The Garden of the Atlantic - one of the most beautiful places on earth!

At a glance

Accommodation type Hotel
Hotel standard Four stars
Hotel facilities Two swimming pools, sauna, gym,
massage room, games room, conference room.
Meals half board - buffet style
Excursions Excellent
Arrival day Monday
Airports Wide choice
Flying time 4 hours
Transfer time 15 minutes

Set in the eastern Atlantic, 260 miles north of the Canary Islands, the sub-tropical island of Madeira is a superb holiday destination. The warm but moderate climate (19-23c almost all year) and rich volcanic soil are perfect for all manner of plants to thrive and you’ll find species from all over the world growing in the gardens of Funchal.

There is a great deal to see and do ranging from a tour of the beautiful gardens of Madeira, walking a levada, exploring Funchal or joining a coach tour to see other parts of this beautiful island.

Places of interest include Porto Santo, a neighbouring island of exquisite beauty, Monte with its twin towered church and the exotic Monte Palace Tropical Gardens with its famous toboggan ride in which a couple of drivers push you down the hill in a wicker basket mounted on polished metal runners!

Funchal

Located on the sunny south coast of the island in a picturesque

bay, Madeira’s capital, Funchal, lies between the deep blue of the ocean and the lush green of the mountains behind.

You could while away several days here! Visit the magnificent gardens, wander through its picturesque streets and squares with Portuguese cobblestone pavements or simply stop and relax at one of the pavement cafes in the city centre. Funchal’s museums, historic buildings and art galleries all compete for your attention.

Try shopping in the old Madeiran market; you’ll find colourful and fragrant flowers sold by florists dressed in national costume, exotic fish, fruit and vegetables for sale as well as local handicrafts. Madeira wine is a world famous export of course, so why not come and sample some at one of the oldest working wine lodges in Funchal.

Levada Walking

Madeira is laced with hundreds of miles of footpaths alongside the ingenious network of irrigation canals, called levadas, bringing water from the wet side of the island to the sunny but drier south. Easy to follow especially when accompanied by an official guide, these paths lead you deep into the quiet rural heart of the island. Levada walks are graded from simple strolls to more challenging and longer walks so bring strong walking shoes.

The Girassol Hotel

The Girassol Hotel is a good medium-sized four-star hotel located in an excellent area, right on the coast about 1 mile from the centre of Funchal. It’s a level 30 mins walk into town or you can catch a local bus for about 80p with a locally available ‘Giro’ card.

The hotel has excellent leisure facilities including two pools, one of which is heated, plus a gym, putting area, table tennis and games room. There is a conference room we can use for meetings and very pleasant gardens to relax in. Book early and we can guarantee you a small suite giving a separate sitting room as well as your bedroom.

The rooms are of a high standard and are equipped with ensuite facilities, heating, air conditioning, hair dryer, direct dial phone, mini bar, cable TV and a safety deposit box which carries a small additional fee.
 
Flower Festival

Two weeks after Easter sees the famous Madeira flower festival. Beautifully inventive floral sculptures and displays are paraded through Funchal’s streets on floats accompanied by local bands and folk dancers. Madeira’s artists dedicate themselves to building impressive floral carpets that are carefully displayed on the streets and shop window decoration contests are organised.

Botanical week

Join us for our unique botanical week which features visits to several of the stunning gardens all over the island. We include the Funchal Gardens, Monte Palace Gardens, Santa Catarina, Porto Moniz and many more. The programme includes 3 half day and 2 full day excursions (which include lunch) during the week. You can book these individually in resort for a provisional price of around £230, or pre-book the package of 5 excursions for about £207 per person and save 10%. Ask for our factsheet with full details. This programme needs minimum numbers to operate, but should we not reach these numbers, similar excursions will be available through other agencies on the island.

Dates and Prices

Resort: Madeira
Accommodation: The Girassol Hotel

Prices are in £ per person and include half board hotel accommodation in a twin room with en-suite facilities, plus complimentary airport transfers. Flights are not included. Child discounts are available for children under 12 on the day of departure sharing with two adults.

New dates for Spring 2013 to be announced