Canical holidays

Holidays to Caniçal take you to a dinky fishing village in Madeira that's full of old-world charm.

A charmer of a fishing village

This relaxed fishing village on Madeira’s east coast dishes up some truly dramatic landscapes – rocky cliffs plunge into the sea, while the untouched surrounding countryside makes for some top-class hiking. In the village itself, there’s a port dotted with fishing boats, plus a colourful little museum devoted to what was once Caniçal’s prime industry – whaling.

Nearby sandy beach

Madeira isn’t big on golden-sand beaches, but you’ll find one just 10 minutes away in Machico. Praia de Machico might be man-made, but it’s clean, wide and flat, which means you'll have loads of space to flake out. It also dishes up plenty of facilities, including a diving centre and a space devoted to beach volleyball and football. And the tree-lined prom will take you into Machico, where the bars and restaurants are.

Daytrips to Funchal

You’re half an hour's drive from the capital, Funchal. This little city, known for its squares and gardens, delivers old-fashioned charm by the bucketload. There’s a 15th-century old town to explore, and for a fun ride, you can always take the cable car up to Monte, 2,000 feet above the city. After that, head back down to Avenida Arriaga, a tree-lined avenue that serves up pavement cafés and prime people-watching.