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Madeira Discovery - Premium Adventure

Activity

Culture

Overview

Experience a Portuguese island with a unique identity, rich food-and-drink heritage and subtropical landscapes

Adrift in the Atlantic, the Portuguese island of Madeira is a one-off – closer to Africa than it is mainland Europe. Join us on this small-group Premium Adventure for a deep exploration of this unique island. Guided by an expert tour leader, we experience the local culture on tours of the small towns and villages, marvel at subtropical landscapes on gentle walks, and, of course, dig into the regional food and drink scene. There’s also time to explore the lesser-visited island of Porto Santo, while ending each night at The Vine or The Views Baía, Premium hotels with rooftop pools.

Key Information

Trip Code: APM
Ways to Travel: Guided Group, Premium Adventures
Countries: Portugal
Carbon Footprint: 30.3kg CO2e per person per day

What's Included

All accommodation: 7 Premium nights (hotel)
All breakfasts, two lunches and four dinners
Immersive itinerary with all transport and listed activities
Expert tour leader to enhance your adventure
Arrival and departure transfers
Tips for local staff

Don't Forget To

Request a single room if required, purchase travel insurance and arrange any visas and vaccinations. On this trip, tips for the tour leader are not included.

Day 7: 5 km / 3.1 miles

Highlights

Experience a Portuguese island like no other, guided by an expert tour leader
Dig into local delicacies, sample wines in a vineyard, and try a poncha
Enjoy two scenic walks, alongside a levada and through native forest
Take a ferry to the lesser-known island of Porto Santo on a day excursion
Stay at The Vine or The Views Baía, modern hotels with stretching bay views

Itinerary

First Destination: Funchal
Next Destination: Funchal

Accommodation:The Vine or The Views Baía
Meals included:Dinner

Accommodation:The Vine or The Views Baía
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation:The Vine or The Views Baía
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:The Vine or The Views Baía
Meals included:Breakfast

Accommodation:The Vine or The Views Baía
Meals included:Breakfast

Accommodation:The Vine or The Views Baía
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation:The Vine or The Views Baía
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Meals included:Breakfast

First Destination: Funchal
Next Destination: Funchal

Begin your adventure at our Premium hotel in Funchal, which has views overlooking the capital and surrounding bay from its rooftop.

Around 6pm, say olá to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead.

Your tour leader then ensures a warm Portuguese welcome by arranging a group dinner.

Want to explore Funchal further? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Accommodation:The Vine or The Views Baía
Meals included:Dinner

The day starts with a guided tour around the hillside village of Monte. The highlight is our look around the Monte Palace Gardens, home to an exotic collection of plants gathered from across the globe. We also take a short stop at the Pico dos Barcelos Viewpoint for a panorama over Funchal to the Atlantic.

Next, we have a guided tour around Câmara de Lobos, exploring the history of the storied fishing village and espada (black scabbard) fish. Our adventure includes the chance to sample poncha, a local alcoholic drink made with aguardiente de cana.

Our first full day ends with a group dinner at PVP – that’s Pão, Vinho e Petiscos (Bread, Wine and Snacks) – a traditional restaurant serving regional dishes.

Accommodation:The Vine or The Views Baía
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Experience the natural beauty of Madeira with a 1.9mi (3km) walk through the Laurissilva Forest, a 20m-year-old subtropical rainforest and World Heritage site. This round-trip route takes us to the Balcões Viewpoint where we can gaze over the Ribeira da Metade valley, where rippling hills are covered in endemic tree species.

Next stop is Santana, a traditional village with curious A-framed houses. We have free time to explore, before a picnic lunch with Madeiran food. After, we head to the fishing village of Porto da Cruz for a guided tour of Engenhos do Norte, a renowned rum distillery that still uses original production methods. Here, we learn from the experts and enjoy a tasting.

Finally, we have a guided tour of Machico, where we visit the church, one of the largest on the island, and explore the historic centre.

Accommodation:The Vine or The Views Baía
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

We leave the main island this morning and catch a ferry from Funchal harbour to the small island of Porto Santo. Arriving around 10.30am, we then have a half-day tour with a local expert. Stops include the Casa Colombo, a museum in what is thought to have been the home of Christopher Columbus, and free time in Vila Baleira, where you can enjoy the 7.5mi (12km) sandy beach. After, we return to Funchal and catch a transfer to our hotel.

Accommodation:The Vine or The Views Baía
Meals included:Breakfast

Today we explore the western side of the island. It starts at the Cabo Girão Skywalk, a suspended glass platform with views over the coastline, Câmara de Lobos and Funchal.

We then have a guided tour of Madeira Ethnographic Museum for an insight into the archipelago’s social, cultural and economic history, before joining a local specialist at the Centro da Banana da Madeira, to learn about banana growing in Madeira. We also have a guided tour of Porto Moniz with the option of swimming in natural pools (€3 entrance fee not included).

After lunch, we join a local guide on a tour of the Quinta do Barbusano winery, enjoying wonderful views and the chance to sample six of their wines.

