Funchal

Food & Gourmet Tours

Indulge in the simple delights of Madeira cuisine at a restaurant specially chosen for this 2.5-hour evening activity. Experience traditional espetada, marinated beef cooked over the open fire on a fragrant laurel skewer, accompanied by milho frito (golden fried maize), and perhaps mouth-watering, homemade garlic bread. Combine these dishes with delicious wine and energetic entertainment by a local folklore group and you can be assured of a very enjoyable evening out. Folklore music is popular throughout Madeira and is typically performed using local musical instruments such as the machete, rajao, brinquinho, and cavaquinho. During the folklore show this music accompanies traditional dances, such as the Bailinho da Madeira.

Discover the exciting history of Funchal as you sample its flavors on a 3-hour guided walk. Hear about the city’s past, admire its architecture and of course try some famous Madeira wines. Taste traditional foods from restaurants and the local market. Enjoy 9 stops in all, with 11 food and 6 drink tastings. The following venues are stops on this tour: • O Calhau • Uau Cacau: a 100 percent Madeiran chocolate factory, that’s all about elegant chocolates and traditional flavors that are simply Irresistible • Blandy's Wine Lodge: the wines from this producer are appreciated all over the world, and their older wines enjoy the highest reputation among top professionals • Fabrica de Santo Antonio: a factory that produces the best-known Madeira cookies and sweets from traditional recipes • Cristalina Chique: this typical bar is popular among the locals, who enjoy eating the black scabbard fillet sandwiches or fresh tuna, at any time of the day • Mercados dos Lavradores: the farmers market in Funchal offers up colorful flowers, seasonal exotic fruits and a wide variety of fish • A Mercadora: this typical Madeiran grocery store sells various spices as well as beans, potatoes and much more – try the famous sugar cane spirit poncho • Venda da Donna Maria: sample tasty regional and home cooking at this old town restaurant that offers a menu of typical Madeiran cuisine • Chocolate e Menta: a tea house where you end off your morning filled with delicacies. From here you’ll return to the departure point.

This tour of the east side of Madeira island is designed to show guests how truly magical it is. Come and be awed by its spectacular beauty. To begin the day, pick-up is from the hotel at 8:00 to 9:00. The first stop will be at a viewpoint above Funchal. Continue to Camacha, famous for its beautiful wicker works, and stop to have a look around and then take a scenic drive up to Poiso where the start of the Laurissilva forest can be found. After this, make your way to the majestic views of Pico do Arieiro. Pico do Arieiro is the third highest peak on the island, standing 1818 meters. Next is what some consider to be the most beautiful spot on the island, Ribeiro Frio. Here you will visit a trout farm and do a levada walk to the Balcões. Following the walk, make your way to Santana to see its famous A-framed cottages and then continue along the northern coastal road to Faial. Stop for lunch in the northern part of the island. After lunch, carry on to the eastern part of the island, to the famous viewpoint of Pico do Facho. From here you will have incredible views of Ponta de São Lourenco, Machico and the airport. On a good day one can see the Desertas Islands as well Porto Santo, the small island adjacent to Madeira. The last stop will be a famous viewpoint above Machico. You will arrive back to Funchal by 17:00.

Depart Funchal and journey to the Pico dos Barcelos to experience one of Madeira's unique viewpoints. Get a breathtaking view of all points of the island, before making your way up to Eira do Serrado. Admire the surrounding chestnut trees and eucalyptus plants of the natural wonderland. The ancient footpaths are still used by locals and tourists, and the narrow road and tunnels can still be seen. From an altitude of 1,094 meters above sea level, you will be able to see across to the Nuns Valley (weather permitting). Isolated from the rest of the island, the Nuns Valley (Curral das Freiras) is surrounded by lava rock and takes its name from the nuns that once inhabited the valley as they fled from pirate attacks during the 16th century. Try some traditional chestnut cake and pastries only found in the region, along with different traditional liquors. Then, go to Monte, one of Madeira´s old touristic stops, and visit the church where the tomb of the Emperor Charles I of Austria can be found. The last of the Habsburg rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, he died in exile on April 1, 1922. Add a little adventure to the day and enjoy an unforgettable 2-kilometer toboggan ride down the old road of Livramento, where the bus will pick you up at the bottom.

On this full-day catamaran trip to the Desertas Islands you’ll sail along the south coast of Madeira Island. On arrival you’ll disembark in clear waters onto a beach of volcanic origin, where you’ll have a chance to enjoy a swim. Covering an area of 12,586 hectares the Natural Reserve of the Desertas Islands comprises all islands and islets (Ilhéu Chão, Deserta Grande, Bugio, and adjacent islets) and all of the surrounding marine area. It has been designated a nature reserve for over 25 years, and is now internationally known for its monk seal conservation efforts. Today this protected area can be visited by sea. Deserta Grande is the only island where visitors can disembark, and you’ll enjoy a guided walk to the conservation center to learn about the monk seal protection efforts and also about endemic flora and fauna.

