On 26th March the President of Principe visits Palheiro Estate.

The President of Government of Principe  José Cardoso Cassandra was in Madeira for the Biosphere conference and to celebrate the recent inclusion of Santana as a Biosphere reserve integrated into UNESCO.
Príncipe is the northern and smaller of the two major islands of the country of São Tomé and Príncipe lying off the west coast of Africa. It has an area of 136 km² and a population of approximately 5,000. The island is a heavily eroded volcano over three million years old, surrounded by other smaller islands including Ilheu Bom Bom, Ilhéu Caroço, Tinhosa Grande and Tinhosa Pequena. Príncipe rises in the south to 948 metres at Pico de Príncipe, in a thickly forested area forming part of the Obo National Park. The north and centre of the island were formerly plantations, most of them formed by Portuguese colonialists using slave labor. These concentrated initially on producing sugar and later on cocoa, becoming the world’s greatest cocoa producer.[1] Since independence these plantations have since largely reverted to forest.
Príncipe was the site where Einstein’s Theory of Relativity was experimentally proved successful by Arthur Stanley Eddington and his team during the total solar eclipse of May 29, 1919.

As a frequent visitor I find that March, April and May are the most colourful  times to visit the Palheiro gardens.

Camellias and sea of Arum lilies and Nasturtiums growing wild greet you along the entrance drive studded with Plane trees and old Oaks.

The orange pincushion Proteas and pink Judas trees are flowering in the Main garden whilst the bright red Captain Rawes reticulata Camellia signals the peak of another Camellia season .  Rhododendrons, wild Freesias and mauve Moschosma mix with the rare Clematis  grandiflora which is also in flower .

The spectacular red Telopeas from Western Australia are flowering above the Chapel and red Tritonias grow alongside the lowest pond below near the giant Auracarias .

White and blue Wisteria, Delphiniums, Californian poppies, Sweet Peas and a myriad of other annuals vie for attention in the Lower garden.  Time also for the  beautiful Cantua buxifolia with its red long trumpets and blue Echium candicans or Pride of Madeira below the lily ponds near the Tea house .

The Roses add a splash of colour in the walled Rose garden created several years ago though their main flowering time is yet to come.

Visit the new Palheiro Gardens website here.

Palheiro Estate is delighted to announce their partnership with Loja do Vinho and the Blandy’s Wine Shop at the airport.
This partnership will allow card holders the following fantastic benefits:
• 20% discount on table wines;
• Discounts on Madeira Wine, between 25% (3 years) and 12.5% (Vintage).
To celebrate this agreement there will be a wine tasting at Palheiro Golf on Saturday 28th January.

The following wines will be available for tasting:

Madeiras:
FT_BLANDYS_Harvest2004
Blandy´s Verdelho 10 YO

Reds:
POMBAL DO VESUVIO Tinto 2008 FT
QTA DA FALORCA Reserva Tinto 2004 FT

Whites:
CASILLERO DEL DIABLO Sauvignon Blanc FT PT

ANSELMO MENDES Contacto 2010 FT
A home delivery service will be included for orders of 1 case or more.
The wine tasting will start at 14.00
Also as part of Loja do Vinho partnership with Palheiro Estate they have agreed to sponsor the monthly medals and monthly stableford competitions at Palheiro Golf.  Please note that these competitions are only available to members of Palheiro Golf Club.
For further information regarding the Palheiro Estate Loyalty card please contact:

Ivo de Sousa
T. +351 291 792 665
F. +351 291 792 797
M.+351 912 599 822
ivo.sousa@palheiroestate.com
www.palheiroestate.com
For further information regarding the tasting at Palheiro Golf on Sat 28th January please contact:

Luís Emanuel
T. +351 291 790 350
F. +351 291 794 925
luis.emanuel@palheiroestate.com
www.palheiroestate.com
For further information on the Loja do Vinho please contact:

