Meet at the group hotel in Funchal. Flight time allowing you can spend the afternoon relaxing at one of the nearby cafes, wandering around the port or the Mercado dos Lavradores or just enjoying the seaviews from the roof terrace.

Food for thought: There is an active coffee culture in Madeira and one of Funchal's small cafes are the perfect place to relax and enjoy your first 'Bica' of the week. A Bica is the Portuguese equivalent of an Espresso, but served in a slightly more generous portion and smoother to the taste. The name 'Bica' is an abbreviation of "Beba Isto Com Acucar" ("drink this with sugar", but this is not obligatory! If you do want to feed your sweet tooth, you might want to enjoy your coffee with a slice of Bolo del Mel or honey cake. this deliciously dark slab of treacle-filled goodness is Madeira's oldest and most moreish dessert.

This morning we begin by visiting the Mercado dos Lavradores, Funchal's busy market. Here we will discover a bewildering array of tropical fruits and flowers, and a heady aromatic mix of herbs, spice and all things nice, hidden behind the stunning Art Deco façade. Afterwards we take a short transfer to the very east end of the island, the peninsula of Sao Lourenco. With sheer cliffs of multi-coloured rock and wave-carved coves, the Peninsula is a dramatically desolate, rocky cape reaching out into the wild Atlantic and a wonderful contrast to the lush green flora so ubiquitous across the rest of the island. We follow a good path, including man made steps, out along the peninsula for some wonderful views out across the gulf. Today we will enjoy a picnic lunch on the black sand Prainha beach, one of the few naturally sandy beaches on Madeira, which is nestled in a small bay. This is also a great place for spotting seabirds like the rare Berthelot's pipit. We then take the road to the north coast, stopping to visit the rum distillery at Porto Da Cruz along the way. Madeira's tropical climate means that sugar cane grows abundantly, nowhere is this better exploited than at this distillery. This could be an excellent place to try our first poncha, a traditional Madeiran punch. In the late afternoon we reach Santana, where we will stay for the next two nights. In Santana we will find some examples of some traditional houses, small triangular structures with thatched roofs that look like they have been lifted straight out of a fairytale. We check into our comfortable hotel, which has a pool and spa facilities.

Food for thought: One of Madeira's biggest exports is the banana, in various varieties. As you wander around the fruit stalls of the Mercado dos Lavradores, you should be sure to sample a traditional Madeira Banana, which are much smaller and sweeter than those commonly found in a British fruit bowl. You should also look out for the much rarer Philodendron Fruit, the fruit of the Swiss Cheese Plant, which looks a bit like a pineapple, but tastes more like a banana.

Today we will walk along one of Madeira's famous levada trails. The levada are a labyrinth of irrigation channels, some dating back to the 16th century, originally designed to take water to remote fields in the island's interior. They now also serve as pathways, providing a unique, and sometimes improbable looking, way of exploring the green volcanic ridges of the island's interior. We first drive to Picos das Pedras where we will begin our hike. We are soon passing through magnificent forest, making it easy to see how the Caldeirao Verde earned its name. As we follow the levada we will pass through a series of small tunnels (head torches at the ready!) and along some short exposed sections, which are protected by a fence. The flora is sublime, the rock faces are decorated with thick moss and a variety of ferns and orchids burst from every nook and cranny. The ancient forest of tree heather and laurel that surrounds us dates back to the origin of the island. We eventually descend to Ilha de São Jorge via a beautiful path, from where we can admire the distant views of the golden sanded island of Porto Santo, another island in the Madeira archipelago. From Ilha Sao Jorge we return by road to our hotel in Santana.

Food for thought: Espetada Maderiense is a delicious local dish, which creatively utilises the abundant laurel you will see growing all over the island and especially on today's walk. For this dish hunks of beef are skewered onto a stem of bay laurel and are roasted over hot coals. Espetada Maderiense is ususally served with Bolo do Caco, Madeira's traditional and omnipresent flat bread, which is at its most delicious when served warm and slathered with a herby garlic butter, or with Milho Frito, delightful golden nuggets of fried polenta which are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

This morning we visit the roof of the island, Pico Ruivo (1862m), from where we should have some outstanding views over the island's high ridges. We first drive to the village of Achada do Teixeira, from where we will have our first panoramic view of the day - this time of the Sao Jorge Valley. Here we pick up the paved path towards Pico Ruivo (1862m), Madeira's highest point. We will reach the summit in under 2hrs. As we walk along all the scenery that surrounds us will be a reminder of the island's immense volcanic history: the green embankments and rocky ridges, old lava flows, collapsing valleys, and past black, ochre and brown rocks. The mists rising from the valleys also add to the atmosphere. We will also witness how plants have adapted to this unique environment, like the succulent houseleeks, gorse and broom. In good weather, we will have superb views out across most of the island from the summit of Pico Ruivo: its peaks, valleys and coast. We return back to Achada do Teixeira where we meet our driver. On our way to Porto Moniz we will stop at Quinta do Furao, a famous wine estate, where we can take a look around the wine cellars, taste a glass of Madeira wine, and learn about the winemaking process. In the afternoon we drive to Porto Moniz on the northwest coast of the island, where we will stay for two nights.

