Born in Funchal, André Barreto is an assumed ambassador of his island. Graduate in Lisbon, he went back to his roots in order to pursue the hotel and tourism industry – Administrator and Managing Director of Quintinha de São João, a project he helped to design and to develop – and also to implement the trade and the manufacture of Madeiran traditional products, besides, among others, having assumed at a time, the position of Member of the Board of Madeira Promotion Bureau.
Whenever asked to introduce Madeira, he jokes about what he claims to be an evidence: “anyone who doesn’t know Madeira has a major failure in his personal education, that must be corrected at once!” And willing to help someone with “such a failure”, André Barreto does not hesitate in sharing his favourite places in Madeira, or in drawing a plan for a perfect day in such destiny “I wake up in Funchal and I take a walk in the centre, before taking a swim in this wonderful sea. I have lunch somewhere on the way to a walk through the Laurissilva and I wrap the day having a skewer with fried maize. Or a tuna fish!” The program includes stopovers in several municipalities besides Funchal. Perfect for our interviewee, would be in fact, stopping in all of them. Since, although very close to each other, they provide a huge diversity. As well as the contact with its “people”, different from everywhere else.
AND HIS BEST OF IS…
VISIT: Monte Palace Madeira – Tropical Garden, Mudas, Museum of Sacred Art, Cathedral. Ponta do Sol beach; ACTIVITIES: Swimming, canoeing, walking across the Island through the mountains, a boat ride; SLEEP: Quintinha de São João, Quinta do Furão; EAT: Akua, Kampo, Il Gallo d’Oro, O Clássico, O Lagar, Doca do Cavacas, A Morgadinha, Greenhouse Coffee Roaster; NIGHT: Mini Eco Bar, Vespas; SHOPPING: Casa do Turista, Blandy’s Wine Lodge, Fábrica Santo António, Uaucacau.
