Botany course with an ocean view at Reid's Palace

And if at Quinta do Santo da Serra one can spend a whole day getting lost among the plants and flowers and at Quinta da Boa Vista there is perhaps the largest collection of orchids in the world, some of them endangered, the flower theme is declined in all its aspects at the Belmond mansion at Reid's Palace, where even just strolling through the garden is an enchantment. Equipped with a botanical guide, everyone has access to the guided walk through the subtropical gardens that the hotel organises twice a week and which offers an overview of the island's lush native flora. Guided by an expert horticulturist, you receive advice on how to recreate your own corner of paradise at home. The oldest hotel on the island, perched atop the cliffs of Funchal, with panoramic views of the harbour and the Atlantic Ocean, houses 4 hectares of lush gardens with almost 400 different plant species from around the world. The hotel enhances its outdoor spaces throughout the year with engaging activities. In addition to weekly garden tours, there are workshops dedicated to flowers, picnics under the palm trees and a delicious menu inspired by the Michelin-starred restaurant William. Built 130 years ago to give guests areas of absolute privacy and relaxation, it has retained its superb and refined beauty, surrounded by colourful tropical flora, with palm trees, banana trees, black sterlizias and the incredible Aristolochia Gigantea. With the scent of flowers still in your nostrils, you can end the botanical experience with an aftenoon tea, a true hotel tradition, also accessible to those not staying at the hotel, served on the balcony overlooking the Atlantic.