Madeira – Waterways & Flowers

I really appreciated the care with the planning of the week and the variety and quality of the hotels we stayed, and the charm and hospitality of the Madeirans we met. It was my first holiday with Inntravel, and I will definitely be booking again.  Ideally this particular holiday might have been better in April/May than the end of October, in order to enjoy the flowers and colour, and the weather was a little more varied, but we still had a terrific, covered a lot of ground, and had some amazing walks!

Restaurant at Quinta do Furao is excellent, with fabulous views and great service. Don't be put off by the warnings in the notes for option A at Santo do Serra: my wife doesn't have a head for heights and managed the walk without getting into the levada, and the waterfall was dry. Good to warn people but don't put them off as this is a great walk, probably our favourite. In Funchal, Informal and Akua restaurants are both very, very good. The hotel restaurant is ok but slightly overrated. Angelo told us about a walk from the hotel westward along the coast to Camara de Lobos, which we enjoyed very much. 7kms each way but you can catch the bus back if you want. And take swimming stuff as there are a few beaches/lidos on the way.

We can't recommend this trip to Madeira highly enough! From the beautiful hikes along the levadas to the wonderful hotels and delicious dinners, this was a first-rate holiday. This was my third Inntravel trip and I really appreciate all the thought and smart planning and attention to detail that goes into constructing their itineraries.

Most days on this holiday feature a transfer up to the elevation of a levada and then relatively flat hiking, until the end of the hike when you typically descend down to your hotel, which affords amazing views. Walking along the levadas is one of the most memorable hiking experiences I've had. We also really liked the variety of locations where we stayed -- the first two sites along the north coast, one on the cliffs and one at sea level, the third hotel in the interior, and the fourth on the south coast in Funchal. You get a good sense of the entirety of the east half of the island. Even the two-star hotel (Costa Linda) was a treat because it is located right on the water, with private balconies that look out directly at the ocean. Each hotel had great swimming/spa/jacuzzi options, including a really fun community pool in Porta da Cruz that is fed by seawater. Be sure to check out the downstairs spa at the last hotel (Boutique Castanheiro), which was quite luxurious. Our included dinners were without exception outstanding, as were the breakfast buffets (which sometimes included sparkling wine!). One wonders how Inntravel can do all this at the price they offfer.  

One recommendation would be to take option D on the fourth day of the trip -- by which you take a taxi out to hike the Sao Lourenco peninsula. This is the one non-levada hike of the trip and, because we liked hiking along the levadas so much, we were somewhat torn about which option to take on that day. But the peninsula is truly gorgeous -- amazing geomorphology and views of the ocean and a spot along the way where you can swim in a protected cove.  

What a great holiday! Been with Inntravel a few times now and they never fail to let us down. Thoroughly enjoyed this holiday. whoever puts the walks together deserves a pat on the back. Although we had been warned that perhaps some of the levada paths were not for people with a fear of heights we never once felt in danger and we are in our early 70s. The quality of the hotels was excellent, just what you need after a long walk, with pool, spa and excellent food. The taxi drivers were prompt, courteous and friendly. We opted for a few days in Funchal at the end which is worth doing as the hotel is well positioned to amble around the city. All in all a brilliant holiday. Thank you Inntravel. 

We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday in friendly Madeira, although we were a bit disappointed to find a couple of the levada paths (particularly that to Caldeirao Verde) much busier than we had expected (even in March!). The Sao Laurenco Peninsula walk was also busy - but fascinating! However, other paths we often had all to ourselves - lovely! A particular highlight was the wonderful view from the Balcoes viewpoint at Ribeiro Frio on a beautifully clear day. The local taxi services we used were all excellent and reliable - but do allow yourself plenty of time to get to your pick-up point! At the Hotel Costa Linda in Porto da Cruz, although dinner isn't included, we found the attached restaurant pretty good - excellent fish!  At Santo da Serra there is a large public park just along the road from the hotel  on the right  going in towards the village called Quinta do Santo da Serra where the  Blandy family of Madeira Wine fame had their country villa. Interesting plants and there is a fine view point at the far end. Good for a pre-dinner evening stroll! If you want to do the Option C walk at S da S, there is a handy morning bus to Portela. In Funchal we visited the orchid nursery at Quinta da Boa Vista which was extraordinary! Details are available on madeira-web.com, or just Google it. Although quite near the centre of Funchal  it is a steep uphill climb and not that easy to find. We recommend getting a taxi there and walking back (just keep going down....) The Palheiro Gardens were also recommended to us, although we did not manage to visit them. A warning (passed on to us by Angelo Gomez the taxi driver) to anyone planning to get the cable car back up to Monte to visit the Botanical Gardens: if there is a large cruise ship in port (sometimes there are 3!) there can be long queues ( we saw one) so make an early start. 

