Everyone knows that Madeira's gastronomy is top-notch, and it's very difficult (if not impossible) to find a restaurant where you eat poorly and little, haha. Despite the great temptation to have lunch at restaurants, this time we were looking for a different kind of lunch, just the four of us, surrounded by nature and with some tasty snacks. The idea of having a picnic came up. Then came the usual dilemma: where are we going for this family outing?
The first place we thought of was Fanal, in the northern part of the island, but as there was a chance of some rain in those parts, we decided to play it safe and go for a stroll around Ponta de São Lourenço with a picnic. This is another of Madeira's wonders... being able to choose the weather for our family outings depending on where we're going. Whether we want sun, rain, cool or warm weather, windy or not... there's always a place on the island that will satisfy our wishes! So off we went on our stroll around Ponta de São Lourenço with picnic, a half-hour drive from Funchal, passing the airport, the city of Machico with its yellow sandy beach, and above Quinta do Lorde Marina.
We arrived at the easternmost point reachable by car, parked, and off we went for another family outing! The kids point to one side and say, “There's the sea,” and when they look to the other side “, It's there too!” “There's sea all around us!”. On the south side, we could see the calmer bay with some anchored boats. On the north side, there was a much wilder view, with waves crashing against the rocks surrounding the base of the cliffs and creating large white sprays, releasing the sea's energy against the land.
Clearly, choosing a stroll around Ponta de São Lourenço with a picnic was a winning move. That view alone had already won us over, and we hadn't even ventured far from the car. The truth is that the viewpoints are close to the parking area, offering breathtaking landscapes with little effort, something important for those with little kids in tow, like us. We also saw a trail that looked really good, going almost to the end of Ponta de São Lourenço, but we noted it down on our list for when we return and the kids are a bit older. Then we'll definitely include it in our family outings! It didn't take long for Vera, our youngest daughter, to say “I'm hungry!”. At that point, we started looking for the best place to sit. We spotted one of those stone tables with benches on each side, which are quite common around the island, and didn't think twice: “Let's try one of these?” I asked Margarida, who replied “OK, I'll take care of the kids, can you bring the basket?”.
No room for hesitation in these family outings; the kids won't put up with long waits! That's why we planned a picnic for this stroll around Ponta de São Lourenço, bringing a basket prepared by Vantastic Food Truck - Healthy Food. I'll be honest, it's been quite some time since we had a real picnic! Tablecloth, placemats, cutlery, glasses, cups, and the table was set. My taste buds are tingling as I check out what's been arranged for us. We started with a refreshing gazpacho – the kids' favourite soup – with croutons, bringing instant joy and a comforting fullness to their stomachs.
From then on, we simply relaxed and savoured very healthy snacks, salads, and tasty yet light desserts that left us satisfied and with the energy for another stroll in that magical area. Lunch? Check! Then it was time to pack everything back into the basket, leave no traces of food (let alone any rubbish), put everything in the car (which wasn't far away), and head for a stroll around Ponta de São Lourenço.
We climbed to an even higher viewpoint, where we were protected by a wooden fence, because, looking down, we could see a huge cliff leading down to the water. While we're there, we feel the power of the wind, the grandeur of the island's cliffs, and we also sense that gravity is in tandem with the force of the wind. In other words, it feels like if we don't hold on, we'll take off and soar like the countless birds gliding around. The climb up to this viewpoint had already been steep, and I thought the kids wouldn't handle going down, but I was surprised because all they wanted to do was hop from rock to rock, seeing which one could make the biggest jump. The usual playful antics that have all the potential for trouble, but we also have to let them live and grow.
We recommend taking this stroll around Ponta de São Lourenço with a picnic on any day of a stay in Madeira because, whether the weather is good or bad, you'll generally find open skies there, a bit windy, yes (but that's part of the magic). Ponta de São Lourenço is one of the few places where you can see both the north and south sides of the island at the same time, and taking a stroll there is one of those family outings that suits everyone's tastes: whether you simply want to enjoy the landscapes or explore the trails up and down the hills, possibly reaching the water on the south side. Even though we didn't plan on going to the beach on this outing, we realised that you can do this in this area. There's even a small but beautiful beach with coppery sand, called Prainha, which seems to be a meeting point for many sun and sea lovers. Next time, we won't miss it
