Location: Funchal
Top Things to do in Funchal
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Things to do in Funchal, Madeira Islands: The Best Historical & Heritage Tours
Funchal, the capital of the Madeira archipelago, was declared a city in the 1500s, and became an important point between the old and new worlds. The laid-back city owes much of its historical prominence to "white gold," Madeiran sugar. Today Funchal is known for its appealing temperatures, wine and crafts. Top spots to visit include the open Worker's Market, Blandy's Wine Lodge and the Sacred Art Museum. Friendly locals, walkable streets and cheap taxis make the city easy to get around.
Restaurants in Funchal
1. A-Framed Houses East Tour
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 8 reviews
The East Tour with its famous “A” framed houses; clouds hanging below Pico do Arieiro hugging the contours of the mountains.The delightful unspotted Laurissilva forest.
Inclusions: Professional guide, All taxes, fees and handling charges, Hotel/port pickup and drop-off ( Free for hotels in Funchal), Air-conditioned vehicle
Exclusions: Does not include pickup from the Cruise Ship Port (requires extra fee of €5 pp), Lunch
Reviewed By Anke S
Very nice tour and a nice good guide Susana. You will see beautiful parts of the Island. The only reason for not giving 5 stars is the booking process, but the tour and guide were good
2. King's Levada Walk - Santana Laurel Forest and Waterfalls
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
Levada do Rei its a magical spot on Madeira Island. This walk its a must do if you are in the island. Its a easy/medium walk with fantastic views inside the valleys and forest of Madeira with a lot of water and waterfalls. This walk is 10 km, about 4 hours. We offer a picnic to each person and the service includes insurance, free transport, pick-up and drop-off and friendly and qualified guide. Discover Madeira with us!
Inclusions: All taxes, fees and handling charges, Bottled water, Light refreshments, Snacks, Driver/guide, Local guide, Professional guide, Hotel drop-off, Hotel pickup, Transport by private vehicle
Exclusions: Lunch
Reviewed By jellyfish13mermaid
Very good organized and friendly accompanied tour offering a perfect overview of all the must see sites and most beautiful places of the adorable island. Couldn‘t choose better to make this roundabout! Luis was very nice and a well-informed guide! If you are looking for a professional but casual, pleasant and interesting island tour, I can recommend to book this one.
3. Private Service VIP Halfday Flower Tour
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 6 reviews
This Half day is dedicated to flowers, one of the island treasures. We partnered with Palheiro gardens to you this beautiful quiet sight in the east of Funchal. Our Island offers a vast repertoire of gardens that's why one of Madeira nicknames was the Garden of the Atlantic. During this tour, we will take you to the Palheiro Garden a beautiful private garden that was owned by the Blandy family. After our beautiful walk-in Palheiro Gardens we head to the Hortensia Gardens where you can drink various teas, enjoy the delicious and famous apple pie plus enjoy the fabulous panoramic view over the city of Funchal. We also visit two emblematic viewpoints, São João Latrão and Terreiro da Luta and Discover the story of the Lady of Peace.
Inclusions: Driver/Local guide, Hotel/Port pickup and drop-off, Private tour, Transport by private vehicle, Free WIFI onboard, Palheiro Gardens Entrance Admission
Exclusions: Food and drinks
Reviewed By RuiPedro65
It was a wanderfull day that i spenddl whit the pearl of the atlatico.Tour west has really beautiful views. The guiedes of the company are really professionals.
4. Private Service VIP East Tour
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 15 reviews
Our east tour begins in Caniço, where you can visit the majestic statue of King Christ (Cristo Rei), the first one in the world. Following we go a little above 600 meters height and we visit Camacha, a parish referenced as "The Land of the Wicker" where you can see furniture and baskets made in wicker very well known in the 19th century in the world. Continuing up, reaching 1818 meters at Pico do Areeiro you will see beautiful sights of the Madeira Mountains. After that, we go down to Ribeiro Frio where you can see the trouts farming and if you would like to do a small walking in the famous Levadas of the island where you can see a big part of Laurissilva forest. Later we keep going downwards and see wonderful viewpoints by São Roque do Faial and Portela. We visit the Santo da Serra Park where we can see some farming animals and enjoy a landscape view over the northeast, finishing our trip in the city of Santa Cruz, also known as the "Door of Madeira".
Inclusions: Driver/Local guide, Live commentary on board, Hotel/port pickup and drop-off, Private tour, Transport by private vehicle, Free WIFI onboard
Exclusions: Food and drinks
Reviewed By RuiPedro65
It was a wanderfull day that i spenddl whit the pearl of the atlatico.Tour west has really beautiful views. The guiedes of the company are really professionals.
5. Private Tour: Regional Road Drive with Stunning Views and Poncha Drink Tasting
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 6 reviews
In this tour we cross the regional road in a VW Beetle Cabrio or other classic car towards the Ribeira Brava with passage through Câmara de Lobos and Campanário. Admire the great views along the way. We stop at Cabo Girão, the highest cliff in Europe with 580 meters (entrance included). Possibilitie of tasting poncha (or other regional drink) in Câmara de Lobos and Serra de Água. Return by the expressway.
Inclusions: Driver/guide, Live commentary on board, Local guide, Hotel/port pickup and drop-off in Funchal area (outside Funchal additional fee €20), Private tour, Transport by private vehicle
Exclusions: Food and drinks, unless specified, Gratuities
Reviewed By Mrs K T
This was the perfect way to see the Funchal lights! We were picked up from our hotel in the 1979 VW Beetle then driven to Funchal. Once there the roof came down and we were treated to a comprehensive tour of the lights of the city. We saw so much more than we would have done on our own or on foot. We also learnt more about Madeira from the informative guide. The tour left me grinning from ear to ear a real highlight of my holiday! I cannot recommend this enough! A unique and personal experience.