Although all the levada walks were fascinating and all different, the day 4 Option D walk - Ponta de São Lourenco, was a not-to-be missed highlight with fantastic rugged coastal scenery that contrasted with the levadas. We highly recommend adding an optional extension from Caldeirao Verde to Devil’s Caldeirao and return on the day 1 Option A walk - Caldeirao Verde. This section of levada is one of the most interesting and impressive of the entire holiday, with several tunnels, a spectacular narrow deep gorge, and old levada railroad tracks.

Extremely enjoyable holiday, our first with Inntravel. Well put together itinerary with varied walks - even though most followed levadas they all had a different feel to them with alternative aspects to enjoy. We would recommend the Sao Lourenco Peninsula option on Day 4 which showed another side of the island’s landscape.

The Travel Information folder provided by Inntravel was comprehensive and contained all of the information we needed for the trip. The walking route notes were detailed and easy to follow. The hotels were excellent and the evening meals had a good variety of dishes to choose from, including local specialities. All of the breakfasts and packed lunches were also very good. All taxi and luggage transfers ran smoothly, with skilled drivers to negotiate the steep winding roads which we were glad we didn’t have to drive!

The Funchal hotel was centrally located which made it easy to explore the city sights. We would recommend doing the Inntravel city walking tour, visiting the Botanical Gardens and taking a toboggan ride. Walking back down from both the gardens and the end of the toboggan ride provided a chance to explore areas of the city not already seen.

The Levada walks were not too taxing or too long although the guide tended to under estimate the distance by 1-2 km compared to our tracking on phone and I watch. In places the paths are narrow and there are very big drops on some sections a little vertiginous where the fencing had broken or been damaged.

The first and last hotels are fabulous.

We did find having a free day on a Sunday to explore Funchal was not ideal as wall the museum's and most shops were shut.

We found the holiday very enjoyable with a mixture of challenging enough walks and a bit of relaxation if needed - we did book an extra night at 3 of the hotels so if we chose to, we could have a 'day off' - which we did in Port Da Cruz - but still walked 5 miles! Even though 2 days were wet and in cloud a lot of the time, we still enjoyed the walks even though we missed the 2 days with probably the most spectacular views. The busiest levada - out to the 'Green Cauldron' did require a degree of patience as you do get stuck begind slow moving crocodiles of guided walking parties. You also have to get adept at doing the 'Levada Leg Stride' enabling you to pass people coming in the opposite direction, all part of the fun! We thought there was good variety in the walks, especially if you opt for the 'Peninsula walk' from The Porto Bay Hotel - very different from levada walking. Yes it was busy, but not annoyingly so - spectacular, absolutely.

Before we left we were in a dilemma whether to take our walking boots or walking shoes - we were very pleased to have our boots, some of the descents were definitely 'boot territory'. To sum it up, we're planning on going back to hopefully to see the views we missed this time round and maybe in June when the flowers will be in more abundance.

Surprisingly most of the walking involves flat or downhill but there are some steep sections for example day1. All lavada walks safe and protected. A well curated trip thank you.

Recommended. An excellent selection of walks and locations to stay. Walking notes were detailed with plenty of options for alternative excursions. Each hotel location is very different, all extremely welcoming. Recommend all the room upgrades, having done a few Inntravel holidays, for a little extra expense you get a lot more out of each room/stay. Madeira is great value too, eating and drinking out and about is easy on the wallet. Don't forget that torch and pack some goretex, very changeable weather high up!

The high quality, informative brochure is not just a joy to read it also refelcts the care and attention to detail Inntravel take to ensure customers have the best holiday experience.

In general, the walks are all quite similar due to walking along levadas around wooded valleys. However, the walking is very pleasant and the shade can be advantageous on hot days.

