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Planning your trip to Funchal. Dont forget to pack your walking shoes for the amazing walking festival held at Madeira. Funchal makes a great place for a holiday all through the year, being a region with sub tropical weather. The Walking Festival held every year in January presents a great opportunity to enjoy the scenic beauty of Madeira in the most natural way possible, that is, by simply walking along the natures trail. Started by writer photographer, Terry Marsh, the festival has become quite popular, attracting several visitors from Europe as well as other parts of the world. The main airport being at Funchal, the only way to reach Madeira is by catching a flight to Funchal. There are several airlines offering their services to Funchal, both through major international airports and via different European cities.

Fun and adventure is what defines the walking festival the best. The paths designated for the walk are a crisscross of streams, trails and cobbled roads built in 1815 by a Royal Decree. These roads link all the nearby villages, giving you an opportunity to see the local life of Madeira along the way. The event extends to five days covering more than 20 amazing natural trails, with 4 walks organized per day. Both weather and beauty of the place makes it worth the effort put in walking, as you encounter cliffs on one side and forests on the other.

Those coming here with their children need not worry, as the festival is organized for all types of people. The trails are divided as per level of difficulty, where families are taken along more easier and safer paths. Those here for some leisure can look forward to simpler routes, while those interested in some adventure can opt for more difficult paths. The event also involves guided tours by guides having experience of walking on these trails and thorough knowledge of dangers of every route you navigate.

The paths may vary depending on the weather conditions during the festival. For instance, in case it rains some paths may be omitted due to safety concerns. However, during normal weathers, the walk is quite safe. Though all the paths have been surveyed and verified by the Regional Forest Bureau, the level of difficulty you want to pursue must be decided by you in conjunction with your tour guide. You can also check the Madeira tourism website for more information on walking trails and their current status.