The gorgeous island of Madeira is so mesmerizing and otherworldly that you’ll feel like you’re on a different planet. This post is a guide to the best Madeira tours.
If youʻre booking your trip to Madeira last minute, we have you covered. Below are some of the top tours, hotels, and more!
🌊 Top Experiences and Tours in Madeira:
- Catamaran dolphin and whale watching excursion (top tour in Madeira!)
- Luxury Catamaran whale-watching tour from Funchal
- Best of the West of Funchal (tour of western side of island)
- Best of the East of Funchal (tour of eastern side of island)
- Nuns Valley 1/2 day tour from Funchal
🛌 Top Hotels in Madeira:
- The Vine Hotel (luxury)
- Pestana CR7 (luxury)
- Hotel do Carmo (mid-range)
- The Marketplace by Storytellers (mid-range apartment)
🚗 Visiting Madeira independently? Be sure to book your rental car ahead of time to ensure availability!
These Madeira excursions will take you around the island and these tours on Madeira will allow you to see volcanoes, seals, and many glasses of delicious wine.
In this post...
Best Madeira Tours
The archipelago of Madeira is one of the most enchanting places in Europe. The volcanic islands are small but pack a punch with various types of scenery and amazing natural wonders.
Although mainly famous for being the birthplace of one of the world’s greatest soccer players, Madeira has so much more going for it.
There are so many things to do in Madeira besides visiting football sites and museums.
Madeira is made up of three main islands- the main island of Madeira, Porto Santo, and the uninhabitable Desertas Islands.
Despite their small size, there is plenty to do on all of Madeira’s islands, from hiking through the Valley of Nun to exploring lava tubes to sledging down the streets of Funchal.
The only difficulty with the islands is they are relatively difficult to navigate without a car or even with one.
There is just so much to see that I personally think the best way to make the most of the islands is to take an organized Madeira tour.
By taking a tour on Madeira, you get to sample local culture and learn the place’s history instead of whizzing through with a car and possibly missing something subtle that only a local would know about.
In this Madeira tours guide, I will show you the best tours available on all three islands. All tours will depart from the main island of Madeira.
Is a Madeira Tour For You?
To be honest, I didn’t have a car when I was visiting Madeira.
In a perfect world, I would have rented one and cruised and embarked on a pre-planned Madeira itinerary on my own… but after seeing the dramatic views, it wouldn’t have actually been a viable option for me.
I totally underestimated Madeira’s scenery (it is, literally, INSANE) and topography.
If you’re not renting a car on Madeira, but still want to see the best of the island, these tours are definitely for you.
It is also a great option for those renting cars but wanting a day or two breaks to enjoy places with a guide at an affordable price.
You also can’t just head over to Porto Santo or the Desertas Islands in your vehicle, so this is really your only option if you want to visit those islands.
Tours of Madeira (Main Island)
1. Old Funchal Walking Tour (2 Hours)
Learn all about the history and growth of Funchal on this informative tour.
Run in collaboration with the University of Funchal, your informative guides will walk you around the streets of Funchal taking you to some of the most historical and culturally important buildings of the city.
The sites you will see range from the areas devastated by the great fire of Funchal to the Fortress of St James and other buildings that sprouted up during the golden age of sugarcane.
The tour lasts around two hours and is available in several languages including, English, German, and Spanish.
The money earned from this tour goes towards helping students who are struggling financially at the University of Funchal.
⇒ Click here to see tour rates and availability
2. Madeira West Island Full-Day Tour with Levada Walk (8 Hours)
The best way to explore the island of Madeira is to split it in half, tackling the west and the east side separately and on different days.
This tour will take you through the western half of Madeira, where you will head to scenic viewpoints and charming seaside towns such as Camara de Lobos (where Winston Churchill used to vacation and paint and prehistoric Laurissilva Forest).
The tour also includes a short levada walk. Levada walks are famous across the island and follow the irrigation channels used for agriculture.
The tour includes a fantastic three-course menu paired with local wine. At the end of the tour, you will stop for the famous Madeiran Cocktail of Poncha.
The tour lasts around eight hours and includes a pickup from your hotel in Funchal as well as lunch. It is available in several languages including English, German, and Spanish.
⇒ Click here to see tour rates and availability
3. Madeira East Island Tour and Levada Walk (8 Hours)
Despite being small, the island differs dramatically from east to west. This tour will take you through Madeira’s eastern wonders.
There are plenty of magical viewpoints as you travel along the eastern coast of Madeira and up to the third-highest peak on the island.
While on this tour, you will also experience many cultural activities such as wicker basket making and the A-frame houses of Santana.
You will walk along a levada to Balcões, an incredibly scenic walk covered in lush green forests and amazing viewpoints along the way.
You will enjoy a three-course meal at one of the most famous restaurants on the island which comes with a glass of local table wine.
As you return to Funchal, you will head to Pico do Facho where you may see the Desertas Islands, weather permitting.
The tour lasts around eight hours and includes all activities and hotel pick-up from Funchal or Canico. This is one of the essential Madeira tours you must take when visiting the island.
