Your private guide in Madeira
Ana-Maria Efta
RNAAT n.º 970/2024
I didn't plan to move to Madeira. It just became impossible not to.
My name is Ana-Maria and I'm from Bucharest, Romania. Before Madeira, my life looked like most people's lives — a 9-to-6 job, every day a small negotiation for a bit of free time. I was good at my work, but I'd started to identify so completely with it that I felt exhausted in a way that rest alone couldn't fix.
Our first visit to the island was in July 2021. One week. On the way back to the airport, I cried — properly — and couldn't quite explain it. I told myself: "You're making a huge fuss. Feeling sad after a holiday is perfectly normal."
But it didn't stop. We booked again for September — two months that time. Still not enough. Then March 2022, our third visit. Friends started joking that we had a fixation. They weren't entirely wrong.
It was during that third stay, sitting by the pool one afternoon, that it happened. I turned to my partner and said, half-jokingly: "Let's stay here." He didn't laugh. He opened his laptop and started searching for long-term rentals.
By mid-April we were back in Bucharest, wrapping things up. On the 1st of May, we were here — starting over, building something real.
Funchal Tours grew out of that. I know this island not as a tourist who visits, but as someone who chose it, moved here, and has spent years learning its roads, its weather, its hidden corners and its best lunch spots. When you tour with me, you're not following a script — you're seeing Madeira through someone who genuinely loves it.
PS: The only important thing to keep in mind when planning your first trip to Madeira is the possibility of not wanting to go back.
What this means for you
Why tour with Ana-Maria
Attention to Details
Logistics, timing, stops — I handle every detail so you arrive at each moment free of stress and ready to enjoy it.
Personal Experience
I plan each tour around your interests — levada walks, wine tastings, mountain sunrises. Tell me what matters to you, and I'll have a tailored itinerary ready within 7 days.
Always Here for You
Questions before you arrive, a last-minute change on the day — I'm reachable throughout your stay. One person, one point of contact, no call centres.
Flexible Timing
Want to linger at a viewpoint or swap a stop on the fly? Everything goes at your pace. I also know when to visit popular spots to avoid the crowds.
Ease and Comfort
Small, private, intimate. None of the rigid schedules or rushed timelines of a group tour — just you and the island, at a human pace.
Safety First, Fun Always
I monitor the weather and adjust plans if needed. Madeira's terrain can be steep and unpredictable — you focus on the views, I'll handle the rest.
No Driving Stress
Madeira's roads are steep, narrow, and beautiful — best enjoyed as a passenger. Leave the navigation and parking to me and just take it all in.
Ready to explore Madeira your way?
Tell me when you're arriving, what you'd love to see, and I'll take it from there.