By Gemma Tedaldi | Published: 18th November 2024 | Updated: 29th November 2024
Visiting the island of Madeira and want to experience the beautiful east, with its historic ancient capital, sugar mills and beautiful forests, but don’t want the hassle of driving? That is where a tour of the eastern part of Madeira comes in! From the wonderful Santana, to all the miradors you stop by, countless levadas and the longest tunnel on the island, why wouldn’t you want to visit the east of Madeira?
So here is our guide to the best one day Madeira east tour:
Planning Your Trip? Use our favourite travel resources below:
Accommodation: We recommend Booking.com
Rental Car: We recommend Rentalcars.com
Flights: We recommend Kiwi.com
Tours: We recommend Get Your Guide & Viator
Travel Insurance: World Nomads
During our trip to Madeira we took a couple of tours to explore the island, both in the west and east of Madeira, and we would highly recommend doing the same. With pick up and drop off at various hotels in the centre of Funchal and locations along the way that you may not have stopped at, taking a tour is a great way to explore the island. Plus there is no worry of driving, parking and not being able to sample the local wine / rum!
Best of Madeira’s East Tour
East Madeira is the place to visit if you want to learn about the history of Madeira. From the colourful timber houses at Santana, to the ancient capital of the island, to the last few working sugar mills and all the incredible viewpoints and levadas in between. The East of Madeira should definitely be on your list of places to visit from Funchal.
We can highly recommend stopping at the following places to try the local food and drink along the Madeira East tour:
📍 Santana – Lunch at Colmo in Santana is an added extra to the tour, and we would definitely recommend it, for a 3 course meal with drinks included its a great way to try the local food as well as meet some people on our tour.
📍 Porto de Cruz Sugar Mill – There are only a few rum and sugar mills on the island but the one in Porto de Cruz is fantastic for seeing the sugar cane being manufactured into sugar and of course rum!
During our Madeira East tour not only did we see some of the most beautiful locations on the island, but we also learnt so much about the culture and landscapes of Madeira too. From the fact that the local forests of Mimosa, Eucalyptus, Pine and Laurel are used to create paper (from the bark) and mosquito repellent (from the flowers), to that mostly women farm the land, the first sugar cane was planted where Funchal Cathedral is now located and to that there were originally 43 sugar mills across Madeira but there are now only 3 that create the rum, poncha rum, white sugar and black honey that you find on the island. (The black honey is used in the Bolo de Mel cake, which you simply have to try whilst in Madeira too!)
Languages spoken on the tour: English, French, German, Portuguese & Spanish
Where does the one day Madeira east tour start?
There is free pick up from most hotels in Funchal.
How long is the Madeira east tour?
The tour lasts around 8 hours, with a start time of 8:30am.
What are the main stops on the Madeira east tour?
To and from Funchal this is the order of the main stops on the Madeira east tour:
📍 Pico Arieiro (one of the highest points of the island)
📍 Levada walk at Ribeiro Frio
📍 Santana (including lunch if chosen, which we would recommend so you can try some local dishes!)
📍 Porto de Cruz North Mills Distillery & Sugar Mill (the perfect stop for trying some of the local brew!)
📍 Ponta de São Lourenço & Miradouro da Ponta do Rosto (at the very east of the island)
📍 Miradouro do Pico do Facho (viewpoint over the historic old capital and the airport)
What to bring on the one day Madeira east tour
Water & lunch / snacks, if you chose not to have lunch in Santana.
Book your Best of Madeira’s East Tour here!
Madeira East Tour Map
Where to stay in Funchal for the Madeira East Tour
We would highly recommend staying at Turim Santa Maria for the duration of your trip in Madeira. With a centrally located hotel, close to numerous restaurants and bars, and with its own rooftop bar and pool, it is the perfect place to stay whilst vising Madeira.
The Best One Day Madeira East Tour FAQs
Which is better the east or west of Madeira?
This slightly depends on what you want from your trip, with the east being windy, cooler and wetter and the west being sunnier, warmer and more sheltered. We absolutely loved both the east and west of Madeira s would highly recommend visiting both.
Is Funchal in Madeira walkable?
Funchal is very walkable and as it is quite small, you can easily walk around it in a day. From Turim Santa Maria where we were staying to the shorefront took roughly 15 minutes to walk, and its takes around 30 minutes to walk from Rua de Santa Maria to Santa Catarina Park.
How many days is good in Madeira / Can you do Madeira in 1 day?
We spent a week in Madeira and it was perfect for our first visit. If you have more days then of course spend more time, as you will be able to spend more time hiking or exploring the islands many levada trails. We would say though, if you are planning on visiting Madeira for only a day it is not worth it.
What is the best time of year to visit Madeira?
The best time of year to visit Madeira is in the spring, especially if you want warmer weather, less tourists and cheaper accommodation, as well as to see the island come to life with all the flowers blooming. We visited in April and it was the perfect blend of everything.
What is the cheapest month to visit Madeira?
The cheapest months to visit Madeira is over the winter and into the early spring, so from January through to early April. As this is a shoulder season in Madeira the prices for accommodation and flights are reduced, and you get to enjoy the island with less visitors too.
Where is the warmest place in Madeira?
The warmest place in Madeira is in Ponta do sol in the west of the island, with the coolest places being in the centre of the island around the mountain peaks. This is the only place in the island that often gets snow in the winter!
What is Madeira famous for?
Madeira is famous its incredible landscapes, from the tropical forest to the volcanic shores and all the levadas and flowers you can find in between, as well its Madeiran wine. It is perhaps most famous though for being the home of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Planning your own trip to Portugal? Be sure to download Wise by far the best currency conversion app around. We use it daily living on the border of two countries and it is a game changer when travelling!
Conclusion: The Best One Day Madeira East Tour
So there you have our guide to the best one day Madeira East Tour. This tour takes you to all the best viewpoints and locations around the east of Madeira and is a great way to experience this side of the island, without having to do the driving yourself.
All Our Portugal Content
Here are a few other articles you may find useful for planning your trip:
Gemma Tedaldi
Gemma is the owner and author of The Travelling Tedaldi, a travel blog helping travellers to discover the best road trips and travel itineraries throughout the UK and Europe. When she isn’t writing about her favourite travel destinations, she can often be found out exploring local hikes or planning future trips.