The Best of Madeira | March 26-April 3

Mar 26 | US to Madeira 

Today, board your overnight flight bound for Madeira.

Mar 27 | Arrival Madeira

Welcome to Madeira! Upon arrival you will be met and assisted by a Universal Travel representative. Depending on your arrival time, enjoy a brief panoramic city tour of Funchal, before you check in to your hotel for a relaxing four night stay. The Savoy Palace hotel garners high marks for its cleanliness and exceptional service, with guests lauding the pristine conditions and staff’s dedication. Its prime location is a hit among travelers for easy access to local attractions. Tonight, meet your fellow  travelers for a welcome to Madeira dinner.

Mar 28 | Funchal

After a leisurely breakfast, depart for a city tour of Funchal. During your tour, visit an embroidery factory, where you will be introduced to the secrets of the famous  Madeira embroidery art, passed on from generation to generation. It is one of the unquestionable brand images of Madeira, which dates back to the beginning of its colonization process in the 15th century. Every Portuguese town has a market where people buy their vegetables, fruits, fish and meat, but the island of Madeira has a very big and lively one. It is called the Mercado dos Lavradores and is waiting for you in Funchal’s city center! The market is a hive of activity, noise, color and high-energy, and best place to get in touch with locals customs and culture. Watch the tough fishmongers working their knives through the huge fish or the friendly ladies chatting away while selling their colorful flowers. Next, enjoy an included lunch at a local restaurant. This afternoon, embark on an exhilarating private sightseeing adventure via Tuk Tuk. This three-wheeled, open-air vehicle is certainly one of the most unique transportation methods on the island! Your professional driver will take you on a breathtaking, and relaxing ride up the hills of Funchal. Stop at Pináculo and Garajau and witness stunning            panoramic views of Funchal, the area and the Atlantic Ocean. Return to the hotel, with the remainder of the evening at your leisure.

Overnight: Savoy Palace – Resort & Spa |Funchal           (B,L,D)

Mar 29 |Madeira’s beautiful North and East Coast

This morning, after a leisurely breakfast, travel north through the Poiso Pass into the mountains with views of Pico do Arieiro, the third highest peak on the island. Journey through Ribeiro Frio Natural Park, and admire its green mountains, covered by the dense Laurissilva Forrest, and home to mahogany, laurel and may blossom trees. You arrive into Santana, famous for its triangular-shaped houses with their iconic thatched roofs, it is definitely a must-see attraction on Madeira! Here, you will have the opportunity to create your own Poncha, the  traditional drink from Madeira, followed by an included lunch at a local restaurant, overlooking the dramatic Coastline of Madeira’s Northshore. On your way back you’ll drive past the Eagle Rock Penha de Águia to Porto da Cruz, the  center of sugar cane cultivation. Visit the local sugarcane mill, a testimony to the importance sugarcane had and still has on an economic and cultural level in Madeira. On your short tour, walk the original circuit that goes from the collection of sugar cane, through to the various stages of production and ending in a visit to the Rum House and of course with a tasting! Your journey continues with stops at the Portela and Ponta do Rosto viewpoints, offering a broad view of both the east and north sides of the island of Madeira. Tonight’s dinner is included in the hotels dining room.

Overnight: Savoy Palace – Resort & Spa |Funchal       (B,L,D)

Mar 30 | Free day at the Savoy Palace

Today is the day to enjoy all the amenities of your superior 5-star Hotel Savoy Palace! Relax on your private and well-appointed balcony and enjoying breathtaking ocean views. Visit the Laurea Spa for an unforgettable experience (optional)! Enjoy a massage in one of the 11 treatment rooms, get a pedicure in the Champagne & Nail Bar, relax at either the indoor or outdoor pool. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served at the hotels restaurants.

