Join the Gourmet Table: A 7-Day Culinary Journey on Madeira Island

DAY 1: 
FUNCHAL AIRPORT - FUNCHAL

• Upon arrival at Funchal airport, you will be greeted by a private driver.
• Private transfer to our city centre hotel in Funchal.
• Independent *check-in when you arrive at the hotel (*NOTE: Check-in can be any time after 03:00PM, if you arrive earlier, you can leave luggage with the hotel reception and check in later on).
• Time on your own until our evening meeting...
• Welcome to Madeira Drink with views of Funchal.
• 05:30PM: Group meeting on the rooftop terrace bar of the hotel.
• We will have a welcome toast of Madeira Wine and chat about our E&W True Flavour Journey of Madeira.
• Now it's time for our first of many meals together...
• Special Welcome to Madeira Gourmet Dinner
• We will enjoy a special gourmet Madeiran cuisine tasting menu, a great way to get our taste buds acquainted with the gastronomy of Madeira.
• Overnight in Funchal.

D

DAY 2: 
FUNCHAL - CAMARA DE LOBOS - FUNCHAL

• Breakfast
• Funchal Farmers' Market (Mercado dos Lavradores) visit by Chef Filipe and Madeiran Gastro Masterclass
  
• In the morning, we all meet in the hotel lobby.
• Transfer to the Farmers` Market (Mercado dos Lavradores) of Funchal.
• Introduction to Chef Filipe, who will take us on a chef's tour of the market to show the local meats, fish, seafood,  fruits, veggies, and more.
• Then Chef Filipe and his family open the doors to their Madeiran estate, inviting us for an exclusive gastronomic experience. 
  
• We will enjoy a masterclass cooking class of Madeiran Cuisine with some parts hands-on and demo. Learn to make poncha on the fabulous garden terrace, bake the bolo do caco (flat bread), make the Atum em Filete de Escabeche (Marinated Tuna Fillet), Espetada (meat on a skewer) on the barbecue, dessert with fruits from his garden, and more!
  
• Lunch will be based on what we have prepared with Chef Filipe, accompanied by wines of Madeira.
  
• Transfer back to the hotel.
• You will have the afternoon to relax in the rooftop pool, the spa, or take a walk around the streets of Funchal and the promenade of the beautiful seaside city.
• Camara de Lobos Fishing Village Evening Sunset Stroll and Dinner
• In the evening, meet up in the lobby for a transfer to Camara de Lobos. 
• We will walk along one of the most iconic fishing ports of Madeira with loads of history, in fact, here is where Winston Churchill, in January 1950, sitting at the Espírito Santo Viewpoint, facing the sea, set up his easel and painted a picture that he would never forget.
• From the lookout point, we will get some spectacular views of the cliffs along the coast and the Atlantic Ocean, quite a place to catch a sunset.
• In this village, a unique drink was invented in 1985 by a man named Marcelino, who immigrated to Brazil, where he found inspiration to create this wonderful tropical drink. According to the story, the origin of the name of this drink, "Nikita", comes from a song created by Elton John in 1985, a song that Marcelino loved, and this inspired the name of this drink, as the song. Another popular drink comes from Camara de Lobos, the famous "Poncha", created by the fishermen who looked for something to keep them warm on cold nights. The only ingredients are sugar cane brandy, lemon juice and sugar.
• Dinner at a local restaurant offering fresh fish and seafood on the grill, for which this village is famous.
• Transfer back to our hotel in Funchal.
  
• Overnight in Funchal.

B, L, D

DAY 3: 
FUNCHAL - PICO AREEIRO - RIBEIRO FRIO  - SANTANA - PORTO DA CRUZ - FUNCHAL

• Breakfast
• Pico do Areeiro Viewpoint Over the Clouds and Ribeiro Frio Levada Nature Walk
• We meet our local guide in the hotel lobby this morning.
• By minibus we will make our way up the picturesque mountainous roads to Pico do Areeiro.
• The viewpoint of Pico do Areeiro at 1,818 metres / 5,965 feet is the third highest peak in Madeira, offering amazing views over the clouds and in the distance, you can see (on a clear day) the highest peak, Pico Ruvio at 1,862 metres /6,109 feet.
• Now we will take a short drive along yet another picturesque road until reaching Ribeiro Frio.
• In Ribeiro Frio, we will take a 3km / 1.86mi walk, the Vereda dos Balcões Levada trail, which is a beautiful woodland path ending at a panoramic vantage point over the mountain ranges.
• We continue through the local roads to Santana.
  
