10 days Madeira itinerary
 
Day 1 - landing in Funchal

Pick up the well-ahead-booked rental car and drive to your hotel in Funchal: hotel Escola. You should pay around 40 Euros per day for the car. Check-in, leave your luggage in your room and drive to Campanario. There is a large parking place close to the Vereda do Calhau da Lapa (Caminho do Passo). Descend to the sea walking along this beautiful path. Have a great swim in the sea and look around the spectacular coast. There are showers to put you back in comfort. Walk back to your car (ascend 200 height meters) and drive back to your hotel.

 
Day 2 - from Rabacal: Levada do Risco, PR6: Levada das 25 Fontes, PR13: Vereda do Fanal, Levada da Rocha Vermelha

Drive to Rabacal parking lot (at ER105). Descend to Rabacal (or take the shuttle bus if you are lucky). Take Levada do Risco and check out the waterfall at the end. Go back to guidepost, where you can switch to PR6: Levada das 25 Fontes. Go all the way to the 25 Fontes Falls. Have your lunch there if the place is not overcrowded. Continue with a sharp ascend (about 300 height meters) along the "Palha Carga" path to the PR13: Vereda do Fanal. At the top guidepost, go left along the Vereda do Fanal. Continue for about an hour and then turn suddenly left into the wild bush. There is a very narrow path going down to the Levada da Rocha Vermelha (descend about 200 height meters). The path looks very strange and dangerous, but it's perfectly managable. Once you reach the Levada, go left and descend several more height meters along the Levada. At one point you will reach the tunnel "Levada do Seixal" in a col. Continue on the original path and when you reach the next col, go steep up to Rabacal (ascend about 300 height meters). Eventually go up to the parking lot or take the shuttle bus if you are lucky.

 
Day 3 - Vereda da Ponta de Sao Lourenco, Sao Jorge along the northern coast, Santana

Drive to the east end of ER214. Park your car there at the parking lot. Walk along the Vereda da Ponta de Sao Lourenco until you reach the peak lookout point. Go back and stop for a wonderful swim in the sea very close to the restaurant with toilets. There are stairs going down to the sea and a concrete mall. No sand, no stones. Walk back to your car and drive to Sao Jorge - park at the end of "Estrada do Calhau de Sao Jorge". Walk to the sea and check out the "Ruinas de Sao Jorge". If the coastal path "Ramal do Caminho Real n.23" is opened, walk along it to the most northen lookout point of that area. Ascend to the top to the "Cabo Aereo" restaurant (or drive there if the coastal path is closed). Descend back to Calhau Sao Jorge. Drive to the central part of Santana to checkout the traditional village houses with thatched roof.

 
Day 4 - Levada do Caldeirao Verde, Levada do Caldeirao do Inferno

Drive to Queimadas or better to Pico das Pedras (start of the walk) with free parking. Walk to Queimadas (about 30 minutes) and then along the Levada to Caldeirao Verde. From there continue to Caldeirao do Inferno. It is one of the most beautiful levadas on Madeira. Walk all the way back to the parking lot. You will need a flash light or a good cell phone light :)

 
Day 5 - Levada de Paul to Bica da Cana

Drive to Cova Grande area (ER209) and take the very small parking lot at the small chapel (Cristo Rei). Descend a few height meters to Levada de Paul. Go left along it. Don't get startled when you see a barrier on the way: this is for the cows to keep them in. Cross the barrier and get ready to meet some cattle along the way. At one point the levada will leave the constant mountain level and slightly ascend into the wild nature along many stones. You will come to a plateau with a lot of cows. The levada is barried in the middle of the field, quite an interesting sight. Detach from the levada for a while and walk to the top of the hill on the right side. There are some signs describing the erosion of this area, quite educational. Then return to the levada. In order to continue along the levada, you will have to cross the barrier again. Once behind the barrier, you can rest and have lunch in a small forrest with a lof ot shadow. Then continue to "Bica da Cana" along the levada. If you are lucky, the wild flora will not block your path. Else prepare to make way through a jungle of bushes and other human height plants. Check out both lookout/view points at Bica da Cana. Now walk back to your car along an unpaved road/path, along which you can find many other educational sign posts.

 
Day 6 - Pico Ruivo from Pico do Arieiro

Drive to Pico do Arieiro. Walk to Pico Ruivo. Walk to Achada do Teixeira. Call for a taxi to take you back to your car (55 Euro).

 
Day 7 - Vereda da Boca do Risco / Larano, Vereda do Chao dos Louros, Vereda do Fanal

Drive to the parking lot just below the start of Vereda da Boca do Risco in Machico. Ascend to Boca do Risco viewpoint. Turn left along the Vereda do Larano and walk all the way to Porta do Cruz. Descend to the sea level. There is a pharmacy close to the main church. Just in front of it, there is a taxi station. Take a taxi for 20 Euros back to your car.
Drive to main parking lot at the walk loop Vereda do Chao dos Louros (ER228). Walk along the Vereda for about an hour. Enjoy the laurel forrest and a few views.
Drive to Fanal main parking at ER209 (don't try the first small parking lot on the right). Walk along the Vereda do Fanal to the first guidepost behind the Pedreira peak. Enjoy the magnificent old laurel trees. Before you walk back to your car, spend some time among the trees and enjoy the peace.

 
Day 8 - PR11: Vereda dos Balcoes, Levada do Furado

Drive to Ribeiro Frio. Walk along PR11: Vereda dos Balcoes to the lookout point. Walk back to Ribeiro Frio. Turn left to Levada do Furado. Enjoy the splendid walk along the levada to Portela. Once you enter Portela, you will find many taxis waiting for you to offer you a ride back to your car. It will cost only 30 Euros.
Spend the rest of the day at the beach closest to your hotel.

 
Day 9 - Funchal Botanic Gardens and Teleferico Achadas da Cruz

Drive to Funchal Botanic Gardens at the Monte hill. They open at 9:30 AM, so time it well. Spend the morning there, enjoy the garden and several local exhibitions (e.g. gems).
Drive to Achadas da Cruz to the Teleferico Achadas da Cruz. Either walk down along the Vereda do Calhau or take the funicular. Walk along the coast to checkout the dry nature there. Definitelly ride back up to your car with the funicular.

 
Day 10 - Pico Grande

Drive to Boca da Corrida parking lot. Walk to Pico Grande and the same way back to your car. The views will be much worth the 650 meter height ascend and descend.

 
Day 11 - from Lameceiros Levada da Ribeira da Janela

Drive to Lameceiros main parking lot at the beginning of Levada da Ribeira da Janela (rather close to Porto Moniz). Walk along the levada through all the tunnels until you reach the longest (1.6 km). Turn around and go back to your car the same way.
Drive to Porto Moniz. If it is not overcrowded, have a swim in the sea-water-flooded lava pools.
Drive to Arredor parking lot (ER101). Check out the rock mountins climbing out of the sea on a delicate beach, to which you can enter through a special rock hole entrance.

 

stránky vyrobil Tomáš Ullrich - žonglér a programátor - listopad 2008