Ecotrail Funchal-Madeira Island

All aboard for Madeira with Finishers Airlines: we check in, we grab our clicks and clacks, and hasta la vista 🛫 ! Off to the homeland of a global football star, and one you’ve no doubt heard of: Cristiano Ronaldo ⚽️! Know that even the airport is named after him, so if you’re more of a fan of Lionel Messi, try not to show it too much... 😅 Don’t worry, we’ll park the football talk and get back to our shallots (and yes, no onions in Madeira sauce) !

The Madeira archipelago lies to the southwest of Portugal 🇵🇹, not far from the Morocco and the Canary Islands. Of volcanic origin, the island is quite lush and offers remarkable landscapes. If you’re visiting, you might as well do it on the run! We’ve found the perfect combo: taking part in the Ecotrail Funchal-Madeira Island which takes place in October, to discover this natural paradise 🍃. Inscribed on the international calendar of Ecotrail events, it’s an event that's becoming a must on this little piece of land in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. 🌊

Between mountains, sea and green corners, one thing’s for sure: you’ll be utterly transported. And you get to choose your Portuguese excursion format: 15 km, 30 km, 45 km or even 85 km! Either way, small or large, it's a treat for the legs, and above all the eyes! Starting from Funchal, the island’s capital, get ready to alternate demanding climbs and technical descents right from the start of your journey. It’s the warm-up you expect—no panic, we believe in you! Mother Nature will look after you and be omnipresent: across all routes, with 80 to 90 % of the paths are almost exclusively natural environments 🍀. A real chance to reconnect with the earth’s most beautiful offerings, and Madeira’s setting won’t prove otherwise. 🤩

With a multitude of climbs and descents on the program, count on you to shine as a top-notch climber and descender. First and foremost, manage your pace to avoid ending up on the ground—the rest of the event is too enticing to miss! Santo António Spurs won’t let you use your basketball instincts 🏀, but you’ll set off in the right direction toward the typical irrigation channels of the area. To refresh yourself, these will come in handy, including the levada do Curral e Castelejo, levada dos Piornais or levada da Negra. A sequence of technical plots, tight corners and narrow trails will put you to the test. So stay focused 👀! And if your head isn’t too stuck in your shoes, enjoy the breathtaking view of Funchal with its abundant gardens and parks : it’s all green and gorgeous! 😍

After the “cooling break,” the adventure continues along the Funchal seafront with views of the sumptuous panoramic jardins do Lido ⛲️. The final portion of your challenge will run along the coastline before you tackle the last push down the Avenida do Infante and you return to the city’s hotel district. You’ll be cheered by the crowd as you arrive at the central pier of the Avenida Arriaga as Cristiano Ronaldo comes home to his homeland: savor this moment of glory! 🥳

Want to push a bit more? Head to the Monte Palace Gardens for post-race, a must-visit here, with a few minutes to ride the cable car (watching the city’s many banana plants! 🍌) and catch your breath. You’ll regain a bit of altitude freshness and you’ll notice these gardens resemble Asian gardens: pure eye candy and a great way to reset since they’re on a slope. Portuguese archipelago cuisine is worth a detour too: banana swordfish fillets, tomato and onion soup 🍅 or maize-fried tuna steak will be there to fill you up. And you’ll have deserved it!

In short, you’ve guessed it, but when Madeira is on running, there aren’t two alike...