legend has it that Machico was
named after Robert Machim,
a merchant from Bristol, who MONTE TOBOGGAN
eloped with the aristo cratic Originally developed in
4 Anne of Hertford and set the 1850s to transport
sail for Portugal. Caught in
Camacha a storm and shipwrecked on produce to market, the
toboggan now takes
Madeira, the two lovers died
! B7 @ n O Relógio, Largo tourists on a thrilling
Conselheiro Aires de from exposure. The rest of the 2-km (1-mile) descent
crew repaired the boat and
Ornelas 12; 291 922 777 from hilltop Monte to
sailed to Lisbon, where their Livramento. The wicker
Most of the wicker pro ducts story inspired Prince Henry baskets are steered by
sold in Funchal are made in the Navigator (p328) to send carreiros (toboggan-
and around Camacha, and the João Gonçalves Zarco in drivers) who control the
sole attraction in this otherwise search of this mysterious speedy descent with
sleepy village is a large shop wooded island. their rubber-soled boots.
packed with every thing wicker, Machico has been Madeira’s
from picture frames, bedsteads second most important town
and cradles to peacock-backed since the first settlements.
armchairs. It is often pos sible Funchal’s superior location
to see weavers at work in the and harbour ensured that it
factory, which is open from developed as the capital of
9am to 7pm daily, bending Madeira while Machico became
the pliant stripped willow a sleepy agricultural town.
round a frame to produce The Igreja Matriz on Largo
a linen basket or plant-pot do Município, dates from the
con tainer. A Noah’s Ark full 15th century. Across the river
of paired animals is displayed is the Capela dos Milagres
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