What time do people eat in Madeira?

The main meals are lunch, between 12:00 and 2:30 p.m., and dinner between 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. Restaurants are usually open for lunch between midday and 3 p.m. and for dinner between 7 and 10 p.m. many of them have longer opening hours, especially in the big cities and areas with a busy nightlife.



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For Dinner, the Portuguese usually eat between 7:00 and 9:00 PM. While this is not as late as in Spain, for example, most of the restaurants don't even open until 7:00 PM for dinner, so travelers accustomed to eating earlier should expect to adjust their schedule and eat a bit later than usual.

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The bill at the restaurant only charges for what you eat; it is customary to leave a tip 10% + (the amount depending on the quality of the service you receive ). In hotels, tip €1-2 for bellhops who carry your luggage up to the room.

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Like much of Southern Europe, the Portuguese tend to eat late. With dinner on weekends sometimes only starting around 9 or 10 p.m.—or later—don't expect to find the bars bustling until at least 11 p.m. or midnight.

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Portuguese are the third latest risers on the planet, with research saying they wait until 8.10am to get out of bed. This is only beaten by Greece (8.18am) and Saudi Arabia (8.22am). On average, Portuguese head to bed at 00.47am, 25 minutes before Iranians, who are the last to go to bed, according to the research.

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My little AA Essential Guide to Madeira suggests that, as Flowercity says, tipping is appreciated but not required in Madeira. If you do want to tip, the advice is 10% in restaurants and for taxi drivers and hairdressers. In bars it suggests just loose change but nothing for chambermaids in hotels.

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You can easily pay €40 a head in Madeira. There are several fine dining restaurants where you can pay much more than that but you can have an evening meal in many (or perhaps even most) restaurants (with wine) typically for no more than €20 to €30 a head.

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Throughout Madeira dress is casual. Shorts, t-shirts and camisoles are perfectly acceptable; team with a sunhat, sunglasses and beach bag for a perfect daytime look. Jeans are very popular everywhere but in the hottest months may be too uncomfortable; opt instead for lightweight natural fabrics.

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Jeans are very popular everywhere in Portugal, especially with younger people, but they are always smart and clean.

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In particular, taking photos during Mass is highly frowned upon. Remove any hat or headpiece when entering a church. Most Portuguese view people and relationships as more important than maintaining strict adherence to time. As such, time is seen as somewhat flexible, and punctuality is not always stressed.

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Almoço (lunch) is the main meal of the day, and this is much more social. You won't see workers eating sandwiches at their desks here. Instead, everyone goes out for a hot meal and takes long, leisurely lunches with wine. Restaurants fill up around 12:30 and go strong until around 2pm.

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Typical Portuguese breakfast at home Most families do not eat a cooked breakfast at home. While some may include scrambled eggs, particularly during the weekend when you have more time to spend in the kitchen, the truth is that the main sustenance comes from items that require little to no preparation.

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It can get really hot here, up to or just over 40ºC. The interior regions are a lot warmer too, and people don't even leave the house around noon. Nights can nice and warm too, but there might be enough humidity in the breeze to make it cool and uncomfortable, in which case you might want to wear a cardigan.

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It depends on the club... overall you should go smart casual. no trainers/flip flops and if possible (but not mandatory) no t-shirt.

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