Porto da Cruz

Viewing points

Discover the diverse landscapes of Madeira on a day-long tour. Wander charming towns, enjoy panoramic views and learn about the area from your expert guide. Depart from the meeting point at Funchal's Lido or take advantage of a free hotel pick-up in selected areas. The first stop is at the beautiful viewpoint of Terreiro da Luta, located a few kilometers outside Funchal. Next, drive toward the mountain of Pico do Arieiro. At an altitude of 1,818 meters, the third highest peak on the island offers breathtaking views. Once you've been to the highest drivable peak in Madeira, head back down through the forest on the way to the coast. Admire some of Madeira's emblematic straw-roof houses, pass pretty villages and get stunning seascape views. Arrive at the very eastern point of the island for some superb panoramas of the north and south coasts. Discover the popular start point for the levada walks, Ribeiro Frio, on the northern slopes of the island. See interesting trout pools and original vegetation. Madeira was once completely covered by laurissilva forest, a relic from prehistoric times. Stop for lunch in Santana, characterized by its small, thatched triangular houses. Past Portela go towards Ponta de São Lourenço, situated in the eastern part of the island. This is a place where a fantastic combination of rocks, sea, and nature combine. The last town to be visited is Machico, a viewpoint where you can look over the bay and the golden sandy beach.

Pico Areeiro: Start the tour in the magnificent Pico do Areeiro mountain at an altitude of 1818 meters. Ribeiro Frio: Here you will enjoy a small ( 40 - 45 minute) Levada Walk to a beautiful viewpoint. If you are not a walking person, you can enjoy this stop to visit the Trout nursery. Santana: This stop is the bigger one. You can take advantage of this 1.5-hour stop for lunch and visit Santana village. Faial: At the Guindaste viewpoint you can admire the wonderful northeast coast view. Porto da Cruz: At this small village the stop is around 20 to 30 minutes. Here you can visit the North Mills Distillery and taste the local rum. Ponta São Lourenço: The Ponta do Rosto is a must-see viewpoint. It's situated at the easiest part of the Island and gives you astonishing views over the North and South Madeira Sea and sometimes also of Porto Santo Island.

Start with pick-up from the hotel and drive through Funchal's steep roads. Pass the Eucalyptus and Mimosa forests overlooking the Christmas pines, into the breathtaking mountains of Pico do Arieiro at 1,800 meters. The centenary Forest covered by the old trees (Laurisilva) is a must and a short walk along the Levada Madeiras water channels can be taken as an option. Taking the old road of Faial overlooking the eagles rock mountain, Stop at the Guindaste Skywalk (This stop will depend on the traffic and the feasts in the village.) Santana will be the next stop. Visit the town's traditional thatched houses and vines. Make a stop for lunch (not included in the price). After the lunch stop in Santana, continue to Porto Cruz, passing the sugar cane fields. Visit the only steam rum factory in Europe (with rum tasting) and explore the village. See the rough black sandy beach popular for surfers. In July and August, enjoy the chance to swim in the famous saltwater. Then, travel along the North Coast where sugar cane terraces are still visible. See the old capital of Madeira, Machico, where the first Portuguese settlers arrived in the 15th century, before heading to Ponta de São Lourenço, the eastern point cape of the island.  Dragon Back The tour ends with a drop-off at your hotel. 

Join a surf lesson in the clear Atlantic waters off Madeira Island, and learn the fun sport for the first time or hone your surfing skills with an expert instructor. Enjoy the ease of a hotel pickup from Funchal, and be directly dropped off at the best surfing spots on the island. Kick-start your lesson with a warm up and a technical demonstration on the beach before hitting the water to catch some waves. Feel the cool waters beneath your gliding board, and the adrenaline course through you after catching your first wave. Enjoy the top surfing spots for beginners on Madeira Island, including Praia do Seixal, Praia de Machico, and Porto da Cruz, where your instructor will bring you to make sure you get the best experience possible. Note: Class times depend on tides, sea and weather conditions and can be in the morning or afternoon. The client will be contacted by our surf instructor to arrange the exact pick up time.

