What a difference a day makes!  Less than 24 hours ago we were in cold, wet Manchester and this morning we woke to warm sunshine enabling us to enjoy a sumptuous breakfast out on the hotel terrace overlooking the ocean.    We then set off for a stroll into the centre of Funchal along the typical Portuguese mosaic style pavements.

Hearing music, we wandered towards the cathedral to find a full orchestra delighting the passing onlookers with their Sunday morning music, so we paused awhile to listen ourselves.   It’s the wandering around and discovering the unexpected that I so love about travelling.

Continuing our walk, we visited the bright yellow fort at the end of the old town and returned to the hotel passing two cruise ships which had just come into the harbour. Our Sunday afternoon was spent lazing by the outdoor pool reading from our Kindle’s and browsing our iPads.  The outdoor pool wasn’t heated and felt cold as we dipped our toes in, so we took  a swim in the indoor pool instead which had subdued lighting and felt very restful.

We returned to the town centre for dinner and then relaxed with a drink in the hotel lounge whilst listening to a live jazz band.   The end of our first full day in beautiful Funchal.

If you have enjoyed reading this post you may also like:

Camara da Lobos, Madeira

Exploring Funchal, Madeira