SHOCK
MADEIRA
Madeira, a land of green mountains and deep valleys, lies secluded in the middle of the sea, about a thousand kilometers from Lisbon. Our journey begins in the capital, Funchal (pronounced Foon-shal, meaning anise). This charming city, with its white houses topped with orange roofs climbing from the sea’s edge, will captivate you immediately. We’ll stroll through the city with its colonial architecture and black-and-white cobblestone sidewalks. We’ll visit the famous cathedral, explore the fascinating market, and admire the artistic door paintings in the old town. The city also boasts beautiful parks and tree-lined avenues, as well as the world-renowned Jardim Botânico, often featured on postcards from Madeira. The garden is home to three thousand plant species from around the world.
Funchal is also the birthplace of footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, who has a hotel, museum, and CR7 store in the marina. The hotel houses a pastry shop with the best ice cream on Madeira.
We’ll visit Monte, the hill above the city. We’ll climb the steep steps to the pilgrimage church Igreja do Monte, where the last Austrian emperor and Hungarian king, Habsburg Charles I, is buried. For those who wish, there is an option to descend the hill by sled. The “Monte Toboggan” is a wooden sled with a wicker basket, and the two-kilometer winding path of worn asphalt offers an adrenaline-filled experience.
The next day, we’ll take a trip to the southern part of the island, beginning with a visit to the Nun’s Valley – Curral das Freiras – which lies at the bottom of a crater, just 20 km from Funchal. The road to the valley winds through eucalyptus forests, offering a fragrant journey. In this area, there are also many chestnut forests, with idyllic hiking trails running through them. In Nun’s Valley, you can savor a delicious chestnut soup – a stew served with garlic bread. They also produce a sweet chestnut liqueur, and the chestnut festival is celebrated on the first of November.
One of the island’s major attractions is the levadas, water channels or aqueducts that range from 20 to 120 cm wide and up to a meter deep, running from the mountainous north to the south. Madeira has over 2,000 kilometers of levadas, making it the longest irrigation system in the world and the only water source. We’ll take a short trek to the beautiful Levada do Moinho, and on the way back, we’ll enjoy a spectacular view of the ocean from Cabo Girão, one of the highest cliffs in Europe, plunging 580 meters into the sea.
The following day, we’ll head early in the morning to the third highest peak on the island, Pico do Arieiro (1,818 m), which is accessible by car. From there, we’ll hike to the highest peak of Madeira, Pico Ruivo (1,862 m). Walking along the well-maintained mountain path through small tunnels will impress every hiker. At the summit of Pico Ruivo, we’ll be rewarded with a triumphant view over the entire island. After a short rest, we’ll descend back to the cars. Our journey will continue north to the village of Santana, where you’ll find the unique traditional wooden houses with thatched roofs (the ones seen on postcards). On the way back, we’ll pass through the village of Porto da Cruz, known for its rum distillery. Where there’s a distillery, there’s rum, and it’s only fitting that we taste a little.
The next day, we’ll drive to the easternmost point of the island, to Cape São Lourenço, which offers stunning views and excellently maintained walking trails. We’ll walk along a panoramic path surrounded by unique flora. Dolphins and whales often swim near the cape, and if we’re lucky, we might spot one.
On our last day in Madeira, we’ll visit the island’s most famous levadas – Levada das 25 Fontes, which ends at the beautiful Risco waterfall. We’ll continue northwest to the Miradouro do Teleférico viewpoint. The bravest among us will take an adrenaline-filled descent by cable car to the coast. We’ll then head to Porto Moniz for another adventure. Here, among volcanic rocks, are natural pools where you can swim and refresh yourself in the lava-formed pools.
We’ll return to Funchal along the scenic coastal cliff road, stopping in São Vicente, where we’ll explore volcanic caves. This is a very interesting and educational tour of the tunnels where lava once flowed.
We recommend this program to anyone who wants a travel-oriented and free-spirited way of exploring the world.
Highlights along the way
Funchal: The most blooming city in Europe, with beautiful colonial architecture.
Nun’s Valley: Located at the bottom of a crater, reached by winding roads through fragrant eucalyptus forests.
Cabo Girão: A cliff plunging 580m into the sea, offering spectacular views of the dark ocean from the glass platform.
Levada: Water channels or aqueducts running from the mountainous north to the south, doubling as hiking trails.
Monte: A hill rising above the capital city, offering a beautiful view of the city and its attractive marina.
Pico do Arieiro: At 1,818m, offering fantastic views of the Atlantic Ocean and majestic peaks.
Santana: The most famous postcard image is undoubtedly the traditional houses in Santana.
Cape São Lourenço: An untouched piece of nature, a combination of colorful rocks, the sea, and nature.
Porto Moniz: Hot lava has formed small pools, making it the most beautiful spot for swimming.
São Vicente: A volcanic cave
Accomodation?
Since the island is very small, we’ll be staying in one town for the entire trip, in one-bedroom apartments that accommodate four people. We’ll take day trips by car and return to the same apartment each day. It’s great because you won’t need to pack and unpack every day 🙂
Hoteli na poti:
Why travel with us?
Madeira has been blessed by nature with all the beauty an island could wish for. The best way to explore the island is by renting a car, and that’s how we’ll be traveling as well. We’ll drive ourselves, taking you to all the magical spots, to the peaks with fantastic ocean views, admiring high cliffs and steep gorges, swimming in lava pools, and walking along the most beautiful hiking trails.
