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Featuring year-round balmy weather and a trademark fortified wine, the Portuguese island of Madeira also boasts a lushness that earned its label as the “Floating Garden of the Atlantic.” During your stay in the lovely capital of Funchal, you’ll enjoy a half-day city tour and immersion into local island life. Peruse the covered market at the edge of the Old Town and visit a traditional wine cellar to savor the island’s titular Madeira wine. Raise a glass to this oceanic outpost — the perfect complement to your cruise across the mainland!
Depart home
An overnight flight takes you to Madeira, Portugal, today.
Arrive in Madeira and settle in
Arrive in Madeira. If you purchased your airfare from Vantage, our representative will meet you at the airport and assist you with your hotel transfer. Settle into your hotel before a Welcome Briefing, where you’ll meet other travelers joining you for enriching discoveries. Dinner is on your own tonight.
Tour Madeira’s marketplace and Old Town
Set out this morning for a half-day city tour. Browse the fragrant stands of the marketplace brimming with produce carted in from all over the fertile island and stroll the cobbled lanes of the Old Town. Then ascend to the town of Monte, 1,800 feet above the sea. Splendid views greet you from here, but you might thrill more to the mode of transport you’ll use to return to Funchal: a traditional two-seater wicker toboggan or “basket sled.” A pair of pilots — skilled and expert carreiros — guide you downhill for the steep mile-long journey. Back in the city, head to one of Madeira's oldest wine cellars for a tasting, before enjoying the rest of your afternoon at leisure. This evening, you'll join fellow travelers for an evening out at a traditional Maderian restaurant, enjoying food, wine, and folklore.
Included meals:
Explore Madeira on your own
Today, craft your own itinerary with a day at leisure.
Fly to Lisbon and join the base program
This morning, enjoy breakfast at your hotel before flying to Lisbon, where you’ll meet other travelers on your base tour.
In addition to its famous museums, bustling streets dotted with all kinds of shops, restaurants featuring world-class cuisine and traditional specialties; and unbeatable nightlife, Madrid will surprise you with its tranquil historic spots that charm everyone walking by. Immerse yourself in the culture of this lively, Iberian city during your optional pre-trip extension.
Your Price Includes:
All transfers and baggage handling (where permitted) All transfers and baggage handling (where permitted)All transfers and baggage handling (where permitted)
Fly to Madrid
Following breakfast this morning, you will check out of your hotel and board a high-speed train to Madrid. Upon arrival, you will enjoy a panoramic tour of Madrid on the way to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at your leisure with lunch and dinner on your own.
Included Feature:
Enjoy a taste of Spain today
Following breakfast at the hotel, you will head out on a panoramic tour of Madrid. In addition to its renowned museums, Madrid is also well-regarded for its impressive historic architecture and respected cultural scene. You’ll be able to walk around the city center and savor tasty tapas at the Central Market. Enjoy lunch on your own before continuing your discoveries with a guided tour of the Prado Museum, hosting one of the finest museum collections in the world.
Included Features:
Cultural Discoveries:
Madrid at your leisure
Craft your own itinerary today with a day at leisure to do as you wish. Head back to the Prado Museum to see more of its extensive collection, or visit the Reina Sofía National Art Centre to see Pablo Picasso’s masterpiece, Guernica. When hunger hits, there’s no shortage of places to stop for lunch, from casual tapas at a laid-back castizo to cutting-edge restaurants offering multicourse meals. Dinner tonight will be at your hotel.
Return home today
Following breakfast this morning, you will check out of your hotel and head to the airport to board your return flight home.
