Madeira Flower Festival and Hand Stitching

Today we will depart the hotel for a morning introductory tour of Funchal where you will be able to discover and see the city’s most important places of interest on foot. Included will be a visit to the renowned embroidery museum and the local regional market to appreciate the exotic flowers, tropical fruits, vegetable, fish and local craftwork from the Island of Madeira, and visit a traditional wine lodge. We will also visit the beautiful village of Monte, situated high above Funchal, famed for its beautiful church and wonderful gardens.

Whilst in the village, we will visit Madeira Botanical Gardens which houses more than 2000 exotic flowers and plants from around the globe, some of which are endangered in their countries of origin. You will have the opportunity to take a traditional Toboggan Ride from Monte (Additional cost locally).

After free time for lunch in Funchal, we’ll enjoy a workshop with the ladies at the local embroidery factory. We will return to the hotel late afternoon.

Enjoy a full-day workshop with Mandy Shaw in the hotel.

This morning we will depart the hotel for a full-day island tour, offering a wonderful opportunity to see the surprising contrast between East and West Madeira in one day!

Our tour will include Ribeiro Frio, a natural park with endemic flowers, the village of Santana famous for typical Madeiran houses with thatched roofs, the magnificent north coast with breathtaking views and Porto Moniz near the natural volcanic rock swimming pools.

We will continue to the only vast volcanic plateau on the island, Paul da Serra, before driving back to Funchal passing through lovely fishing villages with banana plantations and vineyards bringing an end to an unforgettable day. We will return to the hotel late afternoon.

Enjoy your morning at leisure with time to explore Funchal, see the amazing Floral Carpets, or visit the Flower Exhibition. You can even take in the Wall of Hope Ceremony, a tradition which has taken place in Madeira for over 30 years. During this ceremony, children walk with flowers in their hands towards Praca do Municipo where they construct a wall of flowers known as the ‘Wall of Hope’ symbolising the call for world peace.

This afternoon, our second workshop with Mandy will take place in the hotel.

Dinner this evening will be at a traditional restaurant, located high above Funchal, where we will be entertained by a local folklore group whilst eating.

This morning is at leisure for you to explore independently or simply relax in the surroundings of your hotel.

The Allegoric Flower Parade is one of the highlights of the Madeira Flower Festival and this afternoon, the streets of Funchal will once again be filled with music, colour and soft perfumes with the amazing parade of floats covered in a sea of flowers, foliage and decoration as well as dancers and musicians dressed in creative and colourful costumes. A grandstand seat is included enabling you to watch this magnificent parade in comfort. The procession will conclude early evening.

Your final, half-day workshop with Mandy will take place in the hotel.

The afternoon is at leisure for you to enjoy some last-minute shopping and sightseeing, or you might like to participate in a scenic Levada Walk.