Europe Small Group Trips

Hi Explore, I think I counted that was my 21st Explore holiday. The hotel was in a great location near No 48 bus to Monte and 1 and 2 buses to Funchal. Also near the Lido and a supermarket. The only problem I found with the hotel is that you could not turn the air conditioning off at all - it was set so that it came on periodically during the night to refresh the room which woke me up with cold blasts. I had to put the two blankets on my bed. Also, I found the mattress too hard. Apart from that the staff were friendly and helpful. Philip our guide was great, a bit more info about loos when we stopped would have been helpful. I could not always hear him when standing with the group, his voice did not carry and you had to be very close to him to hear what he had to say, probably also something to do with my hearing maybe! I would have loved to have had more time to visit the orchid garden at Boa Vista near to the Botanical gardens but time ran out. It is only open on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday according to the hotel.

This trip was nothing short of transformative. I have not travelled much in my life, at least not trips like this one, but nothing could have prepared me for how deeply this experience would impact me. From the first morning waking up in Bomerano, sometimes literally inside the clouds, I felt a new kind of aliveness I had never felt before. Every direction I looked was breathtaking, and every day left me feeling inspired, connected and genuinely grateful. What started as a simple hiking holiday quickly became something life changing, and our group bonded in a way that lifted my spirit more than I ever expected. It truly felt like stepping into a dream I never wanted to end. Every hike, every day, offered another reason to fall in love with life again. Grazie assai, Agerola. Dentro le tue nuvole ho ritrovato il respiro, e nei tuoi sentieri ho imparato a vivere il momento. Non sognarlo soltanto: vivilo.

Great trip, ticked all the right boxes. Especially glad of the tour leader Ester Galindo, very knowledgeable and professional, adapting to changing circumstances to keep everyone happy and a great laugh as well

We have had this trip on our radar for a few years but had been put off by poor reviews of both the leader & some of the hotels but we decided to take the plunge & finally book it & we were so glad that we did! We were blessed with having a great group who bonded well together & having Paulo as our leader which made for a fantastic holiday! The walks were all different, from rugged coastal walks to Levadas & magical forests which gave us a true taste of Madeira. Paulo took us to local villages to experience the culture & learn about the history of the island. The hotels were all different in style;- The Dom Pedro is very dated & despite paying for an upgrade, our room was not very nice! The Pestana Casino Studios we liked for their quirky decoration & big rooms although others in our group found them too noisy! For us, the Aqua Natura Hotel was amazing from the fantastic oceon views, the natural salt water pools & lovely food! We felt that the whole holiday was well planned, taken at a relaxed place & tailored to everybodies needs; the trip exceeded our expectations!

Felepe was our tour leader. He was friendly, organized, always on task, very patient, and very knowledgeable about Madeira. He had a very strong passion for his country and the people. He taught us many things about the culture and ways of living in Madeira. It was a very enjoyable week

It was enjoyable trip, covering different parts of the island. There was time on some days for a paddle or swim, and always a cafe at the end of the walk!! The transport was excellent and always prompt. There was a pool at the hotel, so odd times early return to hotel allowed for a dip. The kitchen arrangement in each bedroom with a fridge made it convenient for making hot drinks and lunches. The leader was excellent and very aware of each person when on rough terrain.