Attractions & guided tours

Madeira Northern wonders guided tour

from

£32.00

Free cancellation

Language: English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese

Mobile voucher accepted

Duration: 8 hours

Instant confirmation

Guided tour

Subject expert guide

E-Voucher

Why you’ll love this…

Visit the São Vicente Caves found on the island
Take a lunch break in the São Jorge / Cabanas de São Jorge village overlooking the sea
Discover the history of the Northern Milling Company, known for its sugar cane rum production

What to expect

Book this guided experience for unsurpassed ocean and island views as you take a tour of the North. Leaving Funchal, Madeira’s capital, you'll follow the way to São Vicente village, idyllically set in a valley where you will be able to visit the best underground volcanic features ever found on the island, São Vicente Caves.

Continue your drive to Ponta Delgada, a village where the natural surroundings can be admired at their best. There will be a stop for the lunch break at São Jorge / Cabanas de São Jorge, a unique village overlooking the sea and surrounded by mountains and vineyards that show off some of Madeira’s most spectacular scenery.

The return journey takes you through stunning valleys, passing the Faial and Porto da Cruz village where you will have the possibility of visiting the “Northern Milling Company” for its sugar cane rum production, which is not always in time for the harvest or fermentation process but still you can see all the procedure and history of one of the most important mills of the island.

You'll end the tour with a stop at a spectacular viewpoint overlooking the city of Machico before you head back to your accommodation.

What's included

Guided tour
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Transportation

What's not included

Food and drinks

Where

Meeting point:

- Please enter your Funchal area hotel name and address for pickup during check-out. You may receive a contact or email from the local provider if there are any changes to the pickup times or location.

What to remember

Accessibility:

This experience is not recommended for people with wheelchair users, people with heart problems, pregnant women or those with vertigo/fear of heights

Know in advance:

There is a maximum of 14 people per booking
Please enter your Funchal area hotel name and address for pickup during check-out
Please note you need to be fit and used to hiking in narrower paths that can contain steps, some inclination, proximity to heights
Please note that in case of changing weather conditions, an alternate and similar hike will be suggested at another location if it's available, rescheduled or refunded
Tours may be done with up to 2 languages in the same group
Tours may be changed or cancelled due to weather or other reasons that may be out of our control. (vehicle problems, government restrictions, events or road closures, etc)

Remember to bring:

Please wear comfortable clothing and footwear with a good grip like hiking boots or tennis shoes or good sneakers

Provider

Lido Tours

Booking fee

Good news! No extra fees are applied to this booking.

Cancellation policy

Receive a 100% refund if you cancel up to 24 hours before the experience begins.

What people say about this experience

Eagles rock 44
From United Kingdom - July 2025

Travelled as a couple

35 - 44 years old

Excellent
Overall rated
5/5

Very nice and lovely seeing all of the time nice driver as well on the old routes as well very nice trip altogether thank you very much TUI
Vivian
From Germany - March 2025

Travelled with family

35 - 44 years old

Excellent
Overall rated
5/5

Ein landschaftlich sehr schöner Ausflug. Bis auf die Rumverkostung waren wenig Touristen auf dieser Strecke. Mag aber auch an der Jahreszeit gelegen h ...

Excursions & day trips

Nat Geo Day Tour: Local Farm Experience on Madeira’s Terraced Hills

Drive through Funchal's bustling town and Madeira's magnificent rolling hills towards Quinta Pedagogica da Camacha, a small farm committed to sustainable agriculture. Here, your National Geographic-trained guide will offer insights into the region and introduce you to the farm's owner, Bruno Santos. Having left accounting for agriculture, Bruno now dedicates his life to helping his neighborhood through sustainable farming, a lowered environmental footprint, and community outreach. Follow Bruno through flowering groves as you explore the grounds. You'll learn about the many uses for their freshly grown herbs and visit their strawberry plantation. Observe the fields and poios—what Madeirans call the terraced areas where they grow their crops—as you learn about the farm's produce and animal husbandry. The farm is home to various animals including chickens, goats, sheep, and more. There's even a small market Bruno created, to help other local vendors reach their greater community, inspired by the ‘buy local' mantra. You'll also experience a host of seasonal activities, offered exclusively to National Geographic travelers. Harvest ripe fruits and learn the proper techniques for sowing seeds in a planting workshop. This hands-on learning environment brings Bruno's sustainability and bio-friendly philosophy to life. Afterwards, you'll relax and enjoy refreshing tea brewed from the farm's own herbs, as well as homemade cakes, toast, and jams preserved from local fruits.

free cancellation

Available in:

de, en

Excursions & day trips

Madeira south coast cruise on Living Sea boat with lunch

Madeira's southwest coast is the star of this all-inclusive cruise. After setting out from the port in Funchal, you'll head up the coast to Cais da Lapa for some swimming. The best part is that with a maximum of 52 guests on board, you'll have all the space and attentive service you need.

free cancellation

Available in:

es, en, fr, pt

Excursions & day trips

East Madeira tour with lunch, rum tasting and Pico Areeiro

The knockout natural beauty of eastern Madeira is in the spotlight on this full day tour. You'll have your head in the clouds at Pico do Areeiro, walk next to cute thatched houses in Santana, have lunch at Quinta do Furão and step back in time at Ponta de São Lourenço.

