Valley of Nuns Holiday Apartments are two self-catering apartments in the centre of Curral das Freiras, the village in the enclosed valley below the Eira do Serrado viewpoint. Both are registered as alojamento local (93816/AL and 94152/AL). They suit independent travellers who want a kitchen, a village with a bus link to Funchal and a quieter base in the island's interior.
What kind of property is it?
The national registry (RNAL) lists two apartments in the same building, Edifício Centro Vieira, at Estrada Cónego Camacho 12, open to the public since April 2019: 93816/AL with 2 bedrooms for up to 4 guests, and 94152/AL with 1 bedroom for up to 2 guests. The Booking.com listing describes mountain-view apartments with a balcony and private kitchen, of 77 m² and 102 m², plus free Wi-Fi, heating, a TV, a washing machine and a shared terrace.
Where exactly is it?
The building is on the main road through Casas Próximas, the village centre, within the parish of Curral das Freiras (municipality of Câmara de Lobos). The village sits at about 461 m, and since 2004 a road tunnel has linked the valley towards Funchal (Wikipedia). Distances:
- About 70 m in a straight line to the "Igreja Curral das Freiras" bus stop (OpenStreetMap);
- About 1.1 km in a straight line to the Eira do Serrado viewpoint, but several hundred metres higher up the valley wall;
- 15.9 km by road to central Funchal and 31.3 km to Madeira Airport (OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data).
Pico do Areeiro, where PR 1 Vereda do Areeiro starts, is about 3.9 km away in a straight line, but there is no direct paved route we could verify: the shortest routed option (15.9 km) uses a forest road whose condition we could not confirm.
Who is it a good base for?
It works for travellers who prefer cooking for themselves, want village life rather than a hotel, and plan to mix days in Funchal with mountain viewpoints. For PR 1, PR 1.2 or PR 11 the drive is long; Ribeiro Frio is closer. Trails need booking and a fee: see trail booking and fees, and our mountains page for the wider area.
How do you get there without a car?
SIGA lists route 181 (formerly 81) from Funchal to Curral das Freiras via Fajã dos Cardos. Check the current timetable, especially the last bus back; see getting around Madeira without a car.
Practical notes
The listing gives check-in from 16:00 to 23:30 and check-out by 10:00, and free private parking on site. The valley is often shaded and cooler than the coast in the late afternoon, and cloud can settle on the surrounding peaks; take a warm layer even in summer.
