Raposeira de São João

Raposeira de São João is located in Western Madeira in the sunny municipality of Calheta and is an ideal base for all kinds of activities that make your stay in Madeira so attractive. The house is part of the village Fajã da Ovelha and is located in an area with rugged nature. In the immediate vicinity you will find one of the famous 'levada walks'. At only 200 m distance you have connection to the Levada Nova which runs from Prazeres to Ponta do Pargo. If you do not mind a small climb, you can also get your fresh bread in the morning in the shop of Panoeste, the local bakery, on foot. They are happy to serve you a delicious 'bica' (espresso) or 'chinesa' (cappuccino). For your other daily shopping you can best go to the supermarket Meu Super, at the roundabout of Prazeres - Lombo da Rocha where you can also find the nearest petrol station and cash machine. Doing shopping and money matters. For a large supermarket you can drive to Calheta at your leisure. The 'Pingo Doce' (the Sweet Penguin) - incidentally owned by Albert Heijn - has a complete assortment. In Calheta you will also find one of the few sandy beaches that have been laid out in Western Madeira. Along the harbor and the main street you will find numerous restaurants where you can enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner. The prices of both the supermarket and the restaurants will not disappoint you. In the small shopping center of Calheta you will also find an ATM. Another cash machine can be found in the nearby Prazeres, and also in Paúl do Mar. Treat yourself to a drink or a lunch in 'o Precipicio' (da abyss), a restaurant that balances on the edge of the steep cliffs with a spectacular view of Paúl do Mar and the mountain road that winds up to it. The road seems more difficult than it is, you come through some old roughly carved tunnels, which are among the first on the island, and which Paul do Mar, accessible only by sea, had to access. Now the once ruined fishing village is gradually being restored. It is a picturesque place where it is good to stay under the big ficus tree at the harbor. Our favorite But our local pub in Paúl is the Bar de Pedra 'O Poleiro', on the far west side of the village, the part called Ribeira das Galinhas. Here we often go for 'sundowners' and we see the most beautiful sunsets here. The Poncha is good, but the wine too, and they also like to make an exciting 'caipirinha' or a 'mojito' for you. From Paúl do Mar you can now take a tunnel directly to Jardim do Mar, a flowery network of small alleys forming a characteristic village that is worth viewing. In a north-westerly direction from 'Raposeira de São João' you can follow the ER222 to Porto Moniz. A beautiful road that takes you through refreshing eucalyptus forests with - depending on the season - exuberant flowering verges with agapanthus or hydrangeas. The blue and white flowers are regularly alternated with the orange nasturtium that grows and blooms everywhere in the wild. On the way you can pass the fire hours, the Farol, from Ponta do Pargo, with beautiful views along the spectacular coast of west Madeira. The final descent to Porto Moniz gives a spectacular view of the steep slopes and the ocean. Madeira at its best. We have prepared a folder with possibilities and tips for you. There is also a book with levada walks available for you to inspect. For culture lovers, the Madeira Cultura website is interesting. The website provides an overview of all kinds of exhibitions, concerts, theater performances, museums and folklore utterances on the island. You will run out of time ...