Madeira West Tour, Peaks & Waterfalls Tour- the first stop is a small fishing village, “Câmara de Lobos”,which is located west of Funchal where the port is a small creek, with a beach and a harbour and with the houses heaped up around the bay. It was named by João Gonçalves Zarco due to thousands of monk seals living in the bay. In 1949 Winston Churchill chose this place to paint its picturesque surroundings. Poncha is a locale drink made of honey, lemon and sugarcane rum, available in the local taverns
After visiting Camara de Lobos, the tour continues up to the worlds second highest sea cliff and Europe’s highest (580m) – (1775 ft). Here you can enjoy the beautiful views of Camara de Lobos and Funchal. Due to sea erosion, caves and terraces were formed along the coastline. The locals made little plots, for crops, forming an incredible watercolour landscape..
Ribeira Brava is the next stop on this journey. The town reflects the personality of the stream, from where it gets its name. Ribeira (river) Brava (wild). The mother church is its main point of interest. Build in the 16th Century it has undergone several alterations throughout time. It has a Flemish work of art and a valuable Manuel style baptism fountain. But its chandeliers are its main attraction. On the sea promenade the fort of São Bento is this town’s landmark .Here you can enjoy a cup of coffee
After leaving Ribeira Brava, 5 minutes later you arrive at Ponta do Sol. Ponta do Sol is the sunniest spot on the island, and that’s where it gets its name, sunny point. The town, with its old recovered buildings, in a maze of streets and cosy retreats has a touch of romanticism .A quiet and pretty little village shoe- horned into the folds of a steep valley overhung with dense banana plantation, with a relaxed and lively air.
we will find the Fanal forest, Fanal Forest is a magical forest on the Island. Often, but not always, there is mysterious fog in the forest amongst the 600 year old trees with there twisted branches, Once at Fanal WEATHER PERMITTING you will be able to do a 20 minutes walk in Laurel tree Forest (Optional)
Porto Moniz is Madeira’s most north-western valley. From Above, this dramatic village at the foot of the mountain is quite flat. The terraced slopes, lined with dry stone walls and fences, made of heather broom, shelter the crops from the northerly winds. Driving through a zigzag road we reach Porto Moniz. The main attractions are its beautiful natural pools. Porto Moniz is an important fishing village on the north coast .On the promenade which stretches from the naturals pools to the pier; you will find pleasant restaurants were you can try the local sea food or other delicious local dishes, or why not look at the aquarium, housed by the fort of Sao Joao Batista.
The tour then climbs 1.007mts (3.303 ft), passing through a forest to reach Encumeada pass which is your last stop on these Madeira West Tour. It is actually the islands most beautiful mountain pass. From the view point at the top, in good weather it is possible to view the North and South Coasts simultaneously. After leaving Encumeada pass, heading home, going down a scenic route through the pretty village of Serra de Água..
Located on the North Coast between two rows of basaltic lava, Sao Vicente is a charming little town with narrow picturesque streets, old houses, immaculately white. The mother church, dates to the 17th century. At the edge of the main road lies a park with coastal plants, endemic to Madeira. The volcanic caves can be found here. But, that is a tour on its own.
My wife and I really enjoyed this tour, experiencing the many varied and interesting places there are to visit in the west of Madeira. Our driver and guide for the day, Christian, was both very knowledgeable and flexible to adjust the tour to suit our needs. An excellent day out!
While the driver was friendly, he spoke with such a thick accent that he was very hard to understand. We spent most of the day driving, with a few stops along the way to take pictures. We would have liked to see more of the local culture and cities.
A lovely day that offers the chance to visit a huge variety of interesting and beautiful places. Well paced and not too tiring. Our driver Luca was very accommodating and nothing was too much trouble for him. We swapped phone numbers at the start of the day and we were able to spend as long as we chose at each stop.
5 of us booked a private trip in an 8 seater van, 160 euro to Gabo Girao, Fanal forest and Porto Moniz. João was our guide and he was excellent. A very steady driver with lots of info but he didn't talk incessantly! The sun shone and we were thrilled with every single bit of the trip. At Fanal forest, João knew the best place to stop far away from the masses of cars and we saw some very ancient trees. Porto Moniz was looking it's best, the cafe was expensive but good. To have a tailor made trip for 10 euros more than we would have paid separately was an added bonus. Loved this trip.
We were picked up from our hotel by Manuel, our guide for the day. Manuel was excellent and knowledgeable. He was very accommodating taking us to places that we wanted to visit, plus other places that he suggested. The vehicle was clean and comfortable and we felt safe with Manuel's driving. Visited Riberia Brava, Ponto do Sol, Port Moniz, Fanal forest, Seixal & St Vincente. I would definitely recommend this company . A fabulous day tour.
We had a full day private tour to west Madeira. Our driver Alex was a really good and helpfull guide. We got a lot of information, god hints and enjoided the whole trip. Felt like we got a special treat.
We did West Island tour and evening culture with meal Both excellent picked up from hotel door dropped back at hotel friendly knowledgeable drivers Evening trip was stunning
We had a wonderful visit. We had no idea what to expect when we planned to visit Madeira. The island is lush with beautiful plants, trees and flowers. The winding roads through the mountains offered spectacular views of the island. Our guide, Martin Freitas was great!!! I felt blessed to have met him. I contacted Martin before we left for Portugal to explain to him that my dad was born on Madeira Island and I wanted to see the house where my grandmother lived. I emailed Martin the address and he took us to see the street and the house that she had lived in. Martin gave us a wonderful tour of the highlights of Madeira Island. We were on a cruise and were only in port for the day. It was a memorable visit. I highly recommend Martin Freitas as a tour guide.
Lovely day taken at our pace, with plenty of time at each location. Guide was excellent so knowledgable and passionate about the island.
2nd Sept 2022 we had Chico as our driver, guide and all around expert on everything Madeira. The tour itself was worth every penny but Chico’s continuous commentary and knowledge just added to the value for money of the experience. Well done guys, I very rarely leave reviews but this experience needed to be recorded.
This was a wonderful tour. Joseph our guide and driver was great. He took us all around the island. He was friendly and knowledgeable about the island's history and natural history. We visited seaside villages, mountains and waterfalls. We saw a lot of the island but still felt that it was a relaxed and enjoyable tour. This is the best way to see Madeira!
I am so glad that we did this tour. The island is an amazing mix of tropical growth, rugged cliff shores, steep winding roads, waterfalls and right at the top...a flat plateau which is quite barren and it seemed as though we had reached the top of the world. We saw levadas and amazing scenery. The rock pools on the north east coast were incredible. How they were constructed right into the ocean is unbelievable. If it is hot take your swimsuit on this tour as there is time for a dip. Our guide was very knowledgeable and we came away knowing so much about Madeira. Even though we did this tour at the end of summer we did see one flowing waterfall. After winter there would be lots! The tour was none the less very enjoyable.
Journée avec un chauffeur/guide natif de l'ile (Manuel) Nous avons passé une excellente journée en sa compagnie et beaucoup échangé sur différents sujets (évolution de Madère, culture locale, climat, nature...) Il nous a fait découvrir de très beaux endroits et avons beaucoup apprit, merci.
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