Funchal Tours & Sightseeing

This full day tour gives you the opportunity to see artisans at work, a town famous for its cottages and to enjoy picture perfect scenery. Visiting Camacha, Pico do Ariero, Ribeiro Frio, Portela and Santana, this tour will be the highlight of any visit to Madeira.

Camacha is a village famous for being the wickerwork center. Visit the factory and see artisans working and perhaps purchase articles from a wide collection available.

Next you'll visit Pico do Arieiro, which is the second highest summit on the island (1,810 meters high) and offers wonderful views. Discover a natural park and take some time to explore a trout hatchery at Ribeiro Frio.

After visiting the beautiful area of Faial, climb up to Santana, a picturesque village where you will find enchanting cottages with pointed thatched roofs which are today known world wide.

Stop for lunch before visiting Portela (670 meters), a place where you can admire the impressive rock formations of the Eagle's Cliff, and part of the north coast, Pico do Facho.

Return to Funchal visiting the historic seaside town of Machico where the discoverers first disembarked in 1420.

Spend a day admiring the picturesque scenery of Madeira. Start today with a beautiful view over Camara de Lobos from Pico da Torre followed by stunning views from Cabo Girao, the second highest sea cliff in the world. Capture the view from Encumeada summit where you can see both sides of the island at the same time. Visiting Paul da Serra, Porto Moniz, Sao Vincente, Cabana Sao Jorge and Santana, this tour will be the highlight of any visit to Madeira. 

Enjoy the view over the typical fishing village Camara de Lobos from Pico da Torre, before continuing to Cabo Girao. This is the second highest sea cliff in the world, 580 meters high. Stop to enjoy the amazing view out to sea.

At Encumeada summit (1,007 meters) both sides of the island (north and south) can be seen at the same time (weather permitting). Your tour continues to Paul da Sarra which is the only plateau of the island at 1,400meters high.

Your next stop is Porto Moniz, a village well known for its volcanic swimming pools, where you can discover one of the most beautiful points of the north coast - a road built on the rocks by the sea where you can admire the astonishing waterfalls.

Visit Sao Vicente, a village famous for being known as 'Court of the North', and discover its characteristic streets, monuments and history. Enjoy a stop for lunch before heading to Cabanas Sao Jorge for it's amazing panoramic views.

After visiting the beautiful area of Faial, climb up to Santana famous for its cottages. On the way back to Funchal you will discover the town of Machico where discoveres first disemabarked in 1420.

Transfers available to:

• Funchal
• Garajau
• Machico
• Canico

Enjoy dinner at a typical Madeiran restaurant where you will be served Espetada and other delicacies of Madeiran cookery. Coffee and wine is included and a folklore group will dance during dinner - you will even be invited to join them.

Relax at a typical Madeiran restaurant and dine on Espetada - beef on a skewer spiced and grilled over an open fire.

Taste other delicacies of Madeiran cookery and top it all off with coffee and wine, which is included. Watch a traditional folklore group perform the traditional and typical dances of Madeira.

Then, enjoy the sights of Funchal by night from a belvedere.

Travel from your Madeira Island Hotel to Santa Catarina Airport. Transfer services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Transfers are available from:

• Funchal
• Garajau
• Machico
• Canico

Stop at Pico dos Barcelos, viewpoint from where you can admire a beautiful view over Funchal. Journey to Eira do Serrado, viewpoint (1,094 meters) overlooking the valley of Curral das Freiras, a little village built in the crater of an extinct volcano.

Tour next stop will be at Monte a village situated in the suburbs of Funchal where you will visit the Parish church. Enjoy the famous sledge ride 'Toboggan' that can take you as far as Livramento. Finish the tour visiting a private wine cellar to tasting of various Madeira wines.

You can see Funchal?s top attractions at your own pace with easy transportation on a hop-on hop-off city sightseeing tour. With great views from the top of the bus, strategically placed stops and an interesting commentary, this the hop-on hop-off city tour is the easiest way to see the sights of Funchal.

You can hop on and off as many times as you like aboard this open-top double-decker bus.The eight stops give you the chance to see all of the top attractions in one of Portugal?s loveliest cities.
Funchal City Hop-on Hop-off Tour stops:

• Estrada Monumental - Lido
• Largo da Paz
• Avenida do Mar - Marina
• Avenida do Mar - O Verdinho
• Teleferico
• Campo da Barca
• Praca da Autonomia
• Camara Municipal
• Posto de Turismo - Maderia Wine Lodge
• Rotunda do Infante
• Quinta Magnolia
• Igreja de S Martinho
• Pico dos Barcelos
• Cemiterio S Martinho
• Estrada Monumental
• Forum Madeira Shopping
• Alto Lido
• Raga
  

First stop will be on a valley surrounded by Madeira's indigenous forest - the Laurel Forest, to search for the Trocaz Pigeon. Next stop is on a high place where the ancient fetid laurels are shelters for Madeira Firecrests and Madeira Chaffinches.

Next you will descend to sea level, for lunch, where you will dine on a nice fish or meat meal. Highly recommended is the tuna fish or the scabbard fish or, if you do not like fish, maybe the grilled steak with mushrooms. After lunch a short scenic walk for a good digestion and, if it is summer, to sea watch some seabirds.

A 30 minute ride to reach the most western part of Madeira, a lovely place to watch Canaries, Berthelot's Pipits, Buzzards, Kestrels and with luck, some migrants.

