Highlight of your trip: Pico Ruivo<\/h2> \t\t

The ascent of Pico Ruivo<\/strong>, the highest peak in Madeira (1,862 m), is undoubtedly a highlight of your hike. From here, you overlook almost the entire island \u2013 on clear days, you can even see all the way to Porto Santo<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

The sparse vegetation at the summit contrasts fascinatingly with the rich plant diversity you discovered in the botanical garden. Here, only the hardiest species survive, adapted to the wind, cold, and intense sunlight. An impressive example of nature's adaptability.<\/p>\n

Passing through the traditional houses of Santana<\/strong> with their characteristic thatched roofs, you continue towards the north coast. Porto da Cruz<\/strong> greets you with wild cliffs and the choppy Atlantic \u2013 a completely different landscape from the sheltered south coast near Funchal.<\/p>\n

The last day of hiking takes you via the easternmost point of the island, the S\u00e3o Louren\u00e7o Peninsula<\/strong>, to Machico. This is where your trek on Madeira comes to an end \u2013 a perfect conclusion to your journey across the island.<\/p>\n

After this intense experience in nature, you have various options: you can extend your stay in Madeira and relax for a few more days, or explore further. Many of our hikers choose to spend a few extra days in Funchal after the tour. A second visit to the botanical garden then becomes a very special experience: you now recognize many plants, have seen their natural habitats, and understand the ecological connections much better. Exotic plants are no longer just beautiful photographic subjects, but ambassadors of their respective ecosystems \u2013 and you have become an expert on Madeira's flora.<\/p><\/div>\n\t <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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The perfect season for the botanical garden in Funchal and hiking in Madeira.<\/h2> \t\t

Thanks to Madeira's mild climate, the botanical garden in Funchal is a destination worth visiting all year round. However, the best time for a visit combined with extensive hikes is in spring<\/strong> (March to June) and autumn<\/strong> (September to November).<\/p>\n

In spring, the garden literally bursts into a sea of colors<\/strong>. The temperatures are pleasant for hiking, and the paths in the countryside are still lush green after the winter rains. A particular highlight is the blooming of the jacarandas in May, which transforms all of Funchal into a purple sea.<\/p>\n

Autumn also offers ideal conditions: the summer heat has passed, the paths are dry and well-maintained, and you can even still take a dip in the Atlantic if you head back to the coast after your hike. In the botanical garden, other plant species are now in bloom, and the bright atmospheres of early autumn are a dream for photographers.<\/p>\n

The winter months can be surprisingly mild, although you should expect rain and sometimes slippery paths in the highlands. The botanical garden is less colorful then but still green and full of life.<\/p>\n

High summer (July\/August) does bring reliable sunny weather, but it can be too hot for extensive hikes\u2014especially on exposed slopes and peaks. If you do travel during this time, we recommend early starts and good planning of shaded areas for the lunch break.<\/p><\/div>\n\t <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":144,"featured_media":1496,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1493","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mat.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1493","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mat.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mat.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mat.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/144"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mat.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1493"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/mat.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1493\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1574,"href":"https:\/\/mat.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1493\/revisions\/1574"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mat.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1496"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mat.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1493"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}