About Around Madeira

Some places you visit leave a postcard memory and fade. Others reach into your soul and rewrite your story. For me, Madeira is the latter—a dream that became an adventure, an adventure that became a life, and a place that became home. This isn’t just about rugged cliffs, winding levadas, or the endless Atlantic horizon. It’s about the people who welcomed me, the stories they shared, and the quiet moments that made this island home.

2018

A Dream on the Horizon

Long before I packed a bag, Madeira lived in my imagination. I’d lose hours scrolling through photos—lush green peaks piercing the clouds, golden sunsets over Funchal, flower-draped streets that seemed too perfect to be real. Could the air really taste of salt and forest, the colors glow like that? I didn’t know then that reality would outshine every pixel I’d ever seen.

2021

The First Solo Adventure

One rainy afternoon, tired of waiting for the “perfect moment”, I booked a solo trip to Madeira—no itinerary, no expectations, just a gut feeling and a plane ticket. 

The warm breeze hit me first, then the sight of mountains tumbling into the sea, and the sound—a hum of life, from barking dogs in villages to waves crashing below cliffs. That first trip wasn’t the end—it was the beginning.

2021

A Chance to Live and Study in Madeira

Fate works in unexpected ways. During that first visit, a casual conversation over coffee led me to discover an Erasmus exchange program in Madeira. I loved the idea, but I never thought it could actually happen—I had missed the application deadline by a long shot. Still, on a whim, I applied anyway. And somehow, against all odds, it worked out. Soon, I found myself packing my bags for a semester abroad. 

What was meant to be a semester turned into a year—and changed everything. That year gave me more than I could have imagined—not just breathtaking landscapes and new experiences, but a sense of belonging.

2022

When Leaving Wasn’t an Option

And then there was him: my partner, a Madeiran born and bred. We met by chance, bonded over hikes and shared dreams, and suddenly, Madeira wasn’t just a place I was visiting—it was a place I couldn’t imagine leaving.

I fell in love with more than just the island—I fell in love with the life it offered. Saying goodbye was never really an option. I knew I had to come back.

2023

Around Madeira is Born

Returning to Madeira, I wanted to do more than just explore—I wanted to help others experience it the way I did. I’d seen too much, felt too much, to let it stay a private love affair, so I started scribbling notes, mapping trails, collecting stories, dreaming of a way to share the island’s heartbeat. That’s how Around Madeira came to life. But while it may be my project, I could never have done it alone.

A Team Effort, Fueled by Love & Friendship

Behind every tip, every recommendation, and every hidden gem I share, there’s a team—my partner, his family, and our incredible friends who constantly bombard me with local secrets and insights. Around Madeira may have one founder, but its heart belongs to everyone who helped me turn this dream into reality.

Home, Now and Always

Madeira isn’t just where I’ve hung my hat or planted my roots—it’s where I’ve found myself. It’s the morning mist over the mountains, the stillness of a village at dawn, the feeling of standing on a cliff and knowing there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. If you give it a chance—if you let me show you its wonders—it might just carve a place in your heart too.