Leaving the Hotel through Funchal into private farms.
During this excursion, you will be visiting a banana farm in Funchal and seeing how the farmers look after their land by interacting, learning more about the trade. Small groups and private tour in a private land.
Visit the Banana Business run by the government and learn more about what is done with the bananas once picked from the cutting from the selection to the packing. Private visit.
Banana tasting at the end. (Please note in the winter time we don’t always have ripe bananas.)
Take the old road to another interesting stop, the private agriculture school, where the farmers come to buy their trees to plant. There is also a tour around the school to see international trees planted many years ago and local trees such as avocados and lemon trees. When fruits are in season, guests will be offered a tasting.
During this visit learn more about grafting methods used in the island.
The drive to the northern part of the island where you can see many farms and farmers working. Outside the city in a beautiful Rural countryside, Lunch is served in a cosy house restaurant where the meals are prepared like the locals prepared it at home. From fresh baked home bread, to tapas with local food, main meal choice of fish or meat, fresh vegetables, delicious home made desserts. Drinks are included in this meal as well as coffee.
Stop in Porto da Cruz, sugarcane region, to visit one of Madeiras oldest rum factories and see the steam machines still in use. During the sugarcane season in April to May the machines are operating.
The unknown cattle farm to many has been in this family for over a hundred years, they provide most of its milk for the making of our famous “requeijão” cheese, and see the old milking techniques. Beautiful region with amazing view.
After this visit the drive back to Funchal.