Last stop will be on the south coast of the island, on a fresh water lagoon near the sea, a beautiful spot for migrant waders, Moorhens and Coots and, if it is summer maybe see the rare Roseate Tern among Common Terns and Yellow-legged Gulls.

If you hope to find as many species as you can in one day this will be the perfect tour for you as you are able to see most of the Madeira species and subspecies. This is not only a Birdwatching tour but also a flora and sightseeing tour as the places visited have very beautiful landscapes and are full of natural history.

First you are guided along a Levada (Madeiran water channel) through the humid and evergreen native forest to a fantastic view point. Here the Trocaz Pigeon can be scoped while Chaffinches and Robins play around you. The way back is by the same route with contrasting views and Firecrests can be seen jumping from one branch to another as day gets warmer. This humid and evergreen native forest contains the world's largest continuous area of ancient laurel trees and is a delightful environment.

Your first stop is at a park where you will be surrounded by the green of the indigenous and exotic species in such a quiet atmosphere that you can identify the birds by their the calls.

You will certainly observe some species flying from one tree to the other or feeding on the ground, such as Goldfinches, Black Birds and Greenfinches. On a view point inside the Park, if the weather permits, you are able to admire the east extreme of the island and on a clear day, Porto Santo Island as well.

The second stop of the tour takes you to an arid area, the habitat of the Berthelot's Pipit. Here you may also find Canaries, Goldfinches, Kestrels and Buzzards. Besides the birds you will be amazed by the landscape of rocky cliffs falling in the sea on one side and on the other side, the contrast view of the north and south of Madeira.

If there is still time you may stop on a third spot, near a water course to observe some Grey Wagtails, Egrets and the Waxbills that live and reproduce freely here.

This is a great tour for the whole family as there are no long walks and the diversity of natural species and landscapes to see is wide. You may even see horses, fallow deers or even red-legged partridges, but unfortunately these are in an enclosed space.

The perfect way to feel the tranquillity of the sea and enjoy the excitement of dolphin or whale watching as you cruise the Madeira coast. A half-day sea trip is a great way to get to know some of the most beautiful landscapes of the island.

Board the boat and keep your eyes on the sea to search for jumping dolphins or some slower whale fins cutting the salted water. If any wildlife is spotted, the boat will carefully get closer to watch these amazing sea mammals. In summer seabirds are commonly seen flying around and turtles seen swimming and diving deep below the surface.

The route has to be taken to Cape Girao, one of the highest capes in the world, falling steeply from 580 meters of altitude to the deep blue sea. Trips running from May to September will make a stop here so you may go for a swim in the clear and calm waters.

The way back to Funchal is along the coast to see the landscape of southwest Madeira where the green mountains spotted with houses contrast against the blue sea. The boat will pass along the bay of Camara de Lobos, a typical fishing village, near some of Madeira beaches and hotels.

If weather conditions are not favorable to go to the west side, your itinerary may change to the east side of Funchal.

Crew members will welcome you aboard and will help with anything you may need. There is a bar service on board with drinks available.

Desertas Islands are a group of 3 small islands on the southeast of Madeira. This small archipelago is the habitat of the endemic and rare Monk seal, several seabirds and some indigenous flora species. For these reasons it is a protected area and is a European Biogenetic Reserve.

A sea trip to these untouched islands is for those who love to sail and are curious about desert islands with its endemic species. On the way you will get the chance to admire mountainous landscape of Madeira as well as try to spot some dolphins, whales, turtles or seabirds. Arriving at the largest island, the yacht will anchor and you can go ashore on a small floatable boat. Once on land, follow a path around the Natural Park to the warden's house along which you may observe some flora and avifauna of the island.

After the visit to the island and a relaxing swim in Desertas crystal waters, lunch is served onboard. Usually lunch is a Madeira traditional fish dish, black scabbard fish, with salad and potatoes. Following lunch it is time to pick the anchor up and depart towards Funchal enjoying a nap, sunbathe or spotting sea mammals and seabirds along the way.

Departing from Funchal marina, just next to the main pier, your evening cruise heads west to Camara de Lobos, a typical fishing village which Winston Churchill used to paint.

You will have the chance to enjoy the beautiful landscape and feel the cool sea breeze stroking your face and relax. The route that will be followed is the same of the old passenger and cargo vessels known as "Carreireiros" which, on the beginning of the 20th century, regularly linked the villages of the south cost of the island.

A toast, to celebrate your relaxing sea trip and holidays in this amazing island, will be made with the famous Madeira wine, just before the boat turns back. The way back is nearer the coast so you may appreciate the geological formations and the stunning cliffs emerging from the crystalline waters. If you are lucky, maybe you will be visited by some dolphins, turtles, whales or some rare seabirds.

Visit the magnificent estate of Quinta do Palheiro Ferreiro to appreciate the trees and flowers of this unique garden. The estate also offers great views over Funchal.

Continue on to Levada for a delightful 45 minute walk along the irrigation channel - a treat for all ages. Levada is a Portuguese word derived from the word "levar" which means to carry and roughly translated as "carriage way", but more correctly defined as mini-canal.

The mini-canals are irrigation systems developed to distribute water from the rainfall heavy and wet regions on the north of the island to drier sun parched regions of the south. These are walking trails along the maintenance paths beside the Levadas.

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