Day 1 and 2 - Above the clouds in Pico Ruivo
My name is Margarida, and I went on this amazing Madeira trip in january, our friends told us all about this ‘’paradisiac island’’ that we should visit. The way they described the place made us feel amazed by it, they could not stop using the words ‘incredible’ and unique… So i thought that we really have to give it a shot, and actually it is now one our favorite holiday destinations.
There was this place called Pico do Areeiro, the best place to see the sunrise or even the sunset, they said. They rented a car online here (this is actually an online site that has all the content you need to plan all of your vacations) and rode it to the top of the mountain at 06.00 in the morning. We were too lazy to drive through the road, so we booked a jeep tour. It also started at 06.00 o’ clock and waking up was pretty tough but it’s definitely worth it. We arrived and waited until 08.00 am, and there was pure magic happening, above the clouds, right in front of us. The memories and the shots that we took are definitely unforgettable to us.
There was a mix of red and purple colors in the sky that reflected on the clouds down from us. As time passes, we could see the mountains slowly appearing between them and were able to see landscapes such as Curral das Freiras, Santo da Serra and Ponta de São Lourenço. It is said that on a clear day, we might see all the Desertas and Porto Santo islands.
We found this online combo trip, to see the sunset right there and if you are lucky you will be almost alone and you will enjoy the atmosphere that cannot be experienced during the day. Still in the same trip, we were able to visit santo da Serra, with a reforestation program, it was such a different experience, but really gratifying. On the way back we went to a short levada walk in ‘serra do faial’, Funduras (Off Road) and Machico city.
You can Book online this Private Sunrise Jeep Tour Book Here »»
On another day we went to try the hiking, because the guide from our last tour told us about it, but warned us to be prepared, because it can be quite demanding, that is why we booked an organized tour, in case something happened we would be with some other people. The route leads from Pico Arieiro to the highest mountain of Pico Ruivo(1862m), but between these two there was ‘Pico das Torres’. The walk took us about 5 hours, but fortunately was a one way walk tour and they picked us up from ‘achada do teixeira’ at the end of the journey.
You should not go home without trying this hike first.
Along the way you can enjoy the superb views of the mountains and valleys along with the rock formations of those endless mountains.
Day 3 - The peculiar Porto Moniz natural swimming pools and touching the sky in Cabo girão
Me and my husband decided to stay in the Island for one week, because we actually thought that even three days were enough, until someone said that the Island looks very small but it has so much to see in it, and that’s what we did.
After two days exploring Madeira’s mountains we decided to go visit the west side to cool off a bit from the hot weather. We searched in particular for the natural pools of Porto Moniz, and for this one we found out a trip that really paid off
Basically it is a full day tour on a mini-bus, that picks you up from the hotel (which was great, because we were staying a little bit too far from the centre), and with 30€ euros we visited eight different places always stopping in which one of them, isn’t that amazing? Is not that much and you can see a little bit of the Island without any worries about getting lost. You can book West Tour in Madeira Online: Book Here »»
Then you start to visit the fisherman village or how the portuguese call it ‘Câmara de Lobos’, and this is the birthplace of ‘poncha’(a famous drink) and where Winston Churchill spent his time painting this beautiful landscape, so what are you waiting for?
We were really interested in doing this west side not only because of the pools but also because of this skywalk viewpoint that everyone talks about, and it was crazy to be able to walk on a glass platform more than 580 meters above the sea level, it's the highest sea cliff in europe and it has a breathtaking view from the top! From there, incredible as it may seem, you can see a small area of ??cultivated land called ‘Fajãs do Cabo Girão’.
.jpg "Madeira 7 Days Itinerary - Must See Places - Gabo Girao (2)")
This place was so difficult to reach that people built a Cable Car, initially used by farmers in the parish of Quinta Grande to access the agricultural land, but nowadays you still can try it.
You cannot see it from the skywalk and if you want to walk there, well…be prepared for one hour walk.
After Paúl da serra, which we learnt that due to the extensive amount of rain it receives per year combined with the topography and permeability of its soil and rocks makes it a large water reservoir for Madeira Island, we finally get to the pools for lunch and for that desired dip in the clean waters.The Madeiran temperatures are summer for us!
Day 4 - Dolphins and seals home in Desertas Island
Other must-see place is the Desertas, because if you really want to see dolphins this is the place!
There aren’t many boats going there in winter but we search on this same website, that really is all in one, and booked a trip for Sunday to Desertas Islands on a Catamaran: Book Here »»
We were so excited, but worried about this one, because we have never done a boat trip before, and we were afraid of being sick on it, but the sea was quite calm and the boat was very stable.
