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The family adventure in Madeira
    • Portugal - Madeira
    • 8 days
    • Walking
    • Self-guided
      • From January to December
    • 2 - 10 travellers
      • Simple
      • Comfort
      • Trip code : M1106
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About the The family adventure in Madeira trip

Discover Madeira in many different ways, from hiking, to swimming and kayaking, exploring marine life and cultural immersion! We have put together the perfect ingredients for a family holiday recipe that will leave you with unforgettable memories. This self-drive holiday with your hire car will allow you to discover the island's most beautiful landscapes and our choice of activites will allow you to get up close and personal with the exceptional inhabitants off the Madeira coast. The simple and varied hikes take you up and down the island's mountains, along the levadas and into the lush Laurissilva forest. It is a thrilling, fun packed adventure for all the family to enjoy! 

Highlights of the trip

  • A self-catering holiday with a hire car
  • A wide range of activities to discover the island : kayak & walks
  • Most emblematic hikes on the island
  • Comfortable accommodation in ideal locations


Customize your holiday by contacting us here 

From the blog

The family adventure in Madeira : Day by day 

Day 1 - Your arrival in Madeira

  • Welcome to Madeira! You pick up your rental car and drive to your first accommodation :
    . Standard accommodation : with its 300 inhabitants, Jardim do Mar is one of the most beautiful villages on the island of Madeira and is famous for its spectacular sunset views over the ocean.
    . Superior accommodation : Ponta do Sol, which means Point of the Sun, is famous for its incredible viewpoint: Cais da Ponta do Sol. A small pebble beach, the town centre and the bell tower of the small church of Nossa senhora da Luz complete the beauty of the place at sunset.
  • First night on the South coast of Madeira.

  • ACCESS:
    . By air: There are regular flights that go directly to Madeira airport or via Lisbon, the Portuguese capital.
    Click here for more travel information 

Day 2 - Levada de Rabaçal and the 25 fontes

  • Walk - Rabaçal > 25 fontes > Rabaçal
    4 hours  /  11 km - 6,8 miles round trip / Ascent: +400m - Descent: -400m
  • On the Paul da Serra plateau, 1200 metres above sea level, lies the deep valley of Ribeira de Janela. On the site of Rabaçal, by following the numerous levadas that fetch water in the heart of the mountain, you will discover many waterfalls, a forest of remarkable tree heather, the famous giant dandelion and the Madeira daisy.   
  • Night on the South coast of Madeira.
  • MEALS included : Breakfast.

Day 3 - Paul da Serra

  • Walk n°1 - Bica da Cana > Pinaculo
    1 hour 45  /  5 km - 3,1 miles / Ascent: +150 - Descent: -150m
  • Walk n°2 - Fanal loop
    1 hour 10 / 4 km - 2,5 miles / Ascent: +75m - Descent: -75m
  • Today, we invite you to follow the paths on two different hikes located in the Paul da Serra’s plateau. Starting by Bica da Cana, you follow a downhill path to the Levada da Serra, where suddenly the desert-like ambiance of the plateau transforms into a sub-tropical forest of giant dandelion.
    Then, drive to the ancient crater of Fanal that overlooks Seixal, considered a haven of peace and tranquillity. You will walk around a hill to get to the Fio: a pulley that was used to descend ferns and heather to the Seixal Valley. The panoramic views over the jagged northern slopes are stunning.
  • You will drive to your next accommodation:
    . Standard accommodation : São Vicente is home to a large part of the laurel forest - the archipelago's most precious natural treasure.
    . Superior accommodation : Porto Moniz is a must-see because it offers some of the most beautiful landscapes of the island. With its imposing mountains on one side and the sometimes calm, sometimes stormy ocean on the other, Porto Moniz has a picturesque charm all of its own.
  • Night on the North coast of Madeira.
  • MEALS included : Breakfast.

Day 4 - São Jorge

  • Walk - São Jorge loop
    3 hours / 8 km - 4,9 miles / Ascent: 350m - Descent: -350m
  • From your accommodation, you drive to the church of São Jorge, the starting point of your hike.  You enter the heart of the countryside, wander through gardens where subsistence farming is still a reality. Then, you walk up to the quaint watermill that is now nearly 300 y-o. Below the village, you will find an old, terraced path with spectacular and impressive vantage points over the ocean. A small glass of local alcohol at the Fio bar might just be the help you need before the final climb at the end of the walk!
  • You drive to Santana where you will check in for the next two nights.
    . Standard accommodation: set in the heart of the village of Santana known for its typical houses.
    . Superior accommodation: perched on a cliff facing the sea, you will stay in a traditional but renovated farmhouse.
  • Night at Santana
  • MEALS included : Breakfast.

Day 5 - Caldeiro Verde

  • Walk - Queimadas  > Caldeiro Verde > Queimadas
    3 hours 30  /  12 km - 7,4 miles  / Ascent: +90 - Descent: -90m
  • The Caldeiro Verde (green cauldron) is among the most popular hikes of the island. It is here that you will discover the laurissilva – primary forest – in all its magnificence. The levada is incredibly impressive during the second stage of the walk: carved in the rock, alongside a vertiginous drop, with tunnel crossings…it leads you to its famous « green cauldron » - Caldeiro Verde: a source, under an 80m-high waterfall!
  • Night in Santana.
  • MEALS included : Breakfast

Day 6 - São Lourenço peninsula

  • Walk - Abra da Baia > São Lourenço > Abra da Baia
    3 hours  /  7 km - 4,3 miles  / Ascent: +400 - Descent: -400m
  • The São Lourenço peninsula is located at the eastern end of the island and allows for an easy stroll. This is where Madeira's volcanic genesis reveals its secrets: layers of ochre, rust, grey and purple ash have been piled up by a succession of eruptions.
  • In the early afternoon, set off on a 2-hour kayak trip to discover the tip of Sao Lourenço, this time from the sea!
  • Then drive to Funchal for the last days of your trip.
  • Night in Funchal.
  • MEALS included : Breakfast

Day 7 - Whale watching and Funchal discovery

  • This morning, you will enjoy an incredible 3-hour experience aboard a catamaran where you'll head out to sea to meet the cetaceans that inhabit Madeira's waters. During the afternoon, you will be free to explore the capital of the island, known for its beautiful gardens, colourful streets and all the delicious culinary delights you care to taste during your visit.
  • Night in Funchal. 
  • MEALS included : Breakfast.

Day 8 - End of your trip

  • End of your trip in  Madeira! Drop the car off at the car rental company before your flight.
  • MEALS included : breakfast

  • ACCESS: Madeira airport information here.

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    Trip details
    The family adventure in Madeira
        • Portugal - Madeira
        • 2 adults (2x785€)
        • 0 children (0x785€)
      • 8 days
      • Simple
    Total 1570€
    Deposit 440€
    Book now !