Madeira is a paradise for: lovers of active holidays, breathtaking views, stunning nature, exotic fruits, marine life, eternal spring, hikers, mountain bikers, and many more.
About the country
Officially, Madeira was discovered by three captains of Prince Henry the Navigator, who landed there in 1419 with the ship São Lourenço, and the cape is now named after this saint. During historical events, the Portuguese lost the island, which became the property of the English crown, but in 1903, it was sold back to them. The Madeirans, who number about 260,000 today, are of Portuguese descent, but due to their geographical isolation, they have developed their own dialect.
Initially, the island was used to cultivate sugar cane, leading to extensive deforestation (Madeira means wood). Madeira became the main European producer of this “white gold.” In the second half of the 15th century, the Genoese sugar trader Christopher Columbus arrived in the region; he actually married Beatriz on the neighboring island of Porto Santo, which is famous for its sandy beach and turquoise sea.
During the Age of Discovery, Madeira became a gateway to the world and one of the wealthiest ports on the route from Europe to the New World. The island is essentially one large mountain rising from the ocean, with only one-third of it above water. It was formed millions of years ago due to underwater volcanic eruptions on the floor of the Atlantic. Madeira is 56 kilometers long and 23 kilometers wide, surrounded by a few small islands, only one of which is inhabited—Porto Santo.
Dreamy Madeira has long been a magnet for famous personalities. Initially, it attracted British aristocrats, including King Edward VII, and later wealthy individuals who built luxurious villas there.
Visa and Vaccinations
A visa is not required for Madeira. You can enter the country with just an ID card.
Group and Tour Leader
The group consists of up to 5 cars of travelers, or 12-20 people. The group will be led by Marko. The entire trip requires 9 days.
Before the trip, there is a mandatory meeting with all participants to avoid any problems and ensure everyone is well-informed.
When to Travel?
Thanks to the mild oceanic climate, the island experiences dry summers with temperatures ranging from 25 to 29 degrees Celsius and rainy winters with temperatures around 15 degrees Celsius. The southern part of the island is warmer, while the northern part is cooler—when it’s sunny on one side, it might be raining on the other, and the mountains have variable weather conditions. The island has minimal temperature differences between day and night, and between winter and summer.
The best time to visit Madeira is from April to August, when the weather is warm, nature is in full bloom, and it’s ideal for photography. There’s hardly any rainfall during this period. The departure organized by Huda Tura is in April. You can check the exact departure date under the “PRICE” tab or on the homepage under “DEPARTURES.” The number of spots is limited!
Price:
For current prices and departure please visit the Slovenian site (CLICK HERE)
Included in the price:
Package: €400 (Includes organization, Slovenian tour leader if there are 12 or more travelers, and car rental with insurance)
On-the-Road Costs: €320 (Covers aparthotel in Madeira, fuel, parking fees)
Not Included in the Price:
- Transfer to the airport
- Additional luggage up to 20kg, from €40
- Food and drink, personal expenses
- Entrance fees (not included in the program) and excursions (whale and dolphin watching by boat approx. €50, toboggan ride €15)
- Health insurance and trip cancellation insurance (ZRO)
Personal Spending: We recommend bringing at least an additional €250 or more for food, drinks, and souvenirs.
Payment Method
Upon registration, a deposit of €100 is required, along with a non-refundable registration fee of €10 per payment. The price is valid for payments made via UPN payment orders. By paying the deposit, you secure your spot in the group. The trip is confirmed with a minimum number of registrations. If fewer registrations are received, the trip may be canceled or the cost for organization and guiding may be proportionally increased. For 6-8 registrations, the price increases by €100; for 9-11 registrations, it increases by €70. If you cancel the trip, cancellation fees as specified in the general terms and conditions will apply.
60 days before the trip or before the invoice is issued, the paid amount can be used for any of our trips within one year. More information on the general terms and conditions can be found here.
The car rental is subject to our business conditions. The agency is not responsible for any damage to the vehicles. Vehicles must be returned in the same condition as they were rented. Vehicles are covered by comprehensive insurance (CDW) with a deductible of €1500 (200,000 ISK). The rental contract should always be read carefully. A credit card from the driver is required for car rental.
If the trip is canceled due to insufficient registrations, the deposit will be refunded. Before departure, you will need to settle the costs of registration, the flight, guiding and preparation, car rental, insurance with assistance, and transfer to the airport. All other costs are to be paid locally, on-site.
Destinations are subject to change, and prices may vary. Changes in prices or exchange rates may occur, so we guarantee only the price for organization and the flight (invoice).
PHOTO MOMENTS
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Mi2 sva bila zelo zadovoljna s potovanjem. Čisto 10ko za vodiča Marka, ki je organiziran, iznajdljiv in zna prisluhniti željam skupine, s tem, da je še program izpeljan. Z njim bi še potovala.
Na Madeiri je bilo čudovito. Naš vodnik Marko je poskrbel, da je vse potekalo tako, kot je treba. Skupina je bila simpatična in ravno prav velika. Pri naslednjem načrtovanju Madeire pa priporočam, da se ostane ves čas na Madeiri in se spusti Lizbono.