Achadinha is a typical Madeiran house, built with local basaltic stones, with two stories, away from it all. It is a simple and genuine haven in the mountains, for those looking for a peaceful escape away from the stressful city life, at one step from Madeiran Laurissilva forest (World Heritage by UNESCO), Rabaçal and the famous 25 Fontes and Risco levada walks. We want you to feel confortable, just like at home!
Cottage Achadinha, which has been carefully and eco-friendly restored with love and care by our Family Gouveia, suits the natural environment and is surrounded by gardens. You can feel the smell of the flowers and discover our agricultural land with fruit trees and aromatic herbs. Around the house there are several flowered terraces, where you can see the landscape from different perspectives: a picturesque setting with rural houses and the Atlantic ocean in front.
It is a familiar, romantic and peaceful place. If you like to kick back, to relax, to contemplate breathtaking sunsets and to immerse yourself in a local and typical madeiran experience, Cottage Achadinha is a good option for you!
The house has a kitchen, a living room with a fireplace, two bedrooms and two bathrooms with shower. The master bedroom, on the upper mezzanine level, is quite cosy and unique and can accommodate two persons in a double size bed (1,50m x 2,00m). The construction with local resources, in stone and wood, resembles a rustic stable. The furniture & decor were though with some old details that have been passed down from generation to generation. The creativity of combining all these relics into a harmonious composition makes the cottage even more special - where magic seems to happen!
A barbecue area, at the top of the garden, contributes to make the outdoor space even more pleasant and livable. In this area you will find table and chairs, so you can enjoy some meals outside!
Hello, we're Família Gouveia! A Madeiran family in love with its island, local traditions and nature.
Some years ago we were looking for a calm location to spend weekends & holidays in the countryside. We found Calhau Grande in Arco da Calheta: a wild place with big rocks, terraces and superb ocean views over the ocean. We immediately felt in love and decided to restore the ruins, step by step, to create our shelter. It later became our family-run tourism project.
In 2004, we started our journey welcoming guests & friends. When we re-think travelling Madeira, we aim to offer the most authentic way of living our beautiful island. After some years of experience running rural tourism units, we decided to look for a retreat on the mountains. That’s when we found Achadinha. We have already spent some pleasant moments with our family here and we will be happy to share it with you! You are warmly invited to live this experience with us!
Achadinha is located in the mountains of Arco da Calheta (Florenças), in the border line between the urban area and the protected zone of Laurissilva forest. Actually, the house is one of the last constructions on this frontier. By staying here, you will be able to walk and explore the Madeira forest. The cottage is really close to the hike Levada Nova (it can be reached within walking distance).
While it looks like Spring all year round in Arco da Calheta, as Achadinha is located almost 700m high from the ocean level, the temperature can drop a little and the clouds can come to say hello, especially in winter and at dawn/dusk. The area where Achadinha is inserted (Arco da Calheta) is a friendly and quiet village, bay-shaped and facing the ocean, on the Western area of Madeira. You may expect to find a typical and picturesque village surrounded by green areas.
Having a car will allow you to explore the island to its full potential, wherever you want, at any time. Achadinha is around 20 minutes by car from the top of Calheta mountains (Paúl da Serra) with its breathtaking natural landscapes and Levada walks. You can reach the ocean level and the beach within 10min driving. Funchal is 35km away. You can easily find in Arco da Calheta and Loreto restaurants, supermarket, local mini-markets and snack-bars.
When traveling to Madeira Island, you may expect to discover: local traditions, beautiful walks with spectacular scenarios, the Laurissilva Forest classified as World Heritage by UNESCO, great variety of regional dishes and wines, unmissable touristic events and amazing adventures. We are waiting for you to share all the wonderful places and tips on our island. Here you will find a good adventure for each day.
Languages spoken: English,Spanish,French,Portuguese