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Madeira, Funchal

Discover Madeira on a self-drive tour

Road tripBreakfast included

Deal negotiated for you

  • 8-day/7-night self-driving tour
  • Breakfasts
  • Flights departing from the city of your choice
  • Category B car hire
  • Unlimited mileage
Customise your trip on the Options page.

Your stay starts here

Discover Madeira on a self-drive tour

Choose this self-drive tour of Madeira and spend eight unforgettable days exploring the island's stunning landscapes and culture. Drive along the emerald coastline and pass through the charming fishing villages of Santo da Serra and Boaventura. Admire the magnificent Veu da Noiva (Bride's Veil) waterfall and discover the legend of unrequited love. Indulge in the flavours and aromas of traditional local cuisine in Ponta do Sol and Funchal, and experience the vibrant atmosphere of Portuguese culture and traditions for yourself. This trip will awaken all your senses and provide you with lifelong memories.

Your detailed itinerary

Day 1 | Arrival in Madeira

Upon arrival at Madeira International Airport, collect your car and, before heading to your hotel, we recommend visiting Santo Da Serra and Machico, approximately 9 km from the airport. In Santo da Serra, you will find the ‘Quinta do Santo da Serra’, where you can admire Madeira's vegetation and a wide variety of flowers and plants.

Machico was the landing point for explorers of Madeira in the 15th century. Machico Bay is ideal for a stroll along the seafront while enjoying breathtaking views of the sea and the island. Weather permitting, you can swim in the sea at the small sandy beach nestled in the bay.

Then head to the village of Boaventura for your first night.

Day 2 | Bonaventura

Wake up to a delicious breakfast and get ready for a new experience. Drive towards Santo da Serra via Poiso, Ribeiro Frio and Faial. On the way to Ribeiro Frio, you can stop off and hike up to the third highest peak, Pico do Areeiro.

Continue through our enchanting and magical Laurissilva forest to Ribeiro Frio, famous for its trout hatchery. The climb to Balcões (a short one-hour hike) is a must. You will have a breathtaking view of this mountainous part of the island and your senses will be filled with these pristine natural gems.

Spend the night in Boaventura.

Day 3 | Bonaventura

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and continue exploring the beautiful island of Madeira. Head to Faial and enjoy the natural emerald views of the coastline from the picturesque village of Santana. Stop for a meal at one of the local restaurants and enjoy delicious fresh fish or other delicate seafood dishes.

Spend the night in Boaventura.

Day 4 | Bonaventura

Start your day with breakfast at the hotel and get ready for a new adventure. Explore this beautiful countryside and deepen your knowledge of the island while enjoying the local cuisine and the warm welcome of the local people. Drive along the coast and stop to admire the magnificent waterfalls. São Vicente and the Encumeada Pass offer magnificent views of the north and south of the island. Weather permitting, you may even see the island of Porto Santo.

Overnight stay in Boaventura.

Day 5 | Boaventura - Ponta Do Sol - Funchal (55 Km)

After breakfast, leave the hotel and head towards Ponta do Sol, a charming port on the south-west coast of the island. On the way, don't miss a visit to a waterfall called ‘Veu da Noiva’ (The Bride's Veil).

In Porto Moniz, you can enjoy natural volcanic pools and sample the local speciality of ‘arroz de lapas’ (limpet rice) in one of the restaurants listed in the Guinness Book of Records for preparing the world's largest serving of this dish.

After lunch, head to the Paul da Serra plateau, the only one in Madeira. Then, descend to the village of Calheta. Once you reach Ponta do Sol, you can enjoy the beach and take a refreshing swim in the sea — there's even the option of snorkelling.

At the end of the day, arrive in Funchal and check into your hotel. Overnight stay in Funchal.

Day 6 | Funchal

Wake up to a delicious breakfast at the hotel and enjoy the whole day at your leisure. You can drive to the charming villages of Jardim do Mar and Paul do Mar and explore this beautiful region in more depth.

These small fishing villages are unique with their magnificent and romantic landscapes. From Paul do Mar, you can drive up to Prazeres. Enjoy these peaceful and lively landscapes and savour the fresh flavours of the local cuisine.