• Traditional Madeiran Recipe Show Cooking Demo by Sandra in Santana
  
• Introduction to Sandra, known as A Biqueira, a passionate hostess who keeps alive home-cooked recipes from all over the island. Sandra will show us a few of these traditional Madeiran home recipes, all made in a setting that is like going back in time! In the Village theme park, they have historic triangular Santana homes and one which has a Madeiran kitchen with an open wood-burning fire to slow cook with love! Sandra will explain the recipes to us while cooking, and then we sit and enjoy a true traditional home-cooked Madeiran lunch!
• Transfer along the coastal roads to Porto da Cruz.
• Porto da Cruz Rum Distillery Visit & Tasting
  
• In Porto da Cruz, we make a stop to visit the sugar cane mill and learn how the rum is made, and of course, a tasting of rum and poncha.
• Return by highway back to Funchal.
• Arrival back at our hotel.
• Evening and dinner on your own. There are many options for dining near our hotel.
• Overnight in Funchal.
  

B, L

DAY 4:
FUNCHAL

• Breakfast
• Premium Funchal Experience: Cable Car & Toboggan Ride + Gardens Visit + City Food Walking Tour & Madeira Wine Tasting
• We met our local guide in the hotel lobby this morning.
• Transfer to the cable car in Funchal.
  
• Cable car ride up to Monte, where we will visit the gardens and church.
• Then down the streets on the traditional toboggans, quite a unique experience and must-do in Funchal!
  
• Our guide will then take us on a food tour of Funchal for lunch, starting with a tropical fruit-tasting in the local market, walking through the streets of the old town, stopping at Fábrica Santo António (a biscuit and honey cake factory), Mercearia Bento, and Blandy Madeira wine lodge cellars. During our food tour, we will taste traditional snacks from Madeira, a regional coral beer, juice or water, a wine and garlic marinated pork sandwich, a scabbard fish sandwich, or an omelette sandwich with bolo do caco (flatbread). Fruit-tasting, tropical fruit of the season, Honey cake and traditional biscuits, Poncha tasting. Madeira wine tasting (2 glasses of different varieties of Madeira wine) at Blandy´s Wine Lodge.
• Ending our tasty tour back at our hotel.
• Afternoon on your own to explore the city.
• In the evening, enjoy a special gastronomic and religious local festival... (NOTE: November departure includes Festa do Sao Martinho (Saint Martin´s Festival) to try the young wines and Grilled Cod. February/March departure includes the Carnival festival a colourful time of year in Funchal. April departure includes the Rum Festival in Funchal to taste the excellent Madeiran Rums.)
• A Special Night of Tasting New Young Wines & Grilled Cod Fish: Festa do Sao Martinho (Festival of Saint Martin) 
• We meet in the lobby of the hotel.
• Transfer by minibus to the Church of San Martinho, where the festival is held.
• There are stands all around the church with different food, drinks, etc.
• As well, there is a special side door of the church where they have their Adega (Cellar), where you can try the new young wines of the year.
• Depending on the time of the procession of the statue of Saint Martin, we will either watch it before or after our dinner.
• For dinner, the fun part of a festival like this is to taste at the stalls, so we have left open dinner for you to order directly and choose what you would like to eat. On this special day of San Martinho, they pair the cod with the young wines of the new year, and roasted chestnuts too!
• Transfer back to the hotel.
• Overnight in Funchal.
  

B, L

DAY 5: 
FUNCHAL - PONTA DO SOL - MADALENA DO MAR - FANAL - RIBEIRA DA JANELA - PORTO MONIZ

• Breakfast
• Check-out of the hotel-
• Walk the Banana Route & Visit the BAM Museum with Banana Tasting
• Departure from the hotel in our minibus
• Journey along the coast to Ponta do Sol, stop to visit the BAM Museum with a tasting of banana, banana liqueur and banana Coral Beer!  
  