Food for thought: Did you know that the Madeirans first started fortifying their wine to stop it spoiling on long sea voyages? Its unique taste comes from repeatedly heating the wine during the winemaking process; something we will learn all about today! Available in both dry and sweet varieties, the drier wines are usually served chilled as an aperitif, with the sweeter variations best enjoyed at room temperature as a delicious post-dinner digestif.

After breakfast we have some free time to relax or explore Porto Moniz. We can wander the promenade, use the hotel pool, or take a dip in the amazing natural salt water swimming pools which have been formed by the sea out of the volcanic rock. We will meet our guide just before lunch and in the early afternoon we transfer to Rabacal where we join the Levada do Risco, which will lead us to the Risco waterfall and the 25 Spring Lagoon (Lagoa das 25 Fontes), named for the multiple springs that feed it. The waters come down from the mountain marsh (Paul da Serra) high above and seem to mysteriously appear from behind the wall that frames the lagoon. There is a local legend that says that whoever dives into the waters here will never resurface! This is a stunning walk and understandably one of Madeira's most famous, the majority of visitors will choose to make the walk in the morning, so heading here in the afternoon means we'll miss the crowds. We follow the levada, including another section of tunnel, to Garagem where we will meet our transport and transfer back to Porto Moniz.

Food for thought: The fishing village of Paul do Mar is the perfect place to sample one of Madeira's more unusual specialities: Black Scabbard Fish (Espada) with banana and passion fruit sauce. The unusual looking Black Scabbard Fish, which has the look of a ferocious (albeit tiny) prehistoric sea monster, can be found in plentiful numbers in the deep waters that surround Madeira. The islanders like to season the fillets with salt, pepper and garlic, and served them fried and accompanied by bananas fried in breadcrumbs and a cold sauce made from mayonnaise, tobacco, orange juice and passion fruit. An interesting mix of savoury and tropical sweetness that defies description; it has to be tasted to be understood!

We begin today with a transfer to the upper part of Ponta do Sol, a village on the sunny south coast where the production of sugar cane used to be important. We will enjoy a delightful hike on two parallel levadas overlooking the Ribeira da Ponta do Sol valley, between the high plateau and the ocean. We stroll along the Levada dos Moinhos to reach the bottom of the valley, in the middle of green endemic vegetation. We will then climb to the upper Levada Nova, pass behind a waterfall and find an impressive geologic formation. After crossing the tunnel, the views open up to the valley, the sky and the ocean. We descend through banana plantations to the charming village of Ponta do Sol, lying by a pebble beach. It is possible to take a taxi down, a 10 minute journey, (own expense) if the knees are tired. From there, we transfer to the unique village of Jardim do Mar.

Food for thought: Poncha is a delicious alcoholic tipple made by mixing Aguardente de Cana (white rum), honey, sugar and orange/lemon juice. The ingredients are mixed together using a special wooden cocktail muddler called a mexelote or caralhinho ("little cock") and then poured over ice to serve. Historically Poncha was consumed by Madeira's fishermen, before heading out to sea on their trawlers, as a prophylactic against the flu and other sicknesses; we think it is much better sipped slowly whilst sitting in the sunshine at the end of a good day's walk.

We travel up the coast to Funchal, Madeira's bustling capital, named for the abundant wild fennel discovered here by the first settlers. In the morning we will enjoy a guided walking tour of the centre. We then drive up to Monte overlooking the Bay of Funchal, where we can enjoy a picnic lunch of local produce whilst admiring the view. The afternoon is free to explore independently, you can return to the centre of Funchal or visit the impressive Botanical Gardens, higher up on the hillside. Funchal is a lively town and come the evening the streets of the old town take on a party atmosphere, with locals and visitors mingling over good food and a glass or two of Poncha; we can join them as we celebrate the end of our holiday!

The holiday ends after breakfast. A single timed group transfer to the airport is provided.