Overnight stay in Funchal.

Day 7 | Funchal

After breakfast at the hotel, visit vineyards in bloom and banana plantations. Stop at Ribeira Brava, a charming village, and stroll through the picturesque streets and lively squares to soak up the tranquil atmosphere of the region.

Take a short hike to the second highest sea cliff in the world, Cabo Girão, located near the villages of Campanário and Quinta Grande, and continue on to Câmara de Lobos, a small fishing village on the east side of the island.

Overnight in Funchal.

Day 8 | Return flight

Spend your last morning in Funchal enjoying breakfast. Then get in your car and return to Madeira, drop off the hire car at Madeira Airport and prepare for your return flight.

Your accommodation

During this trip, you will stay in 3- or 4-star hotels (local standards) as detailed below:

  • Nights 1 to 4: 3-star Solar Boaventura Hotel (or similar)
  • Nights 5 to 7: 4-star Ocean Gardens Hotel (or similar)

Your board

During your stay, you will enjoy a breakfast-included package from day 2 to 8.

Car hire

This price includes:

  • Car hire in category B for the duration of the stay, i.e. 8 days.
  • Unlimited mileage

This price does not include:

  • Fuel, any parking fees.
  • Fines (fines will be billed directly by the hire company).
  • Any options and insurance to be paid on site.
  • The additional driver supplement of approximately €20/day.
  • Any supplement for dropping off or returning the car outside the following hours: 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Vehicle collection and return:

  • You must be able to present your passport
  • You must be able to present your valid driving licence and have it with you during your stay
  • Drivers must be at least 21 years old (and have held a driving licence for at least one year)
  • Pick-up is available Monday to Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
  • Hire cars are picked up and returned at Funchal Airport
  • The deposit must be paid by Visa or MasterCard credit card in the name of the main driver

PLEASE NOTE

Please note: This itinerary is subject to change due to technical or weather-related reasons, or other unforeseen events relating to the organisation of the trip.

Transport included
This price includes :
  • Self-drive tour of 8 days / 7 nights
  • Breakfast option
  • Category B car hire from day 1 to day 8
  • Unlimited mileage
  • Booking fees
  • Flights departing from the city of your choice
  • Mandatory airport taxes
This price does not include :
  • Tourist tax to be paid on site
  • Vehicle security deposit returned upon taking back the vehicle and fuel, to be paid on-site
  • Optional personal insurance
  • Personal expenses and tips
  • Excursions not included in the booking or purchased separately
  • Meals and drinks not mentioned in the description
  • And more generally everything in the above "This price includes" section

Useful information

Useful information

Practical details

If you are travelling alone, you will be asked to pay a surcharge for a single room. This additional charge will be automatically included in your quote.
Child rates will be applied for children from 2 to 12 years old in the case where the child shares the room with two adults. If the child is travelling with just one adult, the surcharge may be applied on an adult basis. If your child or children do not fit into the age group mentioned above, the rate will be communicated to you at the time of processing your order. If the room is equipped with a bunk bed, the bed height is not suitable for children under 6 years of age.
For safety reasons, the wellbeing facilities of most establishments are not accessible to children under 16 years old. Similarly, it is possible that some amenities or services require an additional charge or are unavailable for exceptional reasons.
Unless otherwise stated in the service description, activities and any additional services available at destination are provided in the language of the destination country and in English.
The opening times and hours of the activities, restaurants and bars are provided as an indication only and may be subject to change. Contact the reception desk in order to be informed of any changes.
Appropriate dress is required. We remind you that gambling may involve risks of isolation, indebtedness, and dependency...
Any additional special requirements the traveller may request which are not included in the travel service description will be communicated to our service provider. Sending this information does not imply acceptance and PerfectStay.com cannot be held responsible for the fulfilment of these special requests. Only the service provider of PerfectStay.com can access this request on location and any additional costs may be paid locally by the traveller.
Unless expressly stated in the description of the services and accommodation, the hotel is not suitable for people with reduced mobility.