During this 2 day tour, from 9AM to 5PM each day, you will have the change to experience the best of Madeira. Here are a few highlights that you will discover - Cabo Girão: Our first stop, we travel up to the magnificent 580m high, glass balcony view point of Cabo Girão, famous for being the highest in Europe and second highest cliff in the world. - Ribeira Brava: Traveling along the coast of the island we soon arrive at the village of Ribeira Brava, where we can visit a church dated in the 15th century. - Madalena do Mar: Next we make our way to Madalena do Mar, a smnice visit throught the lush green banana plantations. - Fonte do Bispo: From an altitude of between 1300-1500 meters we find the tourist attraction of Paúl de Serra and it's initiation of several levada walks that connect to different points of the island through the Laurissilva forest. - Porto Moniz: Home of the largest volcanic natural pools of Madeira. On our decent towards the town we can enjoy fantastic views, especially those of the volcanic pools in their entirety. Lunch stop / free time, about 1.30 to 2 hours stop. - Seixal: Next we enjoy a brief stop in Seixal. Along the way, we have the pleasure of passing several waterfalls, particularly the famous and stunning Bridal Veil waterfall. - São Vicente: Thereafter we visit the picturesque neighbouring village of São Vicente, where you can visit a beautiful church dating from the 17th century before returning to Funchal. - Câmara de Lobos: Situated 5km from the city of Funchal, our last stop is the quaint and famous fishing village of Câmara de Lobos; a favourite painting spot of the late Winston Churchill! - Cristo Rei in Garajau: Situated in one of the most surprising places on the Island of Madeira, the statue of Christ the King of Garajau is one of the most emblematic monuments on the east coast. - Machico: A historic city, it was here that the first settlers loved in 1420 and Funchal only became the capital in 1508. - Ponta de São Lourenço: Ponta do Rosto, the easternmost point of Madeira and is a natural reserve with panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and spectacular rock formations; it is a unique landscape very different from the rest of the island. - Porto da Cruz: A small village located in the North Eastern part of Madeira, an ancient rum distillery testifies the importance of sugarcane for Madeira. - Faial: A small and picturesque village on the northeast coast of the island that was named after a local beech tree. The colonizers arrived here only in 1519 and were mostly of Moorish and Galician origin. - Santana: Santana is a charming village on the northeast coast of Madeira, well known for its colorful, thatched, triangular houses. Lunch stop / free time, about 1.30 to 2 hours stop. - Ribeiro Frio: Ribeiro Frio is a natural park located in a deep valley in the north of the island surrounded by mountains. - Pico do Arieiro: Pico do Arieiro is the third highest peak on the island of Madeira, with an altitude of 1818 meters. The views are fabulous, with clouds hovering over the fantastic rock formations - an impossible scenario to describe.

Take part in this fascinating full-day journey, through rich agricultural land and crops from the city of Machico, complemented with superb views over São Lourenço Península, Porto Santo Island and the northeastern coast. In the past, this was the only way to travel from Machico or Caniçal to the village of Porto da Cruz, located in the Northeast. Starting from a lower altitude, you will walk up through the more challenging section of this beautiful path, where you will traverse a section of a cliff and mountain that takes you all the way to the northern part of the island.    Your walk lasts from around 9 AM to 5 PM. The 12-kilometer path takes approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes to complete. Come and explore this beautiful walking tour!

Your experience begins as you are collected from your Madeira accommodation. Once having arrived to your tour starting point (Pico Arieiro) begin a walk which provides you with a complete perspective of Madeira Island's beauty. Observe the rock formations which shoot into the sky like timeless statues, with the route traveled providing many breathtaking views. A profusion of unique plants call this place their natural habitat, which in the springtime proudly adorn themselves in a myriad of colors, displaying their fragile flowers for all to see. Walk through the oldest heather forest in existence. These ancient trees are many hundreds of years old, and were already on the island when Zarco discovered and landed there for the first time. Your tour finally culminates as you ascend to Pico Ruivo - the highest point on the island, to enjoy its out-of-this-world views. Finishing this 11Km walk at Achada do Teixeira.

The tour heads first to camacha were we visit the monument in camacha, celebrating the first ever organized football game in portugal , continue uphill by heading for pico do arieiro for tremendous views over a succession of knife-edge ridges and sheer cliffs. At an altitude of 1,818 meters, it is the third-highest peak in madeira. Continue your journey downhill through small terraces lining the road before you reach the laurissilva forest, one of the most beautiful natural treasures of Madeira. This forest is about 20 million years old and was classified a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1999.  The next stop is at the charming village of Santana, a picture of domestic and agricultural prosperity known for its traditional stone houses with steep, triangular-shaped thatched roofs. Traditionally people lived in these ingenious structures and you can discover how spacious the A-frame buildings are when you visit one. Next, we drive down the north coast to the rural village of porto da cruz, in the north coast. This small village has a maze of alleys and, as well as a beautiful sea promenade, the former warehouses are being converted into cafes. Lastly, take in praia de machico, a beautiful bay with an uncommonly shaped valley that looks as if a balcony overlooks the sea and the mountains. The sugar cane crops and its mills made it very important for Madeira’s economy until the 17th century. The eastern side of the bay is dominated by pico do facho’s 320 meter peak, named after the beacon that used to be lit here to warn residents of approaching pirates. Heading home, enjoy views of the coast and enormous madeira junipers trees which have become quite rare over the years.

Begin this full-day 4x4 tour with a pick-up at your hotel in Funchal and travel deep into the southeast of Madeira. You’ll come to Machico town and the line that divides the north and south of the island. Take in breathtaking views of the Eagles Rock from Portela. Drive down, stopping in Porto da Cruz, which is the next must-see point. Visit a sugar cane factory, continue to the Faial coastline and then up to see the typical houses of Santana. These small straw-thatched triangular houses are emblematic of Madeira and intricate in their construction. Head down into the valley and through the forest to Riveiro Frio at an elevation of 1818 meters, the third-highest peak on the Island.

Explore the Mountains of Madeira island and experience driving this amazing 4x4 or just seat and enjoy the ride! This tour is On and Off-road starting in Funchal, stopping at Pico Alto viewpoint, Poiso, Pico do Suna, Lamaceiros lagoon and Portela viewpoint, where you can admire the beauty of the districts of Porto da Cruz and Faial, near the imposing rock of Penha d’Águia. The tour continues along the forest road of the Serra das Funduras, where we can observe the magnificent Laurissilva Forest. Along the trail through this forest you can admire the extraordinary beauty of the endemic flora and fauna of the island, the verdigris of the trees, the melodious singing of the birds and the whole environment is magical! Santo da Serra will be the end of this unique experience…time to return to Funchal.