Rent My Villa, Please
So one December I was backpacking around the lush island of Madeira, a Portuguese volcanic paradise off the coast of North Africa, doing a travel piece for the Globe and Mail when I took a nasty fall on, but not off a mountain near Paul Do Mar. Banged up, I had nothing to do but hobble around the nearby village of Jardim Do Mar for a few days. And so - I'm sure this happens to everybody at some point in life - I drank too much Madeiran wine and bought a villa. At the time it sounded like a great idea. It wasn't.
This two-story hideaway with three bathrooms and wrap-around balconies is brand-new and freshly furnished. Off by itself at the edge of the village of Jardim Do Mar, there is nothing in front of it except garden plots, the ocean, sunsets and, down the coast, the tiny town of Paul Do Mar.
To one side stone steps go down to the ocean shore, to the other, a banana orchard.
JARDIM DO MAR
`GARDEN OF THE SEA' - MADEIRA
Jardim Do Mar is the prettiest village on the Portuguese island of Madeira which is
breathtakingly beautiful itself.
My house is located on a
grassy cliff over the ocean. The
views from these balconies are
truly spectacular - a rolling
sea and sunsets in front, a
banana orchard to the right and behind, a mountain that
soars straight up to the town of
Prazeres. To the left, a set of
rock steps take you down to a
stone beach and the seawall
that protects the quiet and quaint cobble-stoned village.
No streets, no cars, walking
paths overflowing with
flowers only.
A little piece of Portuguese paradise:
VILLA MONTANHA
Y MAR
Jardim Do Mar, Madeira |
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My house is attached, but completely separate and private from an identical villa next door. Fully furnished, it has two stories, two bedrooms with balconies, two double beds, three bathrooms, kitchen, living/dining room and a wrap around patio circling the first level. Complete with a huge ceramic Portuguese BBQ and postcard views in all directions. Rent by week, month or season. |
CASA DO BIL
A simple and comfortable villa over the ocean, at the very edge of Madeira's smallest, sunniest village, JARDIM DO MAR
The village with a brand new car park and town square has a population of 278 very friendly people. It has the world's greatest bar (I'm biased) - Joe's Bar,
as well as a convenience store and two restaurants.
The village an hour from the island's airport, 50 minutes from the capital of Funchal and 15 minutes to shopping in Calheta.
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