The walk to Caldeirao Verde from Queimada was one of the busiest of the walks, possibly because we did it on a Sunday, but also because it is a popular destination. On this walk in particular, passing people coming the other way can be difficult with narrow vertiginous paths and tunnels.The final walk from Rochao to Monte was very busy around Choupana because a lot of bus tours bringing day trippers to see the levadas start and finish around here. So you can get stuck among guided crocodiles of slow-moving sightseers. A tribute should be paid to Daniel of Brazao taxis, who managed to find us a shop in Santana with a suitable pair of boots (€25 in the sale!) to replace my pair that had fallen apart after Day 1. There aren't many shops in Santana and two candidates were closed first thing in the morning.

This was our first trip to Madeira and we really enjoyed the experience. We were made to feel welcome right from the outset. Walking the levadas was interesting and enabled us to walk deep into the hillside. We had some excellent views of the island and the coastline. Overall the hotels provided an excellent opportunity to rest and relax at the end of each day.

Superb holiday. Fantastic organisation made absolutely everything hassle free. Highly recommended! Lovely, interesting walks full of beautiful views.

Stunning scenery, and unexpectedly challenging in places. Angelo, the taxi driver, was more of a tour guide than a cabbie!

Overall this was a memorable holiday for us; particularly facilitating our ability to see the interior of the island and the stunning views. The walks were sometimes challenging with demanding ascents but we felt the grading was fair. The logistics of transport was exemplary with the ever friendly Angelo helping us out. This is our second Inntravel holiday and there will definitely be more.

This was as usual a splendid Inntravel holiday and Madeira is a lovely and special place. I wouldn't want the problems with Quinta Furao to detract from that because even there the hotel facilities, food and for the most part service were second to none.

The routes and how it was arranged to give a varied experience of walking terrain and landscape was a particular highlight. We loved how everything fitted together and the fact you are walking to your next destination. We did feel that the Caldeirao Verde route was very busy, possibly as this was on a Sunday, making the very narrow 2 way section a little awkward, and great care was needed. The  hotels were extremely well chosen and very comfortable. We both rated this holiday very highly.

Loved the walking and all the hotels. Hotel Castanheiro was absolutely brilliant. Would definitely book with Inntravel again in the future.

We went in mid-May and found Madeira to be a beautiful island with a perfect temperature for a walking holiday. We had some sunshine, half a day of rain and lots of cloud cover. We learnt to ignore any daily weather forecast as they were always wrong. We woke on day 4 in Santo da Serra to thick cloud with steady drizzle, but a taxi down to Funchal (40 euros) took us to warm sunshine were we spent the day. This was also useful because we could do things in Funchal that were closed on the Sunday (which was our final day).

We found the levada walking to be very easy. Some of them were very popular but the walks also took us away from the busy sections.

Most of the hotels exceeded our expectations. The food (especially the fish) was excellent and everybody we met was extremely friendly and helpful.

'A Pipa' in Porto da Cruz is worthy of its many recommendations. They do accept credit cards but not bookings, on our night they were full by 7:30pm. Many of the recommended Funchal restaurants were closed on Sunday. But still plenty to choose from and we had a wonderful meal at Galeria Restaurant in the historical zone.

Thoroughly enjoyed the holiday - everything was really well organised and the hotels were lovely.  We will be returning to Madeira with Inntravel!

This was our first trip with Inntravel and I'm sure it won't be our last.  Absolutely delighted with the whole trip.  Very well organised, wonderful accomodation and first rate walking with accurate and informative notes provided.  Madeira is an absolutely beautiful Island and the Waterways and Flowers trip was everything we hoped for.  Would highly recommend the trip and Inntravel.

Madeira is a lovely island with beautiful flowers and amaxing people who are so friendly and helpful. Levada  walking is fun and relatively easy but ascents and descents are quite steep and not very well cleared.  The food is great particularly the seafood. A must is also the toboggan ride down from Monte in Funchal - great fun.  Make sure to check the weather before going on holiday - we were totally unprepared as it was much colder than predicted.

This was our first walking holiday with Inntravel and we were so impressed by the organisation of the holiday and quality of hotels and walks.  We thoroughly enjoyed it all and hope to book further walking holidays in the future.

This was an exhilarating and memorable holiday. The walks were varied and those involving Levadas were unique as well as being breathtaking at times. The accommodation was, as usual with Inntravel holidays, in the main of a high quality and although Costa Linda was more basic it made up for it with splendid sea view rooms. The fact that there were swimming and spa facilities at three of the four hotels was a welcome one as it was a good way to recover after long days of walking. The meal at A Pippa in Porto da Cruz was the best of the whole holiday although it is best to book as it gets very busy even in low season.

