Breakfast, lunch and dinner in Gran Canaria
If you’re keen to munch your way around this Canary Island, then read ahead to our guide to the best Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner spots on Gran Canaria.
The secrets of Gran Canaria’s beaches and bays
Considering it’s surrounded by gorgeous spots like Fuerteventura and Tenerife, it’s a real vote of confidence that most people consider Gran Canaria to have the best beaches in the Canary Islands. We at Orbzii would be hard pressed to disagree with that assessment, but even on a beach lovers paradise like Gran Canaria there are some stretches of powdery shore that are better than the rest. If you’re the sort of beach goer who likes to lounge with a bad romance novel, or even if you prefer to frolic in the sea and then slurp on a beer, then Gran Canaria has you covered. Read our guide to the best beaches in Gran Canaria to find out which one is the best for you.
Madeira
We’re not sure you’re fully prepared for the subtropical wonders of Madeira. We all know it as the garden isle, perhaps famous for its botanical garden and a dash of Madeira wine. A few of you might even be expecting a slice or two of cake. Which all sounds a little pedestrian, depending on how hard you hit the wine. Sweep all of that sleepy nonsense away and Madeira’s a little Portuguese firecracker. The surrounding waters rarely get a mention, but ask any scuba diver and they’ll tell you the seabed’s just swimming with rays, seals and colourful shoals. Quirky wrecks, snorkelling with dolphins and island hopping to even better beaches are all up for grabs too.
On land, hiking routes weave you through the mountains via the levadas. Madeira’s irrigation system hardly screams adventure, but, trust us when we say, it’s worth following these waterways. Perch (safely) on cliff edges and you’ll be among some of Europe’s rarest seabirds. Explore the shoreline and you could end up chatting to the owner of a micronation. Natural pools practically beg to be swum in. Towering skywalks with glass floors peer down on to crashing waves and Cristiano Ronaldo is practically worshipped as a god. Madeira delivers on the unexpected, and if you do one thing? Well… just try the poncha.
A hiker’s guide to Madeira’s best walks
Madeira hiking tends to focus on the island’s levadas. Which are essentially ingenious irrigation channels that transport water to the many, many farms and fields carved into the island. Agri-architecture might sound a little tame, but it’s the key to routes through mountains and forests.
Coastal adventures deliver on head-spinning views, rare wildlife and challenging terrain. Endemic trees, flowers and animals await. And, best of all, the walks are all free to find and enjoy. There’s even a free guided walk through Funchal to take advantage of. You just need to bring your hiking A-game and a torch. Those mountain tunnels get pretty dark…
Top 12 things to do in Madeira
At first pass it would be easy to assume the list of things to do in Madeira could contain little more than a mooch around the Botanical Garden and a sip of Madeira wine. Of course, we’d recommend you give both a go, but this cheeky little island has some quirks up its sleeve. The toboggan rides are a nice but bizarre place to start. From there it’s eccentrics, sunken treasures and a casual bit of snorkel time with some dolphins. Brace yourselves, Madeira’s a surprise-filled stay you’ll need plenty of time to appreciate.
Tee off on Madeira’s best golf courses
Madeira hiking tends to focus on the island’s levadas. Which are essentially ingenious irrigation channels that transport water to the many, many farms and fields carved into the island. Agri-architecture might sound a little tame, but it’s the key to routes through mountains and forests.
Coastal adventures deliver on head-spinning views, rare wildlife and challenging terrain. Endemic trees, flowers and animals await. And, best of all, the walks are all free to find and enjoy. There’s even a free guided walk through Funchal to take advantage of. You just need to bring your hiking A-game and a torch. Those mountain tunnels get pretty dark…
Breakfast, lunch & dinner in Madeira
It would be so easy to focus on restaurants in Funchal during your stay. But Madeira’s food scene casts a wider net. Naturally, we’ve combed the island to bring you the best restaurants in Madeira. And, yes, there are a few in Funchal. But we’ve handpicked a couple you’ll want to go the extra mile for. Happily, one of the further afield restaurants may swing by to pick you up in a shuttle bus. You can’t really ask for more than that, can you?
The ultimate guide to scuba diving in Madeira
Scuba diving in Madeira comes with a host of reefs, walls, wrecks, islands and pinnacles to explore. Clear waters, volcanic sea beds and a strong serving of eco-diversity makes this a fantastic spot for divers of all levels. There are plenty of shore dives for beginners to get their fins wet in. Looking for something a little more technical? Open water, boat dives and deep wrecks are waiting to be explored. Depending on the site, currents tend to be low to moderate, meaning you can enjoy a spot of relaxed holiday diving and focus on the sights, rather than the technicals.
Malta
An archipelago full of ancient wonders and idyllic beaches, Malta truly does have something for everyone. This Mediterranean island is halfway between North Africa and Italy, and as a result has always been a busy set of islands for trade reasons, and in recent times, holidays. This means that the attractions that dot the island derive from a unique combination of different nations and cultures, with six-thousand-year-old burial chambers, impressive Moor fortresses, and classic English pubs just a few of the things that show off Malta’s storied history.
Despite this impressive history, Malta is far from living in the past. The blend of Arabic, Italian, and British influences mean it’s a multilingual melting pot, with the national language – Maltese – being a latinised version of Sicilian Arabic. The islands are also home to some phenomenal coastline, with glittering, azure seas and long, golden stretches of soft sand to laze on.
Top 7 facts about Malta you probably didn’t know
With millennia of recorded history, a unique ecosystem, and the fact it’s always been a melting pot of cultures, it’s no surprise that Malta has some interesting quirks you won’t find in other places. While we could bore you with Malta facts about castles of forts that you could look up on Wikipedia, we’d rather let you in on the fun stuff, so when you get chatting to locals you’ll be able to get past raving about the gorgeous weather and delicious food.