Accommodation:The Vine or The Views Baía
Meals included:Breakfast

Today we embark on a sightseeing tour of Funchal. Joining a local guide, we hit the landmarks, including Santa Catarina Park, Arriaga Avenue, Funchal Cathedral, a farmers’ market, and Santa Maria Street in the Old Town.

Lunch is at Restaurante O Regional, which specialises in Madeiran cuisine. After, we visit the Quinta das Cruzes Museum, home to local and international works of art, furniture, jewellery and more. We then have free time in the afternoon to explore further, before dinner, during which we enjoy a performance of local folk dancing and singing.

Accommodation:The Vine or The Views Baía
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Head into the countryside for a picturesque 3mi (5km) walk alongside the Levada do Caniçal, an aqueduct-style waterway. Our scenic journey should take around two hours, depending on the group’s pace.

We then visit the Ponta do Rosto Viewpoint, where we can see both the north and south coasts of the island. That’s followed by lunch in the fishing village of Caniçal, before a guided visit to the Whaling Museum, where we can learn about the whale-hunting history of the island and the modern conservation initiatives.

We end tonight with a group dinner, enjoying Mediterranean cuisine at Il Vivaldi restaurant and a chance to relive our adventures together.

Accommodation:The Vine or The Views Baía
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

The trip ends in Funchal after breakfast. Hop into your free transfer to the airport. Or, if you’d like a little longer on the island, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.

Meals included:Breakfast

Dates & Prices

Need flights or extra nights? Book through us – one team, one seamless journey

Call us: 020 3733 5948

Your Group, Your Adventure

Want to choose your travel companions? Gather your family and friends and let us create a Private Adventure just for you.

View Details

Accommodation

The Vine or The Views Baía, Funchal

We aim to secure locally owned accommodation that is well located, offers good value for money, and plenty of comfort. To help you find your ideal adventure, each trip is given a Comfort Level rating, which indicates the overall standard of accommodation. For more on our ratings, see our Comfort Level guidelines.

The Vine

Unwind at this modern hotel in the middle of Funchal, where the decor is inspired by Madeira’s tradition of producing fortified wines. The spa is also influenced by winemaking, with several wine-themed treatments available. When it’s time to relax, head to the rooftop pool with Bali beds, cushy loungers and stretching panoramas over the city and Atlantic Ocean.

The Views Baía

This adults-only, cosmopolitan hotel is perched about 195ft (60m) above sea level with sweeping views of the bay of Funchal. With nine floors and 238 stylish rooms, it offers fine décor, a bay-view outdoor pool, and handcrafted cocktails in a modern, sustainable setting. For further relaxation, there’s a games room, spa, and heated indoor pool.

Worth knowing

Tailor your trip: Extend your adventure by securing extra hotel nights before or after the main itinerary. Speak to your sales representative to book.
Private rooms: Like most tour operators, we room solo passengers together. If you’d prefer to have a private room, it’s normally possible to do this for a supplement. Speak to your sales representative to book.
We stay at The Views Baía on the 14 June 2026 and 18 October 2026 departures, the other departures use The Vine.

Essential Information

This trip is rated Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings, visit our Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip, please contact us.

Suitability: This is a cultural trip but includes two walks on days 3 and 5, up to 3mi (5km) in distance, so reasonable fitness levels are required. There are also several guided visits of villages and cultural sites, so expect to spend considerable time on your feet. We walk on well-maintained paths. The levada walk is a single-file path with exposure on one side; however, there are guard rails for protection.

Key information

Start hotel: The Vine Hotel or The Views Baía
Recommended arrival time: The welcome meeting and main briefing is held at 6pm in the hotel reception
Airport: Funchal Airport (FNC)

Getting to the start hotel

The start hotel is approximately 20 minutes’ drive from the airport. We provide free arrival transfers to the start hotel from the airport for everyone. If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative.

Catching your return flight

We provide free departure transfers for everyone to Funchal Airport (FNC) from the end hotel.

Please note, unless specified otherwise, the transfers will be to the start hotel and from the end hotel and will be on the date on which the tour starts/ends; transfers to other hotels in the same city and/or on different dates may attract an extra charge. Transfers should be booked with your sales representative at least two weeks before the tour starts.

Portugal

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Portugal. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/portugal
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/portugal
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/portugal/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Portugal.html

All breakfasts, two lunches and four dinners are included.

The climate in Madeira is like that found around the Mediterranean and is renowned for its year-round mildness; however, there is always the possibility of inclement weather. The island has several microclimates, so expect temperatures and weather to vary from day to day as we visit different areas of the island, from chilly and foggy in the mountains to warm and dry in Funchal.

From April to June, and October to November, temperatures are pleasant and with some rainfall. From July to September, daytime is a little warmer, typically dry with an average of seven to eight hours of sunshine a day, but the odd shower is still possible. Winter is generally wetter, particularly at high levels with rain falling between periods of fine, settled weather (so waterproofs are essential).

Please note: We may be forced to amend the itinerary depending on local weather conditions, which can change quickly.

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.