Travel documents

Once your reservation has been made, you will receive a confirmation e-mail before your travel documents are sent.
Regarding the transport documents (in the case of a reservation with transport included), we will provide you with all the information relating to check-in and luggage in the "Your travel documents" email, allowing you to leave with peace of mind.
To take advantage of all your reserved services (hotels, transfers, activities, etc.), you will receive one or more exchange vouchers to be presented to each supplier.
The contact details of the establishment will be specified in these documents, to help make your arrival at your destination as straight-forward as possible.

Transportation

Choose an offer and, according to your preferences, opt for a seat in economy, business or first class.
See the 'View flight info' section for details on each trip.
In order to best organise your time in the airport, we advise that you arrive 2 hours before boarding for a medium-haul flight, or 3 hours before boarding for a long-haul flight (more than 5 hours). Take advantage of your early arrival to pass through security and check your luggage.
You will be informed whether or not luggage is included at the time of your booking.
You will have the opportunity to add additional luggage for a fee.
There are several different cities that are typically offered as departure points. Your arrival destination will show in your travel documents.
Depending on the flight schedule, some arrivals or returns may be made at night with early arrival or late departure. You will not always be able to have your room available immediately and will need to refer to the check-in and check-out conditions of the hotel.
In the event that your transfer is not included in your hotel reservation, it may be offered at the time of your reservation as an additional option. Unless specifically mentioned, transfers may be made in groups of 15 to 55 people.
Important: the modification or the cancellation of a booking is only possible within the limits and including the fees outlined in our general conditions of sale.
Thank you for kindly taking note of the CO2 emissions produced by your means of transport: https://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx

Formalities

The following details apply to any British citizen who, during a trip sold by PerfectStay goes to a foreign country. The following is a resource directing you to information related to your travel formalities (identification documents, vaccines, VISA, safety, travel advice, etc.), and may be subject to change. Please note that Brexit negotiations are likely to include travel document modifications, therefore please regularly check most updated information. Please see official resource for British citizens wishing to travel:
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

The official UK Foreign Travel site has updates on safety and security, including incidents such as pickpocketing and robbery, along with larger incidents such as measuring the risk of terrorism.
Detailed country by country here:
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

If you are travelling with minors, please be sure to verify whether or not you will require a consent: https://www.gov.uk/permission-take-child-abroad

Please note that these details serve as a guiding resource in order to ensure that you have access to important information in order to pursue the necessary travel formalities required before travelling abroad with PerfectStay. Please note that PerfectStay will not engage in obtaining travel documents for you, such as visas, and you are solely responsible for knowing the potential health risks you may face in the course of your travels for which you may require vaccinations or medications. PerfectStay is not responsible for ensuring your travel formalities are properly undertaken and will only act as an intermediary directing you to resources which have been known to provide reliable information concerning travel formalities specific to British citizens.

Vaccination

For information concerning travel health requirements (vaccinations, health risks, etc.) please see the following resources:
https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries
https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations.aspx
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/travel-vaccinations/

Visa

For the latest information on which travel documents (visas, passports, etc.) British citizens will require by destination, please see the following resources:
https://visacentral.co.uk/visa-quick-check
https://www.passportindex.org/comparebyPassport.php?p1=uk&fl=&s=yes
https://www.travisa.com/Visa_Search

Identity

Please be sure to verify that your necessary Identification documents (passport and/or ID card dependent upon the country to which you will be travelling) have valid expiration dates, i.e. verify your ID documents have not yet expired. Also, be sure to remember to bring these necessary documents with you. It is also recommended to make copies of all travel documents in the event of an emergency.

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All the holidays offers displayed on this website are financially protected by the ABTA and ATOL schemes.
They are sold by ATOL (#11475) and ABTA (#Y6608) holder Perfectstay Travel Ltd.

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All the flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. The flight-inclusive holidays displayed on this website are sold by ATOL (#11475) holder Perfectstay Travel Ltd. Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: https://www.caa.co.uk

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As a member of ABTA (#Y6608), you can be assured that you are receiving the highest level of service and are offered excellent choice and value. If your holiday is not inclusive of flights then ABTA will financially protect your holiday similar to ATOL, unless you are already abroad in which case you be returned to the point where your contracted arrangements with us commenced. Find out more: http://www.abta.com