⇒ Click here to see tour rates and availability
4. From Funchal: Enchanted Terraces and Porto do Moniz Tour (8 Hours)
Explore the northwest of the island in a four-wheel drive vehicle.
The experienced tour guide knows the island inside and out and as you head to the lava pools of Porto do Moniz… you will stop off at hidden spots along the way that are known to locals and have a little cultural experience.
As you whizz around the island in the comfort of a four-wheel drive, you will be able to access spots that average tours can’t reach.
There will be a stop in Seixal to explore the black sandy beaches and enjoy some lunch, although lunch is not included in the price.
This tour of Madeira lasts around eight hours and includes pick up and drop off at hotels around Funchal. Other pick-up locations are available upon request and at an additional cost.
⇒ Click here to see tour rates and availability
5. Half-Day São Vicente Caves and Volcano Center Tour (4 Hours)
Learn all about the formation of Madeira and its geological history at the Sao Vicente Caves. These huge lava caves are the biggest on the island and provide an amazing insight into how the island was formed.
Along the guided tour, you will learn all about the types of rock that formed the island and how the long tubes were formed.
After exploring the depths of the lava tubes, you will enjoy a 3D film which walks through the history of the island’s formation and how it came to be in its current state.
This Madeira tour, including transfer to and from Funchal, takes around four hours.
⇒ Click here to see tour rates and availability
6. Nuns Valley, Monte, and Sleigh Ride Tour (4 Hours)
If you are looking for a short tour to show you the highlights of the island, this is your Madeira excursion. You will travel to Nuns valley, where the Nuns of Funchal fled to escape marauding pirates who used to regularly attack the island and loot the riches.
Along the way, you can try delicious local treats such as the island’s traditional chestnut cake. You will then head to the beautiful Monte with stunning gardens.
The final site of the day will be the traditional Madeiran activity of street tobogganing where you will fly down the streets toward the city on this hair-raising activity.
The tour includes hotel pick up in the price as well as the sleigh ride.
⇒ Click here to see tour rates and availability
7. Dolphin and Whale Watching by Luxury Catamaran (2.5 Hours)
There are few better things in the world than seeing wild animals in their natural environment.
Take a trip on this amazing catamaran where you will cruise around the island looking out for majestic whales and dolphins, sperm whales, and common dolphins.
These marine mammals are year-round residents and during spring, many other whales will pass through the area on their migratory routes.
You will sail to the world’s second-highest sea cliff where the boat will anchor and you can swim in the blue waters (in summer). Goggles and snorkels are available to use for free on board.
On board the boat, you will have the choice between sitting inside the luxury cabin or out on the deck where you can lounge in the sun on sunbeds or the trampoline nets. The trip will last two and a half hours with the meeting point being at the harbor.
⇒ Click here to see tour rates and availability
8. Desertas Islands Full-Day Catamaran Trip (9 Hours)
Head out to the Desertas Islands, an amazing nature reserve and home to one of the world’s rarest seals.
The islands, despite attempts throughout history, have never been inhabited, with the arid and dry land proving impossible to support human life.
However, where humans have failed, animals tend to thrive with several introduced species thriving on the islands.
The most important life on the islands is a small population of the Mediterranean monk seal, one of the rarest seals in the world.
The tour will take you to the largest of Desertas Islands, Deserta Grande, where you will have the opportunity to swim in the waters around the island.
You will also tour the island and learn about the efforts to conserve the population of seals that have suffered from hundreds of years of overhunting and revenge killings by fishermen.
The tour lasts for around nine hours and includes lunch and drinks. You will meet the tour at the harbor.
⇒ Click here to see tour rates and availability
Where to Stay in Madeira
If you’re looking for a base for your entire trip, I recommend staying in Funchal.
Funchal is the main city in Madeira and all tours above begin in and out of the city so you will find it the most convenient for your trip planning.
If you’re looking to stay in an alternative place for a night or two, however, I can recommend Sao Vicente as I stayed there and loved its calm demeanor and gorgeous views.
⇒ Click here to check out hotels in Funchal
There are many amazing tours in Madeira that you can join up on during your trip to the island.
More Madeira Travel Guides
Megan is a travel blogger and writer with a background in digital marketing. Originally from Richmond, VA, she now splits her time between Frankfurt, Germany and Arctic Finland after also living in Norway, Armenia, and Kazakhstan. She has a passion for winter travel, as well as the Nordic countries, but you can also find her eating her way through Italy, perusing perfume stores in Paris, or taking road trips through the USA. Megan has written for or been featured by National Geographic, Forbes, Lonely Planet, the New York Times, and more. She co-authored Fodor’s Travel ‘Essential Norway’ and has visited 45 US states and 100+ countries.
Have been fortunate to spend two vacations on Madeira. Having traveled over 100.000 rental car miles to every corner of Western Europe, finally discovered Portugal and its satellite Madeira. It is truly one awesome place to enjoy. The airport alone is worth the visit!! And, on your next trip, be sure to take in a couple of the Canary Islands.