6. Private Service VIP Nun's Valley Halfday Tour
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 21 reviews
Our half day starts at Pico dos Barcelos viewpoint, a very nice view of all Funchal, where we can see different locations of the city and have an amazing sight for lovely pictures. Continuing up, we head in direction to one of the biggest tourist attractions of Madeira, Eira do Serrado at a height of 1053m (3455 feet), where we can enjoy the magnificent view of Nuns Valley, which once was a refuge for the Nuns of the Monastery of Santa Clara during the invasion of the French Privateers to the Island. During our trip we will stop in some viewpoints to see the Socorrido Stream and tell the story of Old Madeira with some narrow old roads built on the mountains.
Inclusions: Driver/Local guide, Hotel/Port/Apartment pickup and drop-off, Private tour, Transport by private vehicle, Free WIFI onboard
Exclusions: Food and drinks
Reviewed By RuiPedro65
It was a wanderfull day that i spenddl whit the pearl of the atlatico.Tour west has really beautiful views. The guiedes of the company are really professionals.
7. Historical Funchal Tuk-Tuk City Tour
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4 reviews
The best tour of the city of Funchal aboard our tuk tuk that allows you to visit the interior of castles and forts and magnificent places in a unique experience accompanied by a guide and native of the island contemplating with the history and culture of the place. Licensed and recommended company.
Inclusions: Local guide
Exclusions:
8. West of Madeira Tour
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4 reviews
You will go on a tour to the West of the island. Going through historical places that anyone arriving in Madeira should visit, such as Câmara de Lobos, Cabo Girão, Ribeira Brava, Encumeada, Paúl da Serra, Porto Moniz, Seixal and São Vicente.
Inclusions: Licensed and certified guide
Exclusions: Lunch
Reviewed By 985janinem
We booked a private tour with DG Travel. There was 7 of us and we all loved it. Our tour guide John Richard picked us up from our villa, we were a little late getting ready and he was fine about it told us not to rush at all. I'd been worrying prior to going on the trip about my children travelling in a car all day (would they be safe, what would the driver be like etc). Richard was a great driver and I felt at ease straight away, the kids loved him. He was really informative and helpful throughout, he advised us where would be expensive in the tourist areas and where wouldn't. We had an 8 seater mini bus and we were all comfy throughout. The only downside to our trip was the weather. We couldn't see anything on the glass balcony and the volcanic pools were closed due to high waves. We all still had a great day out & will do the trip again next year when we return. My son (8) and daughters (18, 16 & 4) all loved the trip, it can sometimes be hard finding things to do everyone enjoys and wants to do as a family. I'd recomend booking in private groups if there are 6 + of you as we could spend longer in certain places if we wanted due to it being just us and it didn't cost us much more than if we had gone in a big group with others. The man that took our booking was really lovely and helpful too. I didn't get his name. He did give us his name & number to contact him if we needed anything during our time in maderia and we lost it.
9. Private Service VIP South Tour
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 22 reviews
South Tour begins in the city of Ribeira Brava, known for the charms of its wild stream. Then we carry on towards Ponta do Sol this beautiful and cultural village where we visit the downtown as well as it's harbor and we can see where the sea in the winter goes over a Bar next to the Bay. Advancing on the route, we will go to visit the Madalena do Mar Harbor for nice Pictures and see some fisherman houses until we arrive to Calheta, a place known for his artificial sand beach and production of Sugar Cane Rum. We carry on towards the mountains of Prazeres where we can visit a Farm Animal Center and try its awarded jelly flavors (fee applies) Continuing we go to Paul do Mar through amazing old roads with old tunnels open by the men.
Inclusions: Driver/Local guide, Live commentary on board, Hotel/port pickup and drop-off, Private tour, Transport by private vehicle, Free WIFI
Exclusions: Food and drinks, Farm Animal Admission Ticket
Reviewed By RuiPedro65
It was a wanderfull day that i spenddl whit the pearl of the atlatico.Tour west has really beautiful views. The guiedes of the company are really professionals.
10. Rabaçal 25 Fontes Levada Walk in Small Groups
Overall Ratings
4.8 based on 9 reviews
The Rabaçal 25 Fontes walk is very beautiful for its diversity of plants and green vegetation that we can see, also the famous Levadas of the Madeira Island. Levadas are water channels, and this is one of the most famous of the whole island, because the landscapes and unforgettable sensations will stay in the thoughts of those who do this levada. Starting from Rabaçal, you will find an immense variety of species of flora and fauna madeirenses. The walk through the middle of the Laurissilva forest, through the irrigation canals that reach the lagoon from the 25 Fontes, it is the most beautiful point of the whole walk, with a large waterfall falling into a small lagoon. It is one of the most famous of all the island because of the unforgettable landscapes and sensations along the whole walk. Come enjoy with us the most beautiful walk in Madeira.
Inclusions: Transport, Official Mountain Guide, Insurance, Local Guide
Exclusions:
Reviewed By lubosczech
The diversity of Madeira is incredibly beautiful. I decided to discover it through trail running. As you can easily be overwhelmed and miss something, it is highly desirable to have an experienced guide. I chose Explore Nature and the best guide I could wish for, Luís. His commitment to give me the best of the island was amazing, his knowledge about the island is stunning, his passion for nature, active life style and positivity are definitely contagious. He took me to some of the most beautiful places where I could enjoy so many different faces of Madeira. He showed little details I would never see running alone. Also running with a top world class trail runner was a great experience. Whether trail running or hiking, you can count that Explore Nature will give you the best of Madeira. Big thank you Luís!
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