Madeira Walking Food & Drink Tour

This is a self guided tour without a guide. Despite that it was really good because you could visit the locations at your own pace. The tapas and tastings were very plentiful so come hungry! Lots of opportunities to pick up some treasures to take home! We were served some local delicacy such as squid salad. Tasted some amazing chocolates with a delicious cappuccino.

You need to have Internet access with your phone and you are told all the stops to make in order and a direction link makes walking from one place to the other very easy. The Shop and Restaurant owners were so nice and it was a wonderful experience.

We had a wonderful time on the self-guided food and wine tour! Joana met us at our first stop, and her communication was great, helpful, and fun. We loved being able to do the experience completely at our own pace. Highly recommend!

Brilliant experience. Uncovered some hidden gems we would have never found on our own. Excellent value for money.

Great experience which we really enjoyed. Neil, the host met us as planned at the first food stop where we had a wonderful tapas lunch. The chocolate stop was next with which we chose the Madeira wine drink option. All the stops were lovely but our next favourite was the cheese and wine tasting where the shop owner was so passionate about his products.

Enjoyed the self guided tour Well organized and yhe food was delicious Especially liked the cheese and the Taste of Portugal was a unique experience

What a great way to spend an afternoon in Funchal without having to decide where to go! Excellent choices of food and wine, we particularly enjoyed the tapas and Poncha, the cheese tasting and we had the best pastel de nata ever! The shop with tubes of chocolate and sauces was really interesting, and of course we had to buy some! Very easy walking distance, great value for money and great communication from Neil and Joana.

While all the stops on this tour were lovely in their own right, this was definitely NOT full of "hidden gems" and in our opinion was not value for money! Stop 1: 3 small appetisers to share between 2 people plus 1 drink each (very nice place that we already had visited previously on our own). Stop 2: 3 tiny chocolate samples and the TINIEST sample of Madeira wine (barely even a sip!) Stop 3: CLOSED! (which we were only informed of on the day and as a substitute we collected a takeaway bag of biscuits at the 2nd location) Stop 4: A unique store that sells handmade pastes to compliment meat & cheese. A few TINY cubes of bread & cheese each to sample the paste flavours and a small glass of Madeira wine. Stop 5: Pastel de nata & coffee (€1.80 in value- not a unique place- we saw at least 3 of this chain store in downtown Funchal). We simply cannot understand how the provider can justify the expense of this experience and we cannot in good conscience recommend anyone else to book. We have done several similar concept tours in other locations and never been disappointed before. I did reach out to the provider before posting this review and they didn't even bother to reply unfortunately. You win some, you lose some I guess!

Trying out the best food in Madeira has never been made easier. The Madeira Foodies tour was fun, insightful and absolutely delicious. I would recommend it to anyone. The venues are pretty close to each other too so it’s easy on foot to try out the best of Madeira’s local food and wine while taking in the exquisite coastal views.

The organisers are very friendly and the communication excellent. Loved the first venue - the Poncha was the best I’ve tried so far. The cheese place was a highlight as the host super friendly. A great self paced tour - definitely recommend for you to give it a try.

It was such a wonderful experience! A well-curated tour that gives you a little bit of everything Madeira has to offer. One of our favorite stops was the new "Taste of Portugal".

Loved this new self guided food and drink tour in Funchal. Great way to be introduced to local foods restaurants and markets.

Amazing Experience, great way to eat and see funchal, ideal for the first day you arrive.

It was absolutely amazing! One of the highlights of our trip to Madeira! The self-guided tour concept works brilliantly. It provides just the right amount of structure for exploring a new city while still giving you the freedom to wander at your own pace and soak in the atmosphere of Funchal’s Old Town. Niel and Joana have created the perfect way to discover Madeira’s local favorites while experiencing the charm and history of the Old Town. They were also incredibly responsive before and during the tour, which made everything seamless. Every single stop exceeded our expectations, and it was clear they carefully selected businesses that truly showcase the best of Madeira. We couldn’t recommend this tour more highly and will absolutely be recommending it to all of our friends and family if they visit Madeira. If you’re looking for an authentic, delicious, and flexible way to experience the island, this is the tour to book!

Great that the tour was at our own pace and easy to follow. We enjoyed the extra time to people watch at the outdoor cafes while we enjoyed tasty food and drink.

All the stops on this tour were wonderful, especially Queijaria da Avó! While three of the stops were more dessert-focused, the self-guided format let us explore at our own pace, browse local shops, and enjoy the area between tastings. The directions were clear, making it easy to find each stop and follow the route. Overall, it was a fun and enjoyable experience.

At your own pace, was so nice to have so many things to see in town between our tastings. Everyone was so nice!

Having done a few food walking food tours through Europe this was a new concept for self guided. We loved it! Allowed for our own pace and was a great tool to use to walk about the city. It allows for the shops to explain their own products as well, especially enjoyed the cheese shop stop! Obrigada!

It was a lovely, self guided, food tour. There are 5 stops. With the exception of the first, you can do them in any order and pace them how you'd like. It was fun to try different desserts and cheeses.

A very nice selection of food and drink, handpicked with local insight. WE got to enjoy cheese, Bolo do Caco (Madeiran bread), chocolate, to famous bakery goods and more! The self guided food tour was an interesting way to experience the food culture at our own pace.

