Madeira - The Pearl of the Atlantic

Day 1  Fly to Funchal    
Today, you fly to Funchal and transfer to our hotel on arrival. Get to know your travelling companions better when we meet for a welcome drink this evening.

Day 2  Funchal        
Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Funchal. Begin by visiting a busy market, where you'll have time to browse the colourful stalls selling flowers, fruit, vegetables and fish. Next, head just outside Funchal to the Botanical Gardens and admire more than 2,000 different plants split into distinct areas. Continue to an embroidery shop before calling at a Madeira wine lodge. Here, you will enjoy a tasting of four important Madeira wine castes, accompanied by one of Madeira’s oldest delicacies, bolo de mel de cana, a delicious cake full of spice, sugar, honey and nuts.        

Days 3  Funchal      
Today is free for you to enjoy at your leisure, or perhaps you'll join our optional levada walk. There's a whole network of levadas – water channels – on the island, which provide a spectacular array of walking paths. Enjoy a leisurely walk through the emerald-green Paradise Valley, with captivating views of pretty villages, and enjoy the abundant flora and patchwork landscape. Please ensure you bring suitable walking attire for this day.

Day 4  East Island
Today we head up the hills of the island to admire spectacular views from Pico do Arieiro, the thirdhighest peak on the island, before calling at the trout hatchery in Ribeiro Frio. We’ll enjoy lunch at Santana, a pretty village where you will be able to see the unique, thatched triangular houses, typical of the region. After lunch we’ll make our way back to Funchal along the stunning north coast. The view from Portela is simply breathtaking and we’ll also pass Machico, the island’s first capital.

Day 5  Eira do Serrado & Monte
After breakfast this morning we'll visit Pico dos Barcelos, a viewpoint offering spectacular views of Funchal. We'll then wind our way up the mountain to Eira do Serrado, a stunningly beautiful place surrounded by mountains and overlooking the remote village of Curral das Freiras, or Nuns Valley. From here, our journey continues to the delightful hamlet of Monte, home to the beautiful Church of Our Lady of Monte and the tranquil Parque Municipal do Monte.

Days 6  Funchal      
Enjoy another day at leisure or join our optional tour of Madeira's west coast. We’ll see the fishing village of Câmara de Lobos and head to Cabo Girao. This is the second-highest sea cliff in the world, and we’ll take in thrilling views from a suspended glass platform known as the skywalk. We’ll also visit Porto Moniz, then continue to Paúl da Serra, before descending into the Laurisilva Forest valleys.

Day 7  Funchal        
Spend the day at leisure, or why not join an optional whale and dolphin-spotting cruise. This evening we’ll gather together for farewell drinks.

Day 8  Funchal to the UK      
After breakfast we’ll transfer to the airport for our flight back to the UK.