Villa Dourada

Description

Villa Dourada is a beautiful restored old farmhouse (“Quinta”) with large gardens, heated swimming pool and stunning sea views, tucked into the hillside above the south coast village of Ponta do Sol, known as one of the sunniest places on the island. It is without doubt the ideal holiday retreat and gives you the beauty and tranquillity of the Madeiran countryside. A wealthy American-Madeiran family had the villa built around 1920. The manor house was built as a summer house next to the much older stable in the middle of a banana plantation. Decades later the Dutchman van Baaren, who had come to Madeira from the colonies in Sigapur, acquired the property from the Madeiran family. His daughter, an interior designer, renovated the buildings and the property in the 2000s. The banana grove was transformed into a small park and a stunning free-style pool was created. The furnishing of the villa, a mixture of antiques, English style furniture and traditional Madeiran wooden furniture, give the house its incomparable charm. The garden, which is crossed by a real levada, is planted with a variety of subtropical and tropical plants. Along the old levada, a rocky path leads up to the stone water tank, on which a newly designed sun deck invites you to enjoy a sundowner. From there you can enjoy an incomparable view of the ocean, the mountains and the old town of Ponta do Sol. Ponta do Sol offers a variety of restaurants as well as a couple of trendy bars and the whole town front is opposite a rocky beach with access to the sea. 10 minutes by car to the east is the town of Ribeira Brava, the largest town before Funchal, and that offers another rocky beach in addition to a large supermarket and more shops, cafés, and restaurants. 10 minutes by car to the west is the resort of Calheta with its man-made golden sandy beaches, a marina and a further choice of supermarket, restaurants and bars. The capital, Funchal, is an easy 30-minute drive away on the motorway.