Our History.
Welcome to Jaca!
From the desire to share the joy and spirit of adventure that characterizes the owners, Jaca Hostel was born in 2018.
Joaquina will welcome and treat you like a long-time friend. Bubbly and energetic, she has a hard time sitting still for too long, so don't be surprised if she jumps between conversations or asks for a bite of whatever you're eating! Tomé: smiling, generous, and calm, he has a memorable laugh. He always has a hug and a beer to share. Together, they are the heart and soul of Jaca.
After setting off on their adventure, they decided that the best way to perpetuate the feeling of making new friends while traveling would be to open a space to welcome people, similar to so many they had met all over the world.
This tiny crab—yes, that's what Jaca means!—has been, since its foundation, an essential driving force behind the creation of an important community in the charming village of Porto da Cruz, and is now one of the village's icons.
Much more than "just" a hostel, it is defined more as "a home away from home."
Travelers converge there, but so do locals, attracted by the good energy, legendary events, and the monumental and eclectic list of friends of Joaquina and Tomé.
After two years in the north of the island, Jaca Funchal was born in the center of the capital of Madeira. Despite its urban sensibility, it maintains the personality of its owners and Jaca Porto da Cruz, being a place where visitors and the city's creative community gravitate.
Meet the team
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Joaquina
Co-Founder and Problem Solver
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Tomé
Founder and Beer maker
More than twenty years ago, two close friends shared a simple dream—to one day start their own brewery. Over the years, life took them down different paths, but that shared passion for good beer never faded. On the contrary, their distinct careers ended up providing the perfect foundation for turning that dream into reality. One became a lawyer, bringing business acumen and structure, while the other became a master brewer, mastering the art and science of beer production.
As time went on, everything naturally began to fall into place. Their partners seemed to have been chosen for this very purpose and completed the story perfectly—one of them a talented brewer as well, the other a creative mind. Together, they created not just a company, but a brewery built on friendship, passion, and authenticity. That vision later became Levadia Brewery—a craft brewery inspired by Madeira, its nature, and its honest, natural spirit.
The brewery is based on a simple principle: beer should be authentic. No artificial additives, no unnecessary shortcuts—just authentic craft beer, brewed with carefully selected natural ingredients. Each batch is brewed with pure Madeira water, shaped by the island’s unique natural environment and responsible for the beer’s fresh character.
Levadia Brewery remains committed to traditional craftsmanship and authentic beer production, believing that an exceptional beer can only be created through patience, precision, and respect for the ingredients.
Everything is produced in a small brewhouse, in 300-liter batches, allowing the team to keep the entire process completely natural and under full manual control. From the first grain to the final beer in the glass, each step is carefully carried out by hand, with attention to detail, precision, and respect for traditional craft brewing methods. This small-batch approach ensures the authentic character and personal touch present in every beer.
For now, Levadia Brewery offers three signature beers, each with its own personality and style: LAGERtixa, Wai-se? Weiss, and NEIPAz.
Levadia Brewery is more than just a place where beer is made. It embodies friendship, craftsmanship, creativity, and genuine spirit.
