Marvels of Madeira Walking

• Stunning mix of independent coastal and levada walks; magnificent mountain scenery
• The Atlantic's floating garden; proteas, dragon trees, jacaranda
• High quality hotels; 2 out of 3 with heated swimming pools
• Excellent Madeira wine; plenty of tasting opportunities
• Fantastic wild flowers: frangipani, camellia, jacaranda and Bird of Paradise

Surging from the Atlantic Ocean, Madeira offers a temperate sub-tropical paradise perfect for year round walking. On this independent hotel-to-hotel holiday, the island's unique network of water channels, known as levadas, guide you from the sleepy wine village of Santana on the north coast to bustling Funchal in the south. Fringed with a rainbow of colourful flora, the levadas lead you inland to breezy Santo da Serra, a transfer then takes you to Camacha, renowned for its traditional wicker production, before heading towards the coast and Funchal.

One of Madeira's many charms is its infinite variety; each day's walking and every levada are different. Landscapes vary from cultivated vine terraces and verdant slopes dotted with white hamlets to coastal cliffs with balcony views over the azure seas. A nature lover's paradise, there are over 120 endemic species of flora and fauna including the Pride of Madeira, Bird of Paradise, jacaranda as well as tiny bisbis birds, chaffinches and hawks - the list is endless.

The places we stay in offer as many contrasts as the walks: in Santana our hotel is surrounded by vineyards (join in with the harvest if you're there in September!) and has its own wine cellar; in Santo da Serra, the hotel has belonged to the same family since the 1920s and has been used as a family home and tea house over the years and, in Funchal, the ***** Quinta da Bela Vista is one of the most exclusive hotels on the island.