• Then we stop in Madalena do Mar to walk the Banana route and see the views of the banana plantations. 
• Lunch at Quinta das Vinhas: An Organic Vineyard in a 17th-century property with Amazing Coastal Views
  
• Nearby, we will have lunch at Quinta das Vinhas, surrounded by vines and facing the sea.
• The vineyard was planted as an experimental vineyard by the Madeira Wine Institute in the 70`s. It has over 70 different grape varieties and is a true living library. In May 2023, in partnership with Justino`s Winehouse, they launched the first organic table wine from Madeira, Fanal, taking the name of the forest we will visit in the afternoon. A very small production (Less than 2000 bottles) made of 100 % Verdelho grapes, which will be served at our lunch, what a treat!
• In the afternoon, we travel up into the mountains...
• The Magical Fanal Forest Visit & Dramatic Coastal Viewpoint in Ribeira de Janela
  
• With our guide, we will walk around the magical ancient Laurisilva forest, you will have some great photo opportunities.
• A spot that is popular on a foggy day, but really, beautiful in any weather conditions!
• Continue to Ribeira de Janel,a lookout for a dramatic coastal view from the Miradouro da Eira da Achada.
• Arriving in Porto Moniz, we check into our hotel for the next couple of days to explore the North of Madeira Island.
• Free time to relax.
• Our dinner tonight will be at the restaurant of the hotel  (NOTE: We will have a menu to select from)
• Overnight in Porto Moniz.

B, L, D

DAY 6: 
 PORTO MONIZ - SAO VICENTE - SEIXAL - PORTO MONIZ

• Breakfast
• Jeep 4x4 Nature & Madeirense DOP Wine Country Tour, including a Special Garden Terrace lunch with a Family Winemaker in Seixal 
  
• We will be picked up at our hotel by our local Jeep 4X4 guides.
• Starting off with a Jeep 4x4 tour in nature to see the north coast: São Vicente, Boaventura, Arco de São Jorge, off-road to Boca das Voltas viewpoint, and back to São Vicente. 
• Stop for a vineyard walk and wine tasting of the 6 wines at Quinta do Barbusano with views of the vineyard valley.
• The next stop will be in Seixal at Terras do Avo to meet Sofia, coming from a family of winemakers making very selective wines, even some sparkling.
• Here we will taste two of her table wines, and one sparkling wine, with our lunch on the garden terrace with a jaw-dropping view of the sea & cliffs!
• After our lunch, we will go down to Seixal´s black volcanic sand beach, and see how the vines are grown on the terraces of the cliffs hanging over the sea, a unique wine country destination! You will even have a chance to dip your toes in the water and take a walk along the black sand beach.
• Return to Porto Moniz and drop off at our hotel.
• Free time until dinner. It is time for the natural swimming pools, etc.
  
• Our dinner tonight will be at the restaurant of the hotel  (NOTE: We will have a menu to select from)
• Overnight in Porto Moniz.

B, L, D

DAY 7: 
 PORTO MONIZ - CABO GIRAO - CAMACHA - FUNCHAL AIRPORT - FUNCHAL

• Breakfast
• Check out of the hotel.
• Goodbye Madeira Islands, Views from Cabo Girao Skywalk Viewpoint, the Highest Promontory in Europe
• We will be picked up at our hotel
• Transfer by highway through the mountainous tunnels, stopping at Cabo Girão Viewpoint. 
• The Cabo Girão viewpoint, with its famous suspended glass platform, called skywalk, is currently one of the most visited (and certainly most photographed) tourist attractions of the archipelago. The viewpoint offers a unique perspective over the cities of Câmara de Lobos and Funchal: an urban scenery framed by a natural amphitheatre facing south.
• This will be the last viewpoint of our journey on Madeira so you could call it a goodbye (or see you soon) view!
• Camacha a Land of Apples: Cider Cellar Visit & Tasting with a Goodbye to Madeira Lunch
  
• Visit a local Cider Cellar in Camacha to learn about the Madeira cider history and cider tasting, followed by a light traditional lunch. This will be our last meal together, so we want it to be special and full of local true flavours!
• After lunch, transfer to Funchal airport for drop off at around 03:00PM approx., then the second drop off in the city centre of Funchal at 03:30PM approx. (*NOTE: If you would like to book accommodation before or after the tour, please contact us for a quote. We can also offer a tailor-made trip if you plan to extend your stay on the Madeira Islands, for example, even visiting the neighbouring island of Porto Santo. If you would like to continue your holiday on the mainland of Portugal, let us know!)
• Final Goodbye from your E&W Group Leaders (Sean & Angie).

B, L

END OF E&W TRUE FLAVOUR JOURNEY ON MADEIRA ISLAND