Tucked just above the heart of Câmara de Lobos Village, in Câmara de Lobos parish (in Câmara de Lobos municipality!), Espírito Santo e Calçada neighborhood zona has a mix of older apartment blocks and newer houses lining along the gently sloping roads. Step outside, and you’ll likely see neighbors chatting on balconies or tending small gardens out front, often with glimpses of the bay below. It's a mix of authenticism meeting the modern world and simplicity meeting modern conveniences.

For a person who wants to be out of the tourism hubs most days, maybe remote workers, artists and expats, it's an area to look closely at because the cost of living is far less than Funchal Centro. Go out your door and it's just a short, 10 minute downhill stroll to reach shops and the Winston Churchill Bay and main harbor. As with most Madeira zonas, the walk back uphill replaces the need for that expensive gym membership! There is also a local bus route, but most people in Madeira tend to drive. For those who want an absolutely adorable village life with modern essentials around the corner including a padaria, a corner store, and pharmacy. The large supermarkets and banks are a short drive near the town hub..

This neighborhood will surely be catching the eyes of home buyers in the next decades as Funchal prices out buyers, so it is a good one to keep an eye on in terms of real estate investment terms. Today, however, it still feels like Vovo's neighborhood may have felt, lively yet warm, safe and neighborly. Homes still have the standard grape vines growing over the entryways, gardens still have their banana tree clinging to a retaining wall, and people look out for each other, yet welcome new friends warmly with a tasty meal or a sip of homemade passion fruit spiritys. Weekends are for seeing friends at their swimming clubs of choice and gathering for poncha at night.

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