Ana Vieira Soares
PR & Blandy’s Lodges Manager
T. +351 291 740100

O Palheiro Estate tem o prazer de anunciar uma parceria com a Loja do Vinho e o estabelecimento Blandy’s Wine Shop no aeroporto.
Esta parceria proporcionará aos portadores dos nossos cartões os seguintes descontos, muito vantajosos:
• 20% desconto em vinhos de mesa;
• Descontos variados em Vinho Madeira entre 25% (3 anos) e 12.5% (Vintage).
Para celebrar esta parceria haverá uma prova de vinhos no Palheiro Golfe, no Sábado, 28 de Janeiro de 2011.

Estarão disponíveis para prova os seguintes vinhos:

Vinho Madeira:
Blandy´s Verdelho 10 YO

Vinho Tinto:
POMBAL DO VESUVIO Tinto 2008 FT
QTA DA FALORCA Reserva Tinto 2004 FT

Vinho Branco:
CASILLERO DEL DIABLO Sauvignon Blanc FT PT
ANSELMO MENDES Contacto 2010 FT
A entrega ao domicílio está incluída para encomendas de 1 caixa ou mais.
A prova de vinhos inicia-se pelas 14 horas.
Como parte da parceria com o Palheiro Estate, a Loja do Vinho vai patrocinar as competições Monthly Medals e Monthly Stableford no Palheiro Golfe. Note-se que estas competições são exclusivamente para sócios do Clube Palheiro Golfe.

Para mais informações, referentes ao Cartão de Fidelidade Palheiro Estate, é favor contactar:

Ivo de Sousa
T. +351 291 792 665
F. +351 291 792 797
M.+351 912 599 822
ivo.sousa@palheiroestate.com
www.palheiroestate.com

Para mais informações, referentes à prova de vinhos no Palheiro Golfe, no Sábado, 28 de Janeiro, é favor contactar:
Luís Emanuel

T. +351 291 790 350
F. +351 291 794 925
luis.emanuel@palheiroestate.com
www.palheiroestate.com

Para mais informações, referentes à Loja do Vinho, é favor contactar:

Ana Vieira Soares
PR & Blandy’s Lodges Manager
T. +351 291 740100

Carnival Festivities – Madeira Island

from February 15th to the 22nd

The Carnival spirit returns to cheer up Funchal’s downtown between the 15th and the 22nd of February.
For a week, the season’s rhythms, called upon the sounds of marches and philharmonic bands, will turn Funchal into a stage by Excellency, for an annual festivity that links perfection, joy, party, satire and amusement, involving and arousing locals and visitors’ attention.

The great Carnival Parade, which brings together close to a thousand participants in a unique colour that lightens up the main streets of Funchal, will be on the road on the 18th, a Saturday Night.

The holiday programme ends on Shrove Tuesday, on the 21st, with the “Slapstick Parade”, on which hundreds of participants dishallow with their very own dynamic, humour and satire all together. All this carnival merriment finds its way into the Mar Square (Praça do Mar), where, on the pinnacle of the occasion and in a bashing climate, prizes are given to the most creative costumes.

Karneval auf Madeira
15. – 22. Februar

Vom  15. bis 22. Februar ist Funchal in den Händen der Narren.
Mit viel Musik und bunten Kostümen wird der Karnevalsgeist auf die Straßen und Plätze der Stadt gebracht. Das jährliche Karnevalsfest macht Funchal zu einer Bühne in Perfektion, wo Einheimische und Touristen eine Woche lang die Atmosphäre des bunten Treibens verfolgen können.

Bei bekannten  Melodien tanzen und singen verschiedene Gruppen und Orchester auf den  Straßen. Satire, Spaß und Freude stehen im Mittelpunkt. Am Samstagabend  18.02.2012, wird der große Karnevalsumzug, mit über 1000 Teilnehmern, vielen bunten, einzigartigen Festwagen, den Hauptstraßen Funchals, einen ganz besonderen Glanz verleihen.

