MADEIRA · TOUR REVIEWS
A week here is a fight between the coast road, the mountain and the boat. The 15 below are the days that win it, priced and timed, with the full catalogue underneath when you want to go deeper.
From Funchal Marina, you’ll sail aboard Magic Dolphin Eco, Madeira’s purpose-built hybrid catamaran, with land-based spotters guiding the crew toward dolphins, whales, turtles, and seabirds. Expect certified guides, two decks, large viewing nets, a Cabo Girão swim stop, and English or Portuguese commentary.
“That was very good! We saw dolphins and pilot whales. The guides were excellent.”
Spend eight hours crossing Madeira’s west in an open-roof Land Rover, from Cabo Girão and Seixal to Porto Moniz, Fanal Forest, and Paúl da Serra. You’ll have time to swim in volcanic pools and ride an off-road trail. Guides may include Victor, Gil, Tony, or Miguel.
“amazing trip, our tour guide gil was brilliant and made our trip so good, highly recommend”
Join Seaborn Catamaran in Funchal Marina for a three-hour search for dolphins, whales, and turtles. Your English or Portuguese-speaking crew shares facts about local species, then anchors near Cabo Girão for a summer swim. Buy drinks aboard, and bring cash for the snorkeling deposit.
“loved the hospitality of the crew and everything else. views are amazing!!”
Spend eight hours crossing Madeira by open-top 4x4 from Funchal. Your guide takes you over old roads to Paul da Serra, Fanal Forest, Porto Moniz, Seixal, São Vicente, and waterfalls, with time for swimming, photos, and an optional local lunch.
“Great tour with good driver Diego. Saw a lot of beautiful places. Had a small off-road ride. Weather was windy but car was warm. We had a small group so no problem with time schedule.”
Travel from Funchal in a small open-roof 4X4 with a local guide such as Miguel, Graham, José, or Robert. See Porto Moniz, Seixal, Fanal Forest, São Vicente, and Cabo Girão, with time for swimming, views, and an optional lunch. Expect mountain roads, forest tracks, and a lively full-day ride.
“This is a fantastic tour. Highly recommend to everyone. Great communication with company and Miguel was a great tour guide.”
Travel from Funchal by air-conditioned minibus with a live guide such as Marco, Bruno, or Luciane. See Cabo Girão’s 589-metre skywalk, cross Paul da Serra, stop in Porto Moniz for lunch and lava pools, then view the Bridal Veil waterfall at Seixal.
“The guide I think his name was Marco was so informative and friendly I was very impressed with his knowledge of the region and we both enjoyed the tour immensely. Thank you”
Spend eight hours exploring eastern Madeira with a multilingual guide such as Marco, Bruno, or Patrícia. Ride from Funchal to Pico do Arieiro, Ribeiro Frio, Santana, Ponta de São Lourenço, and Machico in a comfortable minibus, with hotel pickup in selected areas.
“Went on this trip with my wife. Weather wasn’t brilliant, but the operator can’t be blamed for that. The guide, Bruno, was excellent, switching seamlessly between German and English he imparted a great deal of information. Although a new minibus, the back seat was not very comfortable with three people, it would have been worse had all four seats been in use.”
Start at Funchal’s Jesuits’ College and walk through the City Hall, sweet factory, Farmers’ Market, Santa Maria Street, Cathedral, wine lodge, and old fortifications. Guides such as Annabelle, Elias, and Elea add local stories, while your $19 supports University of Madeira student programmes.
“Great tour full of history! Jaoa had a lot of knowledge about the city and historical details. I was the only one on the tour and I appreciate they didn’t cancel. At the end there’s a mini wine tasting. Loved ever part of the tour!”
Start before dawn with a shared transfer from Funchal or Caniço to Pico do Arieiro, watch the sunrise, then hike toward Pico Ruivo and Achada do Teixeira. Your host explains the route, timing, and trail signs, while drivers such as Nuno, Pedro, and Henrique are praised for clear instructions and punctual service.
“The trip to Pico do Arieiro was amazing, I would highly recommend this trip. Pedro was our driver and he was absolutely delightful. He was very punctual picking us up and expertly navigated the drive to pick up 3 other groups and then up to the top. He provided us with a nice orientation and excellent suggestions for viewing the mountain sunrise. The hike at Pico do Arieiro was congested but manageable. The second hike down from Pico do Arieiro to Ribeira das Cales was challenging, it was a mostly downhill and with rocky footings and paths that made reaching the bottom at the meeting place quite tight. The last…”
From Funchal’s New Marina, you’ll sail aboard the Atlantic Pearl with an English or Portuguese-speaking guide, search for dolphins and whales, then stop near Cabo Girão for swimming and snorkeling. The smaller boat, onboard bar, hammocks, bathrooms, and 3-hour schedule make this a relaxed choice.
“Despite not seeing any animals on the trip (obviously not the fault of the experience provider), we had such a great time. We chose the luxury catamaran as we wanted a more quieter experience, rather than a party boat and we got exactly what we paid for. We will cherish this memory! Thank you to the crew for the beautiful experience.”
See west Madeira in one full day, from Câmara de Lobos and Cabo Girão to misty Fanal Forest, Porto Moniz pools, waterfalls, and Serra de Água. Pickup is included in Funchal, Caniço, Câmara de Lobos, and Cabo Girão. Guides such as Luca, Alex, Roy, and Albino are praised for safe driving and island insight.
“Fantastic day with a super tour guide Albino. Obrigadas.”
Sail from Funchal on a spacious luxury catamaran with guides such as Liv, David, Bruno, Maggie, and Nico. Look for whales, dolphins, and turtles, then swim beneath Cabo Girão. The small group, onboard toilets, snacks, towels, snorkels, and open bar make this a polished three-hour outing.
“It was such a lovely tour! The staf was amazing😊, funny, kind, and told a lot of interesting facts. The catamaran is a really comfortable boat, big, fast and there's enough space, you can easily change seats/places for the view. I really liked it that they don't let go a lot of people on the boat. The captain was so respectfull too the animals and did his ultimate best to fix the best spo Service was excellent! Drinks and delicatesses were served as much as you want and where brought to you. We did see a lot of short vinned pilot whales and a small group of bottled nose dolphins.…”
Spend eight hours in a small jeep group of up to six, crossing Madeira’s west and north coast with guides such as Paulo, Pedro, and Renato. Expect Cabo Girão’s glass skywalk, a bumpy Trompica trail, Seixal, Porto Moniz pools, Fanal Forest, and Ponta do Sol.
“fun, so much variety, great knowledge and places to visit and advise maybe check if pools are open for swimming before going?”
Join Lido Tours for an eight-hour guided walk from Funchal through Rabaçal Valley. Guides such as Sara, Ruby, and Robina lead you past Risco Waterfall, the 25 Fontes cascades, endemic plants, and an 800-meter tunnel. Hotel pickup, transport, and multilingual guiding are included.
“lovely walking tour. beautiful views and everything was prompt and walked at a good pace. great if you don't want to hire a car and still experience the famous walks”
Travel from Funchal through Câmara de Lobos, Cabo Girão, Ribeira Brava, Fanal Forest, Ribeira da Janela, Porto Moniz, Seixal, and São Vicente. Guides such as Tony, Carlos, Daniel, and Gama are praised for safe driving, humor, and clear local insight. Bring swimwear, water, and a warm jacket.
“It was most enjoyable, informative driver, lots of sights to see with the correct amount of time at each stop. We loved it!”
Pick a coast, a ridge or a cellar.
