Relive the magic: A round-up of our 2023 Madeira Adventure
Our first Madeira Adventure was an experience to remember! We had an absolute blast exploring this volcanic island in the middle of the ocean together. To make it even more special, we had our new event manager Leila Fitt as co-host. Here’s her behind-the-scenes account of the trip highlights.
Tuesday
We arrived on Tuesday to gale force winds, which was initially a bit of a worry, but (thanks to the ever-changing Madeiran weather) the skies soon cleared up and we had beautiful sunshine!
We picked up our guests from the airport and took them for lunch on a clifftop restaurant at Ponta do Sol. We then drove to Casas da Levada to settle in. In the evening before dinner we went for a lovely coastal walk.
Wednesday
On Wednesday we were up early. We packed and prepped for our hike from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. It was a total of 6 hours hiking in beautiful settings with a short stop for a picnic lunch prepared by our chef. We reached the summit of 1,861m and it was a huge accomplishment for everyone.
This was my favourite day and our guest Amy’s too. She said, "This is my favourite day ever!"
Thursday
On Thursday we headed to a Crossfit class at Naval Box for some weightlifting work and a partner workout. The coach helped our beginners settle in and everyone to feel at home.
After a quick shower, we headed to Camara de Lobos for lunch at Vila do Peixe and paddle boarding in the cove. The weather was perfect and the whole team managed to challenge themselves and stand up and travel far out to sea.
We had dinner back home al fresco and watched the sunset, it was incredible.
This was definitely my favourite dinner of all – our chef prepared cauliflower and asparagus cream soup for a starter, and chicken leg, pesto risotto and roasted veggies for the main. It was delicious! It was made even better by the beautiful view of the sunset over the ocean.
Friday
On Friday we headed back to Crossfit Naval Box for a second class, this time it was a sweaty ‘every minute on the minute’ (EMOM) workout with assault bike calories, front squats, pull-ups and wall walks. Don't be fooled, as a beginner, I did everything, but the calories I scaled!
In the afternoon we went to Seixal for lunch followed by a visit to the volcanic sand beach and a dip in the natural pools. Despite the weather being relatively hot, the water was chilly, but this was a great opportunity for my body to recover after a few days of hard work.
This was my second favourite day, I think this beach in Seixal is one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen, you feel like you are in South America! Also, I have never been to a natural pool so it was the first time for me!
Saturday
Saturday (our final day together, *sigh*) we went back to Crossfit Naval for the last time and the team took on a partner workout which included dumbbell snatches, lunges, cleans and calories on the bike or rower.
After a freshen-up, we went to Porto Moniz for a beautiful lunch overlooking the ocean. I had codfish, which was delicious! Finally, we went to the natural pools and watched the waves come in. This was quite the experience as we were all completely oblivious to the ‘yellow’ weather warning and sat watching it all unfold before getting hit by a massive wave! Luckily no one was hurt, we all saw the funny side and lived to tell the tale!
Our final dinner was back at Casas da Levada where we had tuna for a starter, traditional Madeiran Espetada (beef skewers) on the barbeque and passionfruit pudding for dessert. We also had a toast with some poncha (local drink) to celebrate an incredible holiday with new friends.
This was my favourite evening as a group because we all let our hair down, played some games and reminisced over the last 5 days.
Sunday
On Sunday we woke up leisurely, had breakfast, then slowly said our goodbyes and made our way to the airport for our lunchtime flights.
What an epic six days it was! Thank you to everyone for making it such a success!
We hope to see you on our next Madeira adventure!
♡ Leila @ Team MLA