This is a great holiday. A very good standard of hotel and some interesting routes. The weather was very mixed but that didn't stop us thoroughly enjoying the walks. We would recommend extending the day one walk from Caldeira Verde to include the much more dramatic Caladerao do Inferno. The first part of this walk is very busy and so worth starting early to miss the crowds. We really enjoyed the Sao Lourenco walk. Think of the more challenging parts of the South West Coastal footpath. At a weekend it does though get very popular. In Porto Da Cruz dinner at A Pipa is a must. Far better food than any of the hotel meals. The booking system does seem to be pretty chaotic and so go early (before seven) because it is deservedly popular. In Funchal we really enjoyed Kampo. Worth booking well ahead of your arrival in Funchal. Overall, another great holiday from Inntravel. You will love Madeira and this holiday. 

This was the first organised walking holiday that we have been on together and one of the most enjoyable in 40 years, although (being in our mid 60s) not one for the faint-hearted!

Highlights - drinking poncha in lovely , friendly bar at Quinta da Furao , walk up to the Caldera on day one in the rain that made the waterfalls spectacular, the walk at Sao Lorenco peninsula , the fabulous hotel Castanheiro in Funchal that has warm welcome, excellent location, great food and lovely rooftop terrace for relaxing. 
Great organisation as always from Inntravel - meals arranged, picnics sorted, transfers all happened as planned makes for enjoyable and relaxing trip.

We loved the unspoilt rural sections and the friendly welcoming local people, and Madeira has not yet become over-exploited. Dramatic geography, wonderful flora

It was a really great trip. The countyside was beautiful. We met a few people who were walking with other companies but felt the routes you had picked were fab. The walking notes were excellent and to our surpise we managed not to get lost at all. Having the map added reassurance at the couple of points where we weren't sure where to go. The transfers all worked really well. The hotel in Funchal felt like a real treat. We had thought about staying an extra night in Funchal but on balance were glad we didn't as it was the mountains that felt the best part. Will definitely look to book with you again and am sorry you don't do another self-guided walking trip (without having to hire a car) in Madeira. 

We thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of this excellent walking holiday. The days were just long enough, the scenery was breathtaking and the Madeiran people welcoming. Accommodation was well appointed and in some cases luxurious. This was exactly what we needed. We have booked with Inntravel a number of times and have never been disappointed. They know how to get the best from a country.

We thoroughly enjoyed the holiday. Madeira's landscape is stunning and there was a good variety of walks, on most of which we met few other walkers. Highlights for us were Santana to Porto da Cruz, Santo do Serra to Marocos and Santo do Serra to Camacha. We expected that it might be wetter in October, but we had mostly sunny and warm weather - perfect for walking. Porto da Cruz is a lovely place to stay, and we would recommend a second night there. The public sea water swimming pool is great and "A Pipa" a wonderful local place to eat.

First trip to Madeira, and worth the visit, great friendly welcome everywhere. Lovely walking along the Levadas, stunning plants/trees though end of flowers nearly. Weather average 24 degrees mainly, though in Levada worth an extra top at times especially until mists clear higher up.

Spent extra days at Santo do Serra so could do all but one of the route options, loved how quiet it was and hotel Porto Bay Serra Golf was lovely, great dinners (excellent value esp drinks). Beware of insect bites, esp in room at night.
Found Funchal busy after the quiet however, but worth an explore, though needed more time to do the gardens at Monte justice, as we went after walking there, mid afternoon. Had excellent last night meal at Gaviao Novo, needs booking as popular.

This was our first trip with Inntravel, as we usually organise our own walking holidays, and we were very impressed with the whole experience.  Everything ran smoothly from the moment we arrived at the airport and all our hotel pick ups, to the start of walks etc, were on time.  Each hotel had a different vibe and all the staff we encountered couldn't be more helpful.   Many told us how Inntravel regularly visit to make sure the service is up to scratch, which is good to know.  We have already recommended Inntravel to friends and will certainly be booking with them again.

This was our first walking holiday with Inntravel and we were impressed with the service from the office, the standard of hotel choice and the variety of routes. At 70 we were a little concerned about our fitness, not having been on a walking holiday for a few years due to health problems, but we're pleased with how it all went and plan to have another holiday through Inntravel before too long.