Ewelina Podrez-Siama

Madeira Planner is the English edition of madera-online.pl, the Madeira guide I write in Polish. In Polish Google it has become one of the three most visible websites devoted to the island (Senuto, October 2026), and when all of Madeira’s trails were closed in March 2026, Dzień Dobry TVN and Wprost quoted my updates.

Travellers from other countries ask exactly the same questions: is the trail open today, will the wind let the plane land, where should I stay and what is worth booking? So the next step felt natural: the same checked information and the same live tools, now in English, with prices in euros and partner links that work wherever you book from.

The rules haven’t changed. I write about what I’ve seen myself, check facts at the source and give dates. If something has changed since my last check, let me know.

• 

  Landing in Funchal

  When we land in Funchal I always sit by the window. I love this landing, although on my first flight my Mum was rather less thrilled. I fly from Katowice, usually with Enter Air.

• 

  Monte Palace · 6+ visits

  I’ve been to Monte Palace at least six times – I’m a big fan. I took the cable car from Monte to the Botanical Garden. I rode the Monte toboggan once: it was fun, but once is enough.

• 

  Ponta de São Lourenço · November 2023

  I went out to Ponta de São Lourenço by jeep and was surprised how steep and hot it was there – and this was November.

• 

  Catamaran trip · November 2023

  From the deck of a catamaran sailing out of Funchal I saw dolphins (Madeira in November).

• 

  Pico do Arieiro · March 2025

  I went up Pico do Arieiro for sunrise in March in a light jacket. At the summit it was −1°C and the first snowflakes were falling, so I appreciated every extra layer.

• 

  The west of the island by jeep · February 2026

  In February 2026 I toured the west of the island by jeep: Fanal forest in full sunshine, the black beach in Seixal, where I only dipped my feet, and lunch at a little restaurant with its own patch of laurel forest.

• 

  Carnival in Funchal · 2025 and 2026

  I watched the Carnival parade in Funchal with Tesla in 2025, and in 2026 I saw the Carnaval Solidário and the children’s parade.

• 

  Porto da Cruz

  The steam-powered rum distillery in Porto da Cruz really impressed me, even though I got there at the same time as crowds of tourists.

• For my next trips

  On my list for future trips: Porto Santo, Porto Moniz and the glass skywalk at Cabo Girão. I haven’t been there yet, and I say so in my guides.

1. 1

   I’ve been there

   I know most places from my own trips. Where I haven’t been yet, I say so plainly.

2. 2

   I check at the source

   Prices, bus timetables and rules, e.g. trail tickets: the IFCN list, SIGA and Horários do Funchal timetables, regulations in the region’s official journal and the venues’ own websites.

3. 3

   I give sources and dates

   Under my guides I list the sources and the date I checked them.

4. 4

   The photos are mine

   They’re captioned “Photo: Ewelina Podrez-Siama”. When a photo was taken by my parents or comes from Unsplash or a stock library (because I didn’t manage to capture everything), I say so in the caption.

Spotted something out of date? Write to me using the form at the bottom of the page.