Winter in Portugal: The Colorful Island Culture of Madeira

After you enroll, we’ll ask you to provide or update your personal information and preferences, which includes your health information, lodging and meal preferences for your program.

A passport is required for this program. It must be valid for at least 6 months after your return date.

This information about travel documents pertains to participants holding U.S. passports. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

United States citizens don’t need a visa for any of the countries you’ll be visiting. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

If Road Scholar is arranging your air travel to and from the program, and you travel on the scheduled start and end dates, you’ll receive free round-trip transfers from the airport to the hotel.

Arrival day is on January 24, 2026

Meet the group at Meliá Madeira Mare Hotel & Spa in Funchal, Madeira Island

Start of Trip:  2:00 p.m. hotel check-in followed by Orientation and Welcome Dinner.

Getting to the site: Airport transfers — from the arrival airport to the first site on the program arrival date are included at no extra cost if you have booked your airfare through Road Scholar. Participants who purchased their airfare through Road Scholar and are arriving EARLY are eligible to join the included airport transfer(s) from the arrival airport on the program arrival date. Participants interested in this option need to notify Road Scholar no later than 30 days prior to departure by calling (800)-454-5768, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. ET.” Funchal is about 13 miles (21 km) from the Madeira International airport. For participants making their own arrangements, the easiest way to get to your program hotel is by taxi. The cost of a taxi is approximately 45 to 50 euro. Don't accept any taxi ride offers from anyone touting for business inside the airport building. Go to the official taxi rank located outside the terminal building.

Your trip ends on: Friday, January 30, 2026 in Funchal, Madeira Island at Meliá Madeira Mare Hotel & Spa

End of Trip: 3:00 a.m. airport transfers begin; 10:30 a.m. after breakfast; 12:00 Noon hotel check-out.

Getting to the airport: Airport transfers from the last site to the departure airport on the program departure date are included at no extra cost if you have booked your airfare through Road Scholar. Participants who purchased their airfare through Road Scholar and are departing LATE are eligible to join the included airport transfer(s) from the last site on the program departure date. Participants interested in this option need to notify Road Scholar no later than 30 days prior to departure by calling (800)-454-5768, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. ET.” For participants making their own arrangements, the easiest way to get to the airport is by taxi. The cost of a taxi is approximately 45 to 50 euro.

Information if you are purchasing your own airfare: Participants who have not purchased airfare through Road Scholar are responsible for making their own transfer arrangements to the first site at the beginning of the program, as well as from the last site at the end of the program. The Information Packet Road Scholar sends in advance of the program includes details needed to make your transfer arrangements. If you wish to purchase airfare through Road Scholar, please call (800) 241-1404. Please note: In the unlikely event Road Scholar must make changes to the program's arrival or departure details, we will notify all participants as soon as possible. Participants who have purchased Road Scholar airfare are protected against airline change fees; however, anyone who has not purchased Road Scholar airfare will be required to make their own adjustments and may incur fees imposed by the airline.