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Waterways & FlowersMadeira, a verdant paradise
Nights: 7
Starting point: Estalagem Serragolf (4*), Santo da Serra. The peaceful summer retreat of Santo da Serra is the perfect setting for this high-quality hotel. Once the clubhouse for the neighbouring golf course (hence the name), the building has belonged to the same family for four generations. Current owners Jose Carlos and Rita extend a warm welcome to guests, making it a good spot at which to start your holiday. It is the only hotel not to have a pool, but the lounges, small library and tranquil gardens provide plenty of space to relax. Day 1: our suggested circular walk from Santo da Serra is an excellent introduction to levada walking. The route follows the Levada Nova through woodland all the way from its finishing point to its source, with some far-reaching views of the coast in good weather. There is an option to shorten the walk if you would prefer an easier day. (14.5km, 4.5hrs) Accommodation: Estalagem Serragolf, as above. Day 2: leaving Santo da Serra, you ascend through forest to the Levada da Serra, one of the island's prettiest levadas because it is lined with laurels and many colourful flowers - more so than any other levada. The levada keeps to the contour, heading alternately into valleys and out towards the sea, and offering superb views of the Atlantic on clear days. Your destination is the lively town of Camacha. (18km, 5hrs) Accommodation: Estalagem Relogio (3*), Camacha. Located on the main square, the Estalagem is the focal point of Camacha, and its café-bar and panoramic restaurant (which serves authentic Madeiran dishes) are popular among locals and visitors alike. Day 3: the Levada da Serra is once again your guide for the first part of today's walk, after which you follow the Levada dos Tornos, an important levada which carries a lot of water. Together, they lead you through dense pine and eucalyptus woods, then moorland, and finally very green landscapes to Monte, which perches on the mountainside overlooking Funchal. (13km, 4hrs) Accommodation: Quinta do Monte (5* quinta), Monte. You arrive at this beautiful hotel, the best on the holiday, through its luxuriant gardens. All the public rooms and bedrooms have been decorated and furnished to the highest standards, with plenty of handsome antiques, and they all look across the gardens, down to Funchal or out to sea. The high levels of comfort are complemented by friendly and attentive service. Day 4: we recommend that you spend your day at the Quinta do Monte exploring Funchal, which you can reach from the hotel by cable car (pay locally). The colonial houses, wine merchants' cellars, atmospheric old quarter and colourful market stalls selling all kinds of fruit make for an intriguing town with plenty of character. Afterwards, relax in the hotel gardens, on the sun terrace or in the indoor pool. Accommodation: Quinta do Monte, as above. Day 5: the day begins with a transfer by your affable taxi driver, José, who will be happy to take you on excursions if you experience bad weather at any time on your holiday (pay locally). You then walk alongside the Levada do Norte which, contrary to its name, actually leads you westwards to Cape Girão. The landscape you discover is noticeably different to that of previous days, with houses and the vineyards that produce the island's famous wine. As you approach the cape, you walk through a wooded valley and skirt the towns of Garachico and Nogueira to emerge at the top of Europe's second tallest sea cliffs (580 metres), from which the views are breathtaking. We recommend you take a taxi (pay locally) from the cape to your hotel. (12km, 3hrs) Accommodation: Quinta Jardim da Serra (5* quinta), Jardim da Serra. A blend of old and new, this quinta is set in 140 acres of gardens planted with 100-year-old trees. The restaurant is excellent and the facilities include an indoor pool, fitness room, Turkish bath, jacuzzi and massage room. Day 6: the quinta's location behind the coast means that you can enjoy a walk in the mountains for your last day, a great change in scenery. You do not follow any levadas but instead walk along pleasant tracks and paths. Starting with a transfer (pay locally), the walk has four distinct parts: a steady ascent through forest of oaks, eucalyptus and chestnut, followed by a section across pastureland, then a section through quite arid landscapes overlooking the Curral des Freiras Valley (so named because nuns from Funchal fled here in 1566 to escape a pirate attack), and finishing with a descent back to the hotel. (12km, 4hrs) Accommodation: Quinta Jardim da Serra, as above. Walking chart: the chart gives the distance and an approximation of the ascents and descents involved each day. If comparing holidays, please note the scale of each chart as this can differ.
Recommendations for extra nights: the Quinta do Monte (Monte) is the best hotel on the walk and makes a lovely base for a day of relaxation. Enjoy the carnival: Carnival week in February is a wonderful time to stay near Funchal at the luxurious 5-star Quinta do Monte. We can offer prices for extra nights at this fabulous hotel so you can enjoy the music, parades and colourful street celebrations. Please ask for details. Other information: if you would like to see the brochure page, you can download this (and the pages for any other holidays you are interested in) by using our brochure creation system for the summer and spring/autumn/winter editions of our Walking and More programme. You can also read our website travel diary for a personal account of the holiday, and view our photo diary. Similar holidays: The Azores (grade 2), Lake Iseo (grade 2), Madeira's Wild North (grade 2-3) Prices & travel 2008:
Room upgrade: Santa de Serra, junior suite £10pppn; Monte, superior room £16pppn, suite £28pppn; Jardim da Serra, suite £9pppn Extra night prices
> Any queries? Let us call you back |
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Astonishingly luxuriant, Madeira is the jewel of the Atlantic Ocean, and its lush slopes, colourful parks and rich variety of plants that thrive in the year-round warmth have earned it the title 'the floating garden'. One of Madeira's unique characteristics is the extensive network of levadas (channels) which criss-cross the mountainsides, some of them still carrying water from one side of the island to the other. With these as your guide, you can put your map away and appreciate the views and the flowers bordering the paths to the full. No two days (or two levadas) are the same, and, as you walk westwards from the rolling green hills in the east, you explore scented forests, vineyards and terraced slopes. The glittering sea is a constant companion, and you finally reach it on your penultimate day, finishing with a superb walk in the mountains. At the high-quality quintas (country houses) and hotels along the way, try typical dishes such as espada (scabbard fish with fried banana) and kebabs served on laurel twigs.
Serragolf's restaurant 
