About
Written by someone who lives here
Turns & Tales is made in Madeira by Rides on Clouds, a small company that plans and guides days on the island for visitors.
Who writes the drives
Ana-Maria came to Madeira for a week in July 2021. The next visit lasted two months, and the one after that ended with a decision to stay. She has lived here since May 2022.
Since then she has planned and guided days on the island for visitors. The first drive in the app follows the same route as her own guided day through the centre of the island: Pico dos Barcelos, the Nuns' Valley, and sunset at Pico do Arieiro.
What goes into a drive
Three things, in roughly this order.
- What you're looking at. Often it isn't what people assume. The valley below Eira do Serrado looks like a crater. It isn't; it was made by water.
- The honest part. If a place is busy, we say so, and we say where to walk to get away from the crowd.
- The practical part. Where to park, how long the walk really is, and when to bring a jacket even if you don't think you need one.
“The only important thing to keep in mind when planning your first trip to Madeira is the possibility of not wanting to go back.”