Festas de Carnaval
15 a 22 de Fevereiro

O espírito de Carnaval volta em força para animar a cidade do Funchal, entre os dias 15 e 22 de Fevereiro.
Durante uma semana, os ritmos próprios da época, evocados ao som das marchas e das bandas filarmónicas, farão, do Funchal, o palco por excelência de uma festa que, anualmente, associa, na perfeição, a alegria, a animação, a sátira e a folia, envolvendo e despertando as atenções de residentes e visitantes.

O grande Cortejo Alegórico, que reúne cerca de mil foliões num colorido único que abrilhanta as principais artérias do Funchal, sai à rua na noite de sábado, dia 18, desfilando desde a Praça da Autonomia, na Avenida do Mar e das Comunidades Madeirenses até ao final da Avenida Francisco Sá Carneiro, concentrando-se na Praça do Mar.

O Programa de Festas culmina na terça-feira de Carnaval, dia 21, com o “Cortejo Trapalhão”, no qual centenas de foliões desfilam com uma dinâmica muito própria, humor e sátira à mistura. Toda esta folia carnavalesca encontra o seu auge na Praça do Mar, local onde, em ambiente de festa, se entregam os prémios aos mais criativos.

Palheiro Spa

Indulge the Senses at Palheiro Spa

Palheiro Spa at Madeira Island Hotel Casa Velha do Palheiro is where the journey of relaxation and self-discovery begins.

Set amidst the tranquil Palheiro Estate and just a short walk from the hotel entrance, Casa Velha’s boutique spa facility adds vitality and wellbeing to the guest experience.

Blending seamlessly into the environment and surrounded by lush, fertile woodland, Palheiro Spa is at one with Nature.

Brushing the dry stone façade are banks of leafy fern and agapanthus that burst into a blaze of lilac during the summer months. Polished grey cantaria – basalt stonework framing the doors and windows – further accentuate the spa’s organic appearance. Above, Canary Island pine, candelabra and other exotic trees cluster in abundance.

A chic, minimalist interior captures the essence of luxury and heightens the spa’s Zen-like quality.

Four treatment rooms – Palmeira, Agapanthus, Camelia, Cypress – provide candlelit privacy and a chance for guests to indulge in a comprehensive range of authentic massage and beauty therapies for him and her. Afterwards, a relaxation room allows for rest and contemplation.

Palheiro Spa aims for results-based treatments based on the expert knowledge and the considerable experience of its team of professionally qualified staff. Pevonia Botanica and Caci professional spa and salon products are used throughout.

Wellness options extend to Finnish sauna and Turkish steam bath, refreshing rain and waterfall shower experiences, and a fabulous heated indoor swimming pool with exhilarating massage jets. On hot, sunny days the larger outdoor pool is a real temptation.

The spa also has a Fitness Room where guests can continue their usual exercise routine using state-of-the-art equipment while on holiday.

Teas, infusions and a healthy assortment of snacks can be ordered before or after treatments at the adjoining Conservatory Bar.

And remember, the Palheiro Spa at Madeira Island Hotel Casa Velha do Palheiro is open year-round to guests and non-residents.

Palheiro Spa is open daily from 10h00-19h00. The Fitness Room is open daily from 08h00-20h00.

Rua da Estalagem 23
9060-415 São Gonçalo – Madeira

PH: +351 291 790 352
spa@palheiroestate.com

Madeira Hotel – Quinta Casa Velha do Palheiro – Luxury Spa & Golf Resort

Quinta Casa Velha do Palheiro

Located in the hills above the Madeiran capital Funchal, next to the stunning Palheiro Golf course, lies the luxury country house hotel Casa Velha do Palheiro.

This wonderful property is situated next to the famous Palheiro Gardens, originally created over 200 years ago by the 1st Count of Carvalhal. There is also direct access to the Golf Course, with privileged tee offs from the halfway house, a short stroll from the gate. If peace, tranquility and re-laxation are requisites of your vacation – then seek no further.

