Madeira: A Lived-In Guide to Funchal, Island of Eternal Spring

Funchal pours itself down a green amphitheatre into the Atlantic. The smart way up is the cable car; the smart way down is a wicker toboggan.

This first person guide climbs the hills the easy way: the painted doors of the Zona Velha at 8 AM, the Monte Palace Tropical Garden, espada and espetada on the table, poncha poured to order, and the Mercado dos Lavradores fruit trap named before it costs you.

Inside the guide:

• The icons decoded: the Zona Velha, the Se Cathedral, Monte Palace and the toboggan run down

• Where to eat and drink: black scabbardfish with banana, espetada, Michelin tables and poncha at Rei da Poncha

• Where to stay, from Old Town charm to the Lido strip and Monte's mountain quiet

• Best photo spots with their light hours, plus the British Cemetery and other hidden gems

• Watch Out traps, yellow bus and Giro card logistics, and ready itineraries for 1, 3 and 5 days

18 full-color photographs, panoramics leading the way: the island of eternal spring, lived in.