free cancellation

Available in:

en, fr, nl

Excursions & day trips

Madeira west coast tour with Cabo Girao and lunch in Porto Moniz

Madeira's magnificent scenery takes centre stage on this full day tour. You'll visit a selection of highlights including Cabo Girao Cliff and it's glass-floored platform, Porto Moniz and Paúl da Serra. Mariana, one of our expert local guides, says "you'll get to know the true drama of Madeira's landscapes. You might be lucky enough to see the ocean both to the north and the south, but the highest points on the island do sometimes catch the clouds."Your first destination will be the Cabao Girao Cliff, where you can step out onto its glass-floored platform that stretches out over the edge. The coastal views here are some of the best around, so don't forget your camera. Mariana adds, "the cliff is around 580 metres high, making it one of the tallest in Europe. The views from the skywalk are really something else, and its experience that'll stick with you." Then, you'll head to the coastal town of Riberia Brava, before a stroll through a banana plantation in Madalena do Mar.Next, we'll head up the 1,500m-high Paúl da Serra plateau before descending on Porto Moniz, famous for its natural lava rock swimming pools. A typical lunch freshly prepared with local produce awaits in the village. Rounding off the day is a poncha drink demonstration and tasting in Câmara de Lobos – a favourite holiday spot of Winston Churchill. Mariana says "be careful – poncha is so fruity and refreshing, but it hides a serious brandy kick."

free cancellation

Available in:

en, fr, nl

Activities

Pico do Arieiro sunrise tour with local breakfast

Seeing sunrise from the top of one of Madeira's highest peaks will have you reaching for your camera over and over again. And this exclusive morning trip to Pico do Arieiro promises just that – views over Madeira during the mystical first light of the day, followed by a warming breakfast.

free cancellation

Available in:

en, pt

Activities

Full-day eastern Madeira 4x4 tour with lunch

Set off on a 4x4 tour that gives back to the local economy and helps keep Madeira green. Your action-packed day takes in gems like the village of Machico, UNESCO-listed laurel forests and Funchal Ecological Park. What's more, you'll do it all with the help of a local expert. Rúben, one of our guides, says, "wild and untamed nature is Madeira's most precious treasure. Make memories with an experience that the world will thank you for."During the months of October to April, your first stop is at Funchal Ecological Park, where a sustainable activity will take place, contributing to the conservation of the endemic flora of the Island. Next, you'll visit the village of Machico for a look around. When the island was discovered in 1419 by Portuguese explorers, this is where they first landed.Heading off-road towards the north, you'll zigzag through an ancient laurel forest – a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999 – on scenic trails towards the mountain town of Santana to see its steep-roofed, straw-thatched homes. After a well-deserved lunch break in a typical local restaurant, you'll round off with a pit stop at a nearby viewpoint, offering knockout coastal panoramas all the way to Madeira's easternmost point, the São Lourenço peninsula. Plus, there's a photo stop at a waterfall, Cascada de Agauge, on the itinerary, too. If you're visiting from May to September, we switch up the order of your tour, so you start your trip to Machico to learn about how Madeira was discovered by Portuguese explorers. Follow up with a swim at the golden beach of Machico and a 30-minute walk along the farm and forest trail of Levada do Castelejo, before a visit to Sao Jorge where you'll see a 300-year-old watermill that's still turning with the flow of the water. Then, it's lunch in Santana and an off-road ramble through Laurissilva Forest, a photo stop by a waterfall and ending in Pico do Arieiro in the afternoon.

free cancellation

Available in:

en, pt

Excursions & day trips

Northwest Madeira 4x4 Tour with Laurisilva forest and tastings

Taking in coastal gems, wild forests and sustainable producers, this 4x4 tour showcases Madeira's adventurous side. You'll experience the drama of Madeira's scenery from up close and get an insight into the island's culture, too. Ruben, one of our expert local guides, says, "Get ready to learn the secrets of mixing poncha, the much-loved island tipple made with sugar cane rum, fresh juice and local honey. Be careful, though – poncha's fruity, refreshing taste hides a serious kick."Starting off in Ponta do Sol, you'll get great views of the south coast from Paul da Serra, 1400m above sea level. Then it's on to Fanal, where some of the oldest Laurel trees on the island grow. Ruben says, "Madeira's laurel forests are the largest surviving area of primary laurisilva woods anywhere. Some of the trees are thought to be around 800 years old, and the ecosystem is largely intact. These forests host around 100 endemic species, and they are protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site."Rumble past typical ‘poios' terraced farmland en route to Seixal beach for a swim. After this, we'll head to Chão da Ribeira to savour a tasty local lunch. Chef Sérgio will show you how to make the classic grilled beef skewer, known in Portuguese as ‘espetada', while you enjoy a glass of Madeira Wine as an apéritif. There's also a vegan burger option. To wrap up your tour, we'll visit São Vicente to meet an organic honey producer. Here, you'll learn all about honey production, and you'll try your hand at making Madeira's traditional drink, poncha.

free cancellation

Available in:

Excursions & day trips

Private Madeira dramatic west coast tour with lunch in Porto Moniz

free cancellation

Available in:

de, en

Excursions & day trips

Full-day private eastern Madeira highlights tour with lunch

This exclusive private tour shines a light on the east of Madeira. You'll have your head in the clouds at Pico do Areeiro, walk next to cute thatched houses in Santana, have lunch at Quinta do Furão and step back in time at Ponta de São Lourenço.

free cancellation

Available in:

de, en

Excursions & day trips

Madeira VIP Whale & Dolphin Watching Cruise

Teeming with marine life, Madeira's warm waters are the ideal place to combine a whale and dolphin-watching trip with all the little luxuries of a VIP cruise. You'll have three-hours at sea to enjoy an open bar, snacks and a swim stop, alongside a talk by a marine biologist to learn about which species you might see and how to spot them.

free cancellation

Available in:

en, pt

Madeira Northern wonders guided tour

What people say about this experience

Excellent