ABOUT MADEIRA ISLAND
The island of Madeira is famous around the world because of its natural beauty and is often known as the floating garden of the Atlantic.
It has a wide variety of parks and gardens, carefully maintained, and displays a wide variety of flowers, plants and trees.
In 2000, Madeira has received a gold award for Funchal which was entitled the 'European City Florida 2000'.
This prestigious award, which is much disputed by European cities, was fairly assigned to one of the most beautiful gardens in the world.
Madeira is therefore a place to discover nature. Madeira is made of contrasts between the ocean and the high mountains, the sun and the snow, the calm blue sea and the lush colors of the flowers.
Right in the middle of the Atlantic, the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo are a haven of natural beauty. The exotic colours of the flowers stand out from among the blue sea and the emerald green vegetation; this is an archipelago where two thirds are a protected area and where the largest Laurisilva forest in the world is located.
The springtime temperature, felt all year round, cries out for open air activities. You can go for a walk along the network of levadas (irrigation channels), visit the city of Funchal and discover the heritage associated with the Discoveries or roam freely around the island. Boat rides are an excellent way of admiring the coastline from a different perspective.
In such a naturally welcoming environment, balance and well-being are taken for granted. Madeira offers various tourist complexes and accesses to the sea with prime conditions for leisure boating and scuba diving. The island of Porto Santo, in particular, is the ideal place to escape from stress and undertake a thalassotherapy programme, or a beach holiday combined with a spot of golf.
Popular feasts, which take place all year round, are opportunities to appreciate traditional gastronomic flavours and see Madeira partying, especially for the Carnival parades, the Flower Festival, the Atlantic Festival and, above all, the end-of-year fireworks display.
| Day 1 - Funchal |
DAY 1
Arrival at Madeira International Airport – Cristiano
Ronaldo.
Today
you will learn about Funchal city, starting by the Old Town. With interesting
historical architecture and monuments; walking through charming narrow streets
dating from the 15th century with modern artistic painted doors and then
reaching the Market: Mercado dos
Lavradores an Art Deco building, where the environment is full of life. You
find mostly local tropical fruit and vegetables.
Don’t
miss the fish market with the fresh Espada or Tuna fish. Time to cross the city
until we reach the Wine cellars of Armazéns Oliveira. Here will be the
opportunity to taste the famous Madeira Wine.
|
|
|
| |
| DAY 2 - MONTE S CHARME & WICKER WORK IN CAMACHA |
DAY 2 BEST VIEWPOINTS - MONTE’S CHARM & WICKER WORK IN CAMACHA
The first viewpoint will be at Pico dos Barcelos (350 m) newly renovated and with above Funchal with splendid views all over the city bay.
Afterwards we continue up to Eira do Serrado (1094m) with a beautiful panoramic view over the highest peaks of Madeira and the Nun`s Valley "Curral das Freiras" situated in 600 m below the viewpoint. Next visit is to Monte, the most famous suburb of Funchal, where tourism once started in the early 19th century.
After a short walk through the beautiful gardens of Monte we will visit the church of "Our Lady of Monte". You can try one of the oldest means of transport of the island – the wicker work sledges along 2 km’s down to Livramento.
Time for lunch in a local restaurant. After this we will visit their wicker work store and learn how these master pieces are handmade. Last visit of the day will be to Now it is time to visit one of the most beautiful gardens on the island, the Botanical Garden, located above Funchal centre and with admirable views to the city bay. Here you find many imported flowers and plants and also endemic species from that belongs to Madeira’s “laurissilva” forest. Back to hotel.
|
|
|
| |
| DAY 3 - PORTO MONIZ |
DAY 3 PORTO MONIZ
We start the day by driving to Câmara de Lobos (sea lion chamber) a fishing-village that inspired Winston Churchill paintings on his visit. Charming bay with small colourful fishing boats. Along the way the landscapes predominated of cultivated terraces with banana plantations or vineyards.
The next stop will be at Cabo Girão, one of the highest a sea cliff on the world with 580 m high from the sea level. Amazing and impressive views from its suspended glass platform. The tour continues to Ribeira Brava, stop to visit the church of "São Bento" with its most interesting paintings from the "Flanders".
Still on the south coast we reach Ponta do Sol and drive up to Paul da Serra plateau, which reminds a bit of the Scottish highlands ( 1500 m ). Beautiful views to the green valley of Rabaçal.
Now we reach Porto Moniz - wale station until 1980. Mainly known for its nature pools built into the sea and lava rocks. It is time for lunch and to taste the local gastronomy. Along the wild and amazing northern coast there are many waterfalls that can be admired.
Reaching S.Vicente we will now drive up to Encumeada-pass at 1.007 m high and cross the island back to the south coast and to Funchal.
|
|
|
| |
| DAY 4 - HIGH MOUNTAINS & SANTANA |
DAY 4 HIGH MOUNTAINS AND COLOURFUL STRAW HOUSES IN SANTANA
At first we will drive up to the third highest peak of Madeira the "Pico do Arieiro" (1810 m) with fantastic views throughout the whole island. After a stop it is time to continue the tour and now we drive down to the nature resort of Ribeiro Frio (Cold River) we will do a short stop and then continue our trip passing by Faial and up to Santana.
Here you visit the typical triangular houses, brightly coloured in blue, red and white, covered with straw. Lunch will be served. Continuing at the north coast we pass by Porto da Cruz, a small village situated beside the gigantic Penha d`Águia, “Eagles rock” - majestic rock overlooking the sea. We cross to the south coast in direction of the eastern part of the island - Ponta de São Lourenço with a dryer landscape but with warm colours of the soil and rocks which makes the different from the rest of the island.
Beautiful view to Baia D’Abra. The last stop of the day will be in Machico, the place where the island discovers first disembarked in the 15th century. Back to hotel.
|
|
|
| |