Be prepared to stay the whole day on the sea, take some snacks, because even if they are offering the lunch you will get hungry anyway. The Desertas may seem near but it takes 2 hours to reach it. One of the best parts of going on this trip, was lying in the boat’s hammock, enjoying the sun, and the moment when a family of dolphins appeared, there was such big ones and a tiny baby dolphin playing with the waves along side the catamaran.
Then we moved along to the middle of Deserta Grande, the main island, and anchored in the bay in front of the ranger's house, manned by a few people for the month before others take over again.
There are a few birds to be seen (there are only 15 species of breeding birds, eight of them being seabirds )and a short walk on the island.
Meanwhile the guide was telling us some particularities about the Island. These islands are well known for the very small colony of Monk Seals, which was the main reason that the Desertas became a nature reserve.
We just found out that there is also big spiders here, its length, including the legs, measures 8 cm and this makes it the largest spider of its genus in the world!! This species is called ‘wolf spider’ and represents one of the several endemic invertebrates inhabiting Desertas. Its population is restricted to Castanheira Valley on the top of Deserta Grande, where it lives hidden under rocks. This poisonous spider feeds on invertebrates and Madeiran Lizards.
Day 5 - Stroll with super views in Caldeirão verde
Before we do the levada walk we read some opinions on the internet about it and some people said that it was a little bit dangerous if you have never done it before, that is why we decided to go with professional guides.
We booked this Walk with a guide online: Book Here »»
and the first advice we have for you is to wear your boots or a good pair of shoes as it can be quite muddy in this month of the year.
This walk has everything, all in one, forest, big rocks, high mountains, two waterfalls, three tunnels and beautiful landscapes. The tunnels are wet under your feet, and you need a flashlight.
Lichen cover the trees as a sign that the air is so pure. The rout is green, surrounded by beautiful nature and views and with some birds that would perch on your hand!
In some places water is pouring down from the mountain so you should carry appropriate clothes.
Trails along the cliff have a thick metal wire as a fence for your safety. The route is long enough, you need to have a supply of water, sunscreen and some endurance.
Overall It was a really good experience, my fear of this was for nothing. Of course if your vertigo is that severe that might be another story.
Day 6 - Heart of Madeira is Nun’s Valley ‘Curral das Freiras’
We call it ‘the heart of Madeira’ because it’s almost in the centre of the Island and is located deep down the hills.
So many people talked about this place because it’s a small village nestling between perpendicular mountains formed by erosion, or as many still believe, by volcanic activity. The village is very isolated, has no industries, devoting its population mainly to agriculture, particularly horticulture. That is why is so interesting, it is a world apart.
After boarding on the minibus we first make our way up to Pico dos barcelos, and then Eira do Serrado where you will find one of the most exclusive and beautiful views, not to mention a great "green" location unlike any other in Madeira.
You can book Nun's Valley online: Book Here »»
We were lucky that it was not foggy and we could see the magnificent view. The view of the valley is breathtaking. We had free time to take pictures and enjoy every moment.
The guide explained the whole history of the village of Curral das Freiras: basically, at the beginning of colonization, Curral das Freiras had only the name ‘Curral or Curral da Serra’, because it was a pasture center. But in 1566, the nuns of the Convent of Santa Clara, were running from pirates who attacked Funchal, and found a place to hide here, taking with them the treasure of the convent.
Its characteristic gastronomic aspects are based mainly on the use of chestnut, which is the most typical production of the locality, in several menus, namely in the making of chestnut soup. Being a symbol of that parish, the chestnut festival occurs on November 1, annually.
Day 7 - Our last day on a jeep tour to Santana
As we already went to pico do areiro, and we wanted to visit the east side. We tried to find a jeep tour that was not going there, but to other, different, places.
This Jeep Tour is an off-road drive and we visit one of the most emblematic towns in the island, Santana, Ribeira Primeira Park, a sustainable and unique project in the heart of the forest, and then we do a short walk from Levada da Serra do Faial into Balcões ando on our way back we visited some other beautiful viewpoints such as ‘’Pico do Facho’’.
Who has never heard about Santana houses? You can book a Jeep Tour to East and Santana online: Book Here »»
It is known for its construction with sloping triangular rooftops, and protected with straw.
In Santana these were mainly rural homes, used by local farmers, during the settlement of the island, with white-painted walls, red doors and windows with blue trim, they were made of wood because it was a cheaper and abundant material in this region and important in balancing the temperature of the interior of the house.
The high slope of the roofs allowed the drainage of rainwater, ensuring the impermeability of it. Most of the surviving buildings are tourist attractions, and maintained as a treasure from the past.