Tour Overview
| Duration | 8 Days / 7 Nights |
|---|---|
| Destination | Madeira Island — Self-Guided Discovery (Portugal) |
| Price From | $1,151 per person (twin share) |
| Tour Style | Self-Guided Walking & Driving |
| Operator | Eurohike / Grand Angle | Data: TourRadar 2026 |
Itinerary Highlights
Day 1: Arrive Funchal
Settle into your hotel and receive your self-guided pack: detailed walking notes, maps, and a rental car voucher. Evening: explore Funchal’s Mercado dos Lavradores (Farmers’ Market), where fishmongers theatrically toss fresh tuna and the flower stalls overflow with birds of paradise and orchids. Overnight in Funchal.
Day 2: Funchal to Machico
First hiking day: catch the bus to Camacha, the wicker-work capital, then walk through eucalyptus forests and terraced farmland to Machico. Discover the spot where Portuguese explorers João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira first landed in 1419, claiming Madeira for Portugal. Distance: 14km, moderate. Overnight in Machico.
Day 3: Porto da Cruz & Santana
Walk the coastal path from Machico to Porto da Cruz along the dramatic Larano Trail. After lunch at Porto da Cruz (try the local rum distillery!), continue inland through agricultural terraces to Santana. Pass through small villages where farmers still work fields by hand on impossibly steep slopes. Distance: 18km. Overnight in Santana.
Day 4: Santana to Ribeiro Frio
Today’s walk takes you into the heart of the Laurissilva forest. Climb through ancient laurel trees draped in lichen to Ribeiro Frio (Cold River), a trout hatchery and forest park in the island’s green interior. The air here is cool and moist, filled with the scent of wet earth and eucalyptus. Short optional walk along the Balcões levada to a viewpoint overlooking the island’s highest peaks. Distance: 15km. Overnight in Santana.
Day 5: Pico Ruivo Summit
Drive to Achada do Teixeira to tackle Madeira’s highest summit. The stone path to Pico Ruivo (1,862m) is steep but accessible, with steps carved into the mountainside. From the summit, the entire island unfolds below — a jagged spine of peaks, deep ravines, and on clear days, the distant silhouette of Porto Santo island. Distance: 6km round trip. Overnight in Santana.
Day 6: Encumeada to Funchal
Drive to the Encumeada pass (1,007m), the geographical heart of Madeira where the island’s north and south watersheds meet. Walk the Levada do Norte, the island’s longest levada, through tunnels and along terraced slopes with panoramic views over the Ribeira Brava valley. Descend to Funchal for your final two nights. Overnight in Funchal.
Day 7: Cabo Girão & Câmara de Lobos
Drive to Cabo Girão (580m), Europe’s highest sea cliff with a glass-floored skywalk extending over the edge — the view straight down to the ocean is spectacular. Visit Câmara de Lobos, Winston Churchill’s favorite painting spot — the colorful fishing boats and dramatic setting remain unchanged since his 1950 visit. Afternoon at leisure in Funchal: visit the Blandy’s Wine Lodge for a Madeira wine tour. Farewell dinner at a traditional espetada restaurant where meat is grilled on laurel skewers over open flames. Overnight in Funchal.
Day 8: Depart Funchal
Return rental car. Transfer to airport.
Inclusions
- 7 nights accommodation (3* & 4* hotels)
- Daily breakfast
- 8-day compact rental car
- Self-guided walking pack (maps, GPS tracks, notes)
- Luggage transfers between hotels
- Madeira wine tasting at Blandy’s
- 24/7 emergency support
