valley of the nuns (curral das freiras)

We considered the usual guided trips to the viewpoints etc, but as viewpoints tend to look pretty much the same after a while, we opted for the adventure option. We actually drove down deep into the very bottom of the crater stopping at various places to get real flavour of the place. Along the way we got passed by a van blaring something through a tannoy; he was selling chickens! We passed someone’s yard where he kept goats and his Mercedes (on bricks)! These sort of things and their flavour can never be gotten from a viewpoint. The ride down rarely goes beyond 2nd gear, only to reach a fascinating end, a true dead end; a wall painted in yellow stripes!The ride up is just as exciting, still in 2nd gear and on occasions a 1st to get round and up some tight hairpin bends. This was the fun aspect of Curral das Freiras for us.

We walked from Erro de Serrado hotel down to the valley and back. The views are very nice but when you start to drive back down, stop your car at one of the miradours and look at the views down the valley, amazing. The food and drink at the Erro de Serrado café were nice and well priced.

We went to the Nun's Valley on a half day trip from Funchal. Make sure if you want to make the most of the views to ensure your trip includes a stop at the viewpoint at Eira do Serrado (complete with hotel, cafe and shop) at the top of the valley. The cafe has terraces overlooking the valley so you can enjoy the view whilst having a coffee or snack. The views are of course weather dependent but well worth making the effort. The road to Eira and down into the Nun's Valley is full of hairpin bends and not for those of a particularly nervous disposition. In Curral das Freiras (the village in the bottom of the valley) we visited a place offering tastings of the local liqueurs.Well worth visiting.

We took a taxi for our trip, better than a hire car because the driver needs to concentrate on the steep, narrow, winding road. Our driver took us on a new stretch of road at the other side of the valley from the normal route where there is a newly constructed viewpoint with stunning views of the mountains down to the valley floor. We also took in the views from the old viewpoint before descending to the village at the bottom. There is not a great deal to see in the village apart from the church and graveyard but be sure to sample the chestnut cake and fruit liqueurs in the cafe.

Downhill Valley of the nons. Been walking this trip 4 times. Great Walk and spectacular view of the Mountains and the Nature. I was here 3 february 2014. small Nice village at the bottom of the trip. Worth walking 1 hour 15 min. Pictures on my instagram: maritpearl

taking the advice of a tour operator, we avoided the local bus and rented a car... Very glad it was a micro! What a road! But we made it safely and it was well worth it. The view from the viewpoint was amazing, and the view from the village itself spectacular! We had tea and cake at the tea shop opposite the church. Delicious. Try the cholesterol lowering tea... Different but tasty. Everyone was so friendly and helpful. It is a delightful place.

We took a bus up the very windy road to the top of this mountain, it was a great trip. We stopped at a restaurant/shop where you could also walk up to see the spectacular views of this valley. Very beautiful.

The views a remarkable- a hidden valley. but if you suffer from vertigo or are a poor traveller on windy roads perhaps not for you. A half day tour- we preferred it to the whole day western island tour though that was worth it for the Atlantic seas at Montiz

This is definitely worth a visit. The views are simply amazing, quite simply they take your breath away. Although it was quite warm at the cafe it can get a little cooler when you climb up to the viewing platform. We visited around 3pm, the mist covered the top of the mountains which just added to the view.

Excellent tour organised by Funtours madeira. Travelled with 6 other tourists in a small van ,driven by the driver cum tourist guide. Journey across very steep hair-pin bends and wonderful view from the top of the resort. Visited the Xmas grotto too, which was very colourful with the dolls depicting all the Nativityscene.I enjoyed the Xmas grotto very much, compared to the Harrods grotto. Highly recommended tour.

Don't miss out on a trip to Nun's Valley. The views are spectacular from the rim of the extinct volcano.

I don't think this place is as spectacular as many have described it, but we did go straight after Cabo Girao which may have dampened it down for us. However the views are great and it's worth a trip - probably half an hour from Funchal by car. The best view by far is from Eira do Serrado which you get to if you take the left turn before the tunnel to Curral das Freiras. Careful if you're driving because its a narrow road and also a route for buses who seem to have no regard for other road users. The restaurant there is pretty good as well considering the location.

We visited on Christmas Eve by bus. An eventful journey due to the fact that a local passenger appeared to have a heart attack at the highest part of the journey. Luckily with the use of a mobile phone and the bus moving to pick up a signal an ambulance was summoned and the gentleman was taken to hospital.At our destination we were pointed to the crypt which had an enchanting christmas scene, not to be missed if you have the chance next year.We had a local dish at a restaurant/cafe overlooking the valley, "chestnut soup", and then caught the bus back to Funchal. There is an electronic sign with the time of the next bus so you feel quite relaxed about the return journey, in fact from the cafe you can see the bus approaching in the distance, which allows you 10 minutes to get to the stop.This is an excellent bus trip, we took it in August too.

Take a drive from Funchal to Curral Das Freiras but be sure to save your breath to expel on the frequently mesmerising and unbelievably outstanding scenery you will experience on the way up to the 1100 metres high plateau. There are two aspects to consider both as unimaginable as the other. As you travel up and towards the apex you will come to a tunnel that has been hewn under the mountain going through this tunnel will take one down into Curral das Freiras itself where the upward views to the mountains and down the valet will excite the mind. Turning left immediately before this new tunnel will take one further up to a relative new hotel complex and spectacular viewing point looking downward and along the valley. DONT MISS THE EXPERIENCE

We decided to visit for a few hours, taking bus route 81 from the terminal near the Monte cable car station on the centre of Funchal. It takes about an hour each way, the fare is €3.35 each way and buses leave several times a day, we took the 12:30 bus but exact times can vary. The views are amazing and there are several restaurants and cafes with outdoor balconies where you can relax for an hour or two before the return bus. All in all it's a simple trip but gives you a different perspective on the island. The mountain scenery makes it easy to forget you are only a few kilometres from the ocean.