The next stop is Pico do Areeiro, the third highest peak on the island, with an altitude of 1818m providing fabulous 360 'views of the island. Rock formations can often be seen crossing the clouds, creating breathtaking visuals and photographic opportunities.

Then we proceed to Ribeiro Frio (which means cold river). Ribeiro Frio is a small village located in the heart of the Laurissilva forest. It is the largest surviving area of laurel forest in the world and is believed to be 90% primary forest. In this place classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, we can enjoy a fantastic variety of plants and species in their habitat. We can also observe the interesting trout farm composed (as naturally as possible) by stone enclosures, fresh water from levada, located in a beautiful setting of pure nature.

We continue our tour to Faial where we can see the imposing rock of Penha de Águia, which separates Faial from Porto da Cruz.

With a long stop at the village of Santana, you will have enough time to have lunch and also take the opportunity to see the world famous typical triangular thatched houses of Madeira, painted in cheerful primary colours.

located in the most eastern part of the island, we can observe this magnificent landscape characterised by the fantastic combination of rocks, sea and nature.

Our final stop is the largest city in Machico; the first area of the island that Portuguese navigators found at the time of the discoveries.

The Vale das Freiras Tour begins in the reception area of your hotel, going up to the Picos dos Barcelos where we make a short stop to enjoy one of the best views over Funchal. This viewpoint is at 335m altitude, between Stº António and Stº Martinho. This viewingpoint was recently restructured and nowdays it includes additional green and commercial areas where local crafts and restaurants can be found and also new leisurement facilities.

We then proceed to Vale das Freiras or Curral das Freiras, which is a small village nestled at the foot of a deep basin, surrounded by the rugged peaks of the surrounding mountains. Madeira being a volcanic island, this is considered the mouth of the volcano and hence the fantastic surroundings. Previously accessible only on foot (or by donkey!), Vale das Freiras can now be reached by road, although the village still remains quite isolated.

The village of Vale das Freiras is located in a deep ravine, which was probably caused by one or the other by gradual erosion or volcanic activity. Dating from the 16th century, the settlement was apparently formed in 1566, when nuns arrived from the convent of Santa Clara, in Funchal, in search of refuge, having fled the attacks of pirates. The view from the top of Eira do Serrado is simply breathtaking, as is the road that leads there. We stayed here for about 30 minutes, absorbing the wonderful places that are bestowed on us. Then, we go down to the beautiful village, where we have the chance to enjoy the view from the bottom up.