We take cliff paths, and tracks leading to primitive hill villages. There's a boat trip, too, to the little-visited island of Porto Santo, where Christopher Columbus once lived. We stay at Jose and Ana Martins' friendly and welcoming Residencial Lusitania. It's in a quiet residential area of Funchal, looking down across the Atlantic and Funchal Bay, and has 23 spacious but simply furnished rooms, all with bath, shower, wc, tv and direct dial telephone. There are two sun terraces, a swimming pool and bar.
Lunch is either a copious picnic, or taken in a local resteraunt.
A three course meal with wine is not costly.