Camara de Lobos

This is the fishing village to the west of Funchal. It used to be poor, huge families, and rather rough and unwelcoming. Some blippers have shared memories of having stones thrown at them. I’ve only been coming for 14 years and I’ve only found it charming.

Recently they’ve done a lot. New hotels, smarter squares, and aiming to attract more affluent tourists.

Somehow, it’s kept its charm, in spite of a new Pestana hotel that has been built right at the place where Winston Churchill used to paint. Ironically, it’s called the Pestana Churchill Bay !

The village was full of locals, with only a few tourists this Sunday morning. The fishermen are repairing their boats, which are all squashed together in the little harbour, on top of each other and spilling into the cafes.

I spent a while in both of the lovely local churches. There’s a permanent sanitiser dispenser at the door and everyone wears a mask. 

And, the big find of my week - a wonderful seafood restaurant. Deserta Pequena. I had limpets followed by octopus, but they do chicken skewers, steak on a stone, and garlic bread, for the more traditional. I will be back.