Build Days — Madeira · September 15

The format

Come with a project, leave with it shipped.

We sit in one room, build and help each other. Bring one project. Something you want to launch, fix or automate. Maybe it's an AI agent, maybe it's that outreach campaign you keep postponing. We each work on our own thing, help each other when someone gets stuck, and at the end of the day everyone shows where they got to.

Work during the day, dinner in the evening.

Why Madeira

We've all been to Lisbon and Porto plenty of times.

Madeira is different: great weather in September, mountains on one side, the ocean on the other for a fresh dip between work sessions. And the island is small, everything is 20 minutes away, no traffic jams, no wasted time.

Getting here is easier than it sounds: direct flights from almost all our cities, and not much further than flying to Lisbon. The flight table is below.

Village on Madeira's north coast with natural lava pools and cliffs — The north coast

Aerial view of Madeira's green valleys meeting the Atlantic — Mountains into the Atlantic

Funchal old town street with jacaranda trees — Funchal

The sunrise hike · optional

Friday starts at altitude.

A private jeep takes us up to Pico do Areeiro, 1,818 meters, with a local guide I know personally. We catch the sunrise above the clouds, then walk the PR1 ridge trail to Pico Ruivo, the highest point of the island. About 3.5 to 4 hours, moderate, with tunnels and stone stairs along the ridge. A driver waits at the other end so nobody walks back.

Not into hiking? Come up for the sunrise and drive back down. Or sleep in and meet us for lunch.

Sunrise over the PR1 trail at Pico do Areeiro, above the clouds — PR1 · sunrise at Pico do Areeiro

Hiker on the narrow ridge section of the PR1 trail — The ridge

Viewpoint above the clouds on the way to Pico Ruivo — Above the clouds

Jeep, guide and pickup come at an extra cost, split between those who join. Exact amount depends on the group size, expect around €75 per person.

The dinners

Two dinners are set. One night stays open.

First build day

Lá ao Fundo, old town. One of the best restaurants on Madeira. The chef, Jaime Cruz, is a friend. Fusion kitchen, Portuguese with African and Indian influences, and we get the table outside by the fort.

Second build day

Carvão, at the harbour. Steakhouse. Aged cuts, open kitchen, good wine list. Long table, proper dinner, end of the event.

Arrival night stays open. The old town is full of restaurants and bars, everything walking distance from the hotel. I'll arrange something for everyone landing before 19:00, some flights come in late.

The schedule

Four days, no filler.

Tue · Sept 15 Arrival
Land, check in, welcome dinner in the old town.
Wed · Sept 16 Build day 1
Breakfast, work from 10:00. Dinner at Lá ao Fundo.
Thu · Sept 17 Build day 2
Second work day. We end with everyone showing what they shipped. Dinner at Carvão.
Fri · Sept 18 The hike
Sunrise at Pico do Areeiro, then the ridge to Pico Ruivo. Back in Funchal early afternoon. Fly out in the evening, or stay a bit longer and I'll show you around the island.

Logistics

Flight → Hotel → done.

Hotel: NEXT by Savoy Signature, Funchal. Rooftop pool and bar for evening chats, a second pool at sea level, 24h gym, spa, and direct sea access for a swim between sessions. 5 minutes' walk to the old town. This is our base for the event: we work, meet and start every day here. €230–270/night. Book your own room directly at hotelnext.pt, that's the cheapest rate.

Second option: Pestana Casino Studios, around the corner from NEXT. Studios with kitchenette and balcony, outdoor pool, and full use of the Pestana Casino Park facilities next door (spa, pools, gym). €188–200/night. Book at booking.com.

Rooftop bar and pool at NEXT, overlooking Funchal and the Atlantic — NEXT · rooftop bar & pool

Sea-level pool at NEXT with ocean views — Sea-level pool

Ocean room with balcony at NEXT — Ocean room

Flights to Funchal (FNC):

From	Direct?	Extra vs Lisbon
London	Daily, several airlines	~55 min
Frankfurt	Daily	~1h05
Zurich	Daily (Edelweiss)	~1h15
Porto	Daily	~50 min
Barcelona	Via Lisbon	~3h (due to layover)

Airport to hotel is a 20 minute taxi.

Bring: laptop, one project, shoes for the hike if you join. Cold at 1,800m before sunrise, warm by ten, so pack a layer.

Confirm your spot

Book your room, drop your dates in the group.

Book your room directly at hotelnext.pt (cheapest rate), or at Pestana Casino Studios. Then throw your arrival dates and landing time in the WhatsApp group. That's your confirmation, nothing else needed.

Book NEXT Hotel Book Pestana Studios

Deadline: June 20. After that I lock the dinners, the jeep and the numbers.

FAQ

Questions → Answers

Can I bring my partner?: The event is DC members only. Madeira is worth a longer trip though, before or after works well.
Do I need to be technical?: No. And it doesn't have to be AI. Always wanted to build that new outreach campaign? Now is the time.
Is the hike mandatory?: No.