Within the extensive grounds there is a heated swimming pool with sauna and steam bath: Tennisor croquet, billiards or walking. For gentler relaxation they offer a morning room with library, and a very smart, comfortable lounge bar.

The Palheiro Gardens – famous not only for the variety of plants that grow there, but for the beauty of their hillside setting, form a rich collection of plants from so many different parts of the world, gathered together over a period of 180 years or so. These private gardens are open to the public weekdays and attract over 40.000 visitors per year.

Visit Quinta Casa Velha do Palheiro

Casa Velha do Palheiro – menus for 24th and 25th of December.
10% discount for online bookings…

Christmas Traditions in Madeira

Madeira’s holy crib, known as “lapinha” is assembled a few days prior to Christmas over a wood ladder, decorated with small bowls with growing rye or wheat, donkey images, sheep and wild greens (“cabrinhas”), “brindeiros” (small loafs of bread), season’s fruit (apples, English tomato and tangerines) and an oil lamp.

At dawn, on the Childbirth Masses, celebrated before Christmas, Madeireans surrender to the ancient tradition of the “pig’s killing”, which meat is used to cook the unique “carne de vinho e alhos” (pork in garlic and wine marinate). The delicious and renowned honey cake, made from sugar cane molasses, dried fruit and spices, which also, in this season, decorates the table.

Find out more at: http://www.visitmadeira.pt

Madeira Island Country Hotel – Quinta Casa Velha do Palheiro, is a graceful luxury 5 star Golf resort with 37 luxurious rooms and a full Spa.

Torneio Bola Amarela

No passado Domingo, dia 11 de Dezembro, realizou-se no Palheiro Golfe o último torneio do calendário de 2011 – a Competição Bola Amarela.
Este torneio foi um torneio de equipas, cada uma composta por 3 jogadores que receberam no início do jogo uma bola amarela. O objectivo era não
perder a bola e quem a perdesse era automaticamente desclassificado, continuando apenas na classificação individual.
Das 20 equipas inscritas neste torneio 10 chegaram ao fim com a bola amarela.
A equipa vencedora foi a tripla de juniores composta por Brandon Hobley, Declan Hobley e Pedro Moreira, com 43 pontos.
Em 2º lugar ficaram Edgar Rodrigues, Tiago Gonçalves e João Pedro Gonçalves, com 40 pontos.
Em 3º lugar, com 38 pontos Hilary Smith; Roger Smith e David Hodge. Na classificação individual o vencedor foi Hilary Smith, com 38 pontos,
seguindo-se Andrew Reynolds, com 37 pontos e em 3º lugar ficou Michael Otto com 36 pontos.
Na categoria júnior, Tiago Gonçalves fez uns magníficos 46pontos, seguindo-se Pedro Moreira, com 45 pontos e em 3º lugar ficou Nuno
Camacho, com 43 pontos. De salientar ainda, que Hillary Smith, fez um fantástico Hole in One no buraco 7.
Após o torneio realizou-se o já tradicional almoço de Natal, no Restaurante do Clubhouse, onde foram entregues vários prémios de diferentes competições realizadas ao longo do ano que agora finda, bem como dos Matchplays e também dos Eclécticos. O Capitão do Clube, Denis Camacho falou um pouco sobre o calendário para o próximo ano, que será mais
preenchido e falou um pouco sobre os Campeonatos da Madeira que serão disputados entre os 3 campos da região ( Palheiro Golfe; Santo da Serra e Porto Santo). Para fechar o dia em grande houve uma tômbola com vários prémios, que foram sorteados pelos jogadores participantes do torneio.
Foi um dia muito agradável, tendo o tempo como seu aliado, com uma temperatura amena e o sol a marcar presença. Um dia bom para o golfe e para o convívio dos sócios, e já com um cheirinho a Natal!

Patrícia Rodrigues
Coordenadora do Clube