Experience the best of Madeira by 4WD vehicle on a full-day tour by Jeep. Venture off-road to discover the dramatic scenery far from the usual tourist crowds. Ideal if you have visited the island before and want to see it from a different perspective, each tour will take you to parts of the island that you never knew existed and leave you speechless with wonder at its natural beauty. Benefit from a 3-course lunch at a local restaurant along the way. Choose from the full-day tour to suit your schedule and preferences: Exciting West Tour (Mondays): Funchal - Encumeada - São Vicente - Seixal - Porto Moniz - Fanal Funchal Explore the steep escarpments and deep river valleys on a tour of the west of Madeira, including the seaside village of Seixal and the municipality of Porto Moniz, where a natural complex of lava pools is popular with locals and tourists alike. Delightful East Tour (Wednesdays): Funchal - Pico do Arieiro - Ribeiro Frio - Guindaste - Porto da Cruz - Portela - Caniçal - Funchal Venture east from Funchal to the stunning Pico do Arieiro (1,818 meters) and Ribeiro Frio, where the Balcões levada trails journey through the indigenous flora of the Laurissilva Forest. Enchanting Northeast Tour (Fridays): Funchal - São Vicente - Ponta Delgada - São Jorge - Santana - Faial - Poiso - Funchal Depart Funchal for São Vicente and continue to the small village of Ponta Delgada and the hilltop parish and coastal cliffs of São Jorge in the municipality of Santana. Dramatic Southwest Tour (Sundays): Funchal - Paul da Serra - Ponta do Pargo - Paul do Mar - Jardim do Mar - Calheta - Ponta do Sol - Funchal Explore Madeira’s dramatic southwest, including the extensive plateau of Paul da Serra and the high altitude cliffs of Ponta do Pargo.

Benefit from hotel or guest house pick-up in Funchal (pick-up and drop off outside Funchal is available for an additional fee). Then, travel to the mountains of Madeira and see the Ribeira Brava valley from an altitude of approximately 1,400 meters. Journey through the countryside using old roads and tracks used for forestry and farming. Discover some of Madeira's traditional villages, such as Campanário, Lugar da Serra, Trompica, São Paulo and Ribeira Brava. Marvel at views of the mountains and valleys from an open-top 4x4. Watch the colors of the sunset before a barbecue dinner at a local restaurant. Here, you will feast from a menu (bread, main course and dessert, 1 drink and coffee included) of typical dishes such as espetada - large chunks of beef rubbed in garlic and salt and grilled over an open fire, then served with local fried corn. Sample bolo do caco, the circular bread shaped like a cake that is cooked on a "caco" (a flat basalt stone slab) and served with garlic butter. 

During this excursion, you will be visiting a banana farm in Funchal and seeing how the farmers look after their land by interacting, learning more about the trade. Take the old road to another interesting local family vegetable and fruit farm, that supplies most of the supermarkets in Madeira with their fresh herbs, vegetables and fruits. The unknown cattle farm to many has been in this family for over a hundred years, they provide most of its milk for the making of our famous “requeijão” cheese, and see the old milking techniques. Stop for lunch in Porto da Cruz, sugarcane region, lunch, short walk after lunch and visit the only rum factory in Europe that operates with steam. According to the weather one can swim (bring swimming suites along). After lunch a drive through countryside and a last stop at the cheese “requeijão” factory.

Head to the northwest side of Madeira Island to the town of São Vicente on this 8-hour tour from Funchal. Take in 360-degree views of the mountains and sea as you travel in an open 4x4. Enjoy the beauty and scents of the gardens, and the colors of the forest and villages. Continue on with a visit to traditional factories and a saw mill, and admire the thatched houses in Santana. Enjoy an optional lunch (at your own expense) during the excursion. Stop to take in breathtaking views of Ponta de São Lourenço before returning back to the original departure point in Funchal.

Start your West Island Tour with hotel pick-up between 8:00 and 9:00. Your first stop will be at the famous fishing village of Câmara de Lobos, where the famous Sir Winston Churchill spent his days painting when he visited the island of Madeira. Continue to Cabo Girão to view the highest sea cliff in Europe. The tour's next stop is at Ribeira Brava, where you will make a quick visit to the church there. You will then discover Ponta de Sol. This name literally means "point of the sun," an apt description for the most beautiful village on the island. Next enjoy a scenic drive through the Laurissilva Forest up to the plateau of Pául da Serra. Stop for a short, flat, easy walk along a levada (an irrigation channel unique to Madeira). The tour proceeds to the northwest side of the island where you can visit the Porto Moniz, famous for its volcanic rock pools. If it's not crowded, the tour will stop here for lunch and quick swim. You could also continue down the scenic coastal route to Seixal for lunch and a swim. After lunch you will travel the coastal road, taking in the famous waterfalls en route to São Vincente. Then discover Encumeada Pass. The views here are breathtaking. Enjoy a final stop at a famous bar where the proprietors make "Poncha," a traditional spirit drink mixed with honey and orange juice. Return to the hotel at around 17:00.