Overnight: Savoy Palace – Resort & Spa |Funchal       (B,L,D)

Mar 31 |Monte | Fishing Village | Calheta

This morning after checking out of the Savoy Palace, you will visit one of the islands must visit tourist  attractions. Board the Funchal Cable Car, which connects the center of Funchal to the parish of Monte, offering the memorable experience of flying over the city and the mountain within 15 minutes, overcoming a drop of 1840 feet. The cable car starts by offering an aerial view over the urban fabric of the capital of Madeira. Gradually, the landscape becomes dominated by the characteristic green shades of this Atlantic pearl. Once in Monte, you will visit the Church of Nossa Senhora do Monte, where the sarcophagus of the last emperor of Austria – Charles I is located. Discover the tropical Monte Palace tropical Garden, which has a vast collection of exotic plant species and covers an area of 17 acres. Alongside its fauna, the works of art add even more beauty to this space. Next, take a Madeira Toboggan Ride on Traditional Wicker Basket  Sledges. A thrilling and unforgettable 1.25 mile ride, up to 18 mph per hour is guaranteed. Truly a story you’ll want to bring back home! After you made it safe and sound to the finish line, continue your tour by bus to the fishing village Camara de Lobos for an included late lunch. After some free time for shopping in the village you’ll stop at Cabo Girão Skywalk, an attraction that’s certainly not for the faint-hearted. Jutting out of the side of some of the highest cliffs in Europe (1902 feet above sea level), the glass walkway offers incredible views of the Madeira coastline, Funchal and the town of Câmara de Lobos. This evening, you check in to your 5-star hotel for a comfortable three night stay.

Overnight: Savoy Saccarum Resort & Spa       (B,L,D)

Apr 1 |The Beautiful West

This morning you leave the hotel in the direction of Ponta Do Sol, a banana and sugar cane-growing region. Visit the Banana Museum and learn about its history, transport processes, the challenges of the future and its role in nutrition. Your tour concludes with a sampling of banana beer and a banana snack. From here you journey over the Encumeada Pass, home to a 20 million year old living  fossil, the subtropical Laurissilva Rainforest. It covers an area of approximately 37,000 acres, and is therefore considered the largest and best preserved forest of this kind in the world. In 1999, the Laurissilva was officially declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Around midday arrive in the town of Seixal. Here you have free time for lunch, before visiting a winery and sample a local red and white wine. Travel along the wildly romantic north coast including a photo stop at the natural sea swimming pools. Located in the village of Porto Moniz, these special natural pools are among the most famous on the island. From here travel back to your hotel for overnight. Dinner will be served at the hotels dining room.

Overnight: Savoy Saccarum Resort & Spa               (B,D)

Apr 2 | Calheta Leisure Day at the Savoy Saccarum

Today is yours to explore your 5-star resort! The hotels unique location, allows you to overlook the ocean, the nearby marina, and the mountainside. Whether you spend your morning with a book on your spacious and private ocean view balcony, or swim in one of the three pools, or enjoy a Pina Colada at the hotels beach bar, you have an ample of choices how to spend your day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner is included in one of the hotels restaurants.

Overnight: Savoy Palace         (B,L,D)

Apr 3 | Departure

Today after breakfast, you transfer to the Funchal airport and check in for your flight home. Memories of your time on the Island of Madeira will last forever!   (B)

Inclusions:

• Round trip airfare to to Funchal, Madeira
• 4-nights at the Savoy Palace 5-Star Resort & Spa
• 3-nights at the Savoy Saccarum 5-Star Resort & Spa
• 8-Breakfasts, 6-Lunches, 7-Dinners included
• 6-days service of a full size luxury motor coach
• 6-days service of a local step-on guide
• Local beer/wine with all included lunches & dinners
• All sightseeing and admissions as listed on the itinerary: Embroidery Factory, Tuk-Tuk ride, traditional Poncha drink, Sugarcane Mill visit, incl. Rum tasting, Funchal Cable Car, Monte Place Tropical Garden, Toboggan Ride (Sledge), Cabo Girão Skywalk, Banana Museum visit, incl. Banana beer tasting, Winery visit, incl. sampling a Red and White wine
• All resort, service, and government fees and meal gratuities included
• Porterage of one bag per person

(excludes airline baggage fees)

• Service of a Universal Travel representative
• All gratuities for drivers & step-on guides

$850.00 deposit due at reservation

Final payment due Nov 18, 2024, No penalties until Nov 24, 2024

50% non-refundable Nov 25, 2024

100% non-refundable Jan 1, 2025