:We had a fantastic time on our walking food tour. We received clear instructions that morning, including links to each restaurant and easy-to-follow directions. We did take a few wrong turns along the way, but that only added to the fun and adventure! Every venue we visited served delicious food, and each stop offered something different. The highlight for us was enjoying the most amazing cheese paired with a superb vinho tinto at 11am in Queijaria da Avó. A special mention must go to Denis, our host there, who was incredibly welcoming, knowledgeable, and passionate about the food and wine. He really made the experience memorable. Overall, a wonderful way to explore the local food scene, and we would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Madeira. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tour included lots of places we would never have discovered for ourselves. All in comfortable walking distance of each other. Purchased from several of the destinations - chocolate, cheese, honey cake fir the rest of our stay! Just a pity we didn't get to meet Neil, who was on holiday!

This is a self guided tour. When I booked I thought we would have a guide. It’s our first trip to Madeira and we usually do a walking tour when traveling to get our bearings. We did enjoy ourselves. All the stops were different and the food offerings were very generous. I would recommend just have someone in your group who is good at navigating as the internet wasn’t behaving.

Absolutely brilliant self guided food tour. The organiser, Neil, met us at the start to explain how it worked. We were booked at the first restaurant at 12.30 then were free to follow the WhatsApp locations to the other 5 venues. We had a choice of three delicious tapas and wine at the first restaurant, chocolates and coffee or Madeira wine at the second venue, warm Portuguese bread at the third, biscuits and cake at the fourth, followed by samples of yummy Azores cheese (thanks to lovely Dennis) and finally pastel de nata with coffee. We felt we’d had a real taste of Portuguese food at places that we would have just walked past, otherwise. It was excellent value for money and took us about 3 hours. The whole tour is very flexible and we could have taken longer. Neil, what a brilliant idea!

Had a great time and really enjoyed that it was self guided giving us the freedom to move through the stops on our own schedule. Every stop was great and they were ready us when we arrived. I definitely recommend this tour!

We had a blast on this tour. It was very well organized - each business was expecting our arrival. We were able to go at our own pace and try unique items we wouldn’t have tried on our own. Come hungry as this was a very filling tour at a great price!

Neil sent us instructions via WhatsApp and he met us on the tour. Really nice guy and he’s curated some lovely places to eat. It’s unique in that you can go at your own pace and take it easy. There’s plenty to eat along the way and this is highly recommended.

We chose this tour because we liked the idea of a self-guided food tour, because of the flexible start times and based on reviews. Communication from the provider was very good, sending the itinerary by Whats App with good information on each location. Neil also provided some ideas of other places to visit. We really enjoyed the self-guided aspect of the tour because we were able to do each place at our own pace and in the order we preferred plus take a break when we wanted. Voucher / ticket worked really well with all providers, simple to mention who we were doing the tour with and show them the ticket (on my phone) to do the tastings. We felt a self-guided tour, made it easier and better for the providers and for us; no large group filling up a restaurant or shop and more one on one with the providers than previous group tours we’ve been on. We felt it hit the highlights of Madeira food really well and thought the price offered good value for money based on the tastings and items we received.

Fantastic experience from start to finish. All stops were high quality and well considered to experience the food of Madeira. I would highly recommend it was excellent value for money and Neil and Joana were helpful and easy to contact. Overall a great experience taken at your own pace which was great.

There were six stops on this self-guided food tour. You really can go at your own pace as every stop is expecting you. A couple of places do need you to arrive at a specific time. I’ve never done a food tour, let alone a self-guided one but I would again. This was my first day in Maderia and a great way to start both exploring the city of Funchal by foot and start experiencing local food and drink. One stop was a sort of wine museum which I’d never think to go alone as I’m not too interested but I am actually glad is included as it allowed me to learn more about the island and its wine industry both historically and at present. At another stop, you may end up having a tapas style lunch with others on the tour so nice to meet other solo travellers in particular. Also, in terms of value for money it’s great. I did my best to try and work and costs and it DOES work out for the better rather than trying the places alone. This your took me personally about 5 hours but it could have been 6. Watch out for this: do make sure you know exactly what’s going to be offered at every stop. I only half paid attention (all information was provided but in a paragraph and for me personally I can forget easily). All but one stop knew exactly what they were doing and what to offer. E.g. at one I was asked if I’d like to try some wine and which one (it was included). At another stop (a new addition I am given to understand), I was told “You can have a drink as well, which one would you like?” (Or these kinds of words) and so chose a drink. When leaving was told to pay and the worker said “I thought you knew”. Naturally, had I paid very close attention to each stop they are right, but I feel for anyone who’s read what’s included, then set off to each stop finding each place is only offering what’s included it was a surprise at the last stop when the format was different. This drink was only 2€ and I enjoyed it so it mattered little but I think it’s worth being aware.

Enjoyed the tour. Would have like some more information about the food we were given.

I really liked the self-guided format. You could take your time, take a detour, skip one and go back to it.... Worked really well just showing the business owner the ticket. And I tried some Maderia dishes that I never would have ordered on my own and were really delicious. Also , the price was reasonable and I didn't overeat.

First stop was fantastic and we spent a minority of the time there. 3/5 stops were dessert style stops. Not what I expect with a “foodie” tour.

I really loved this tour. As a solo traveller I’ve often done foodie tours but always in a guided group so wasn’t sure how this would work for me but it was brilliant! One of the most daunting things about dining alone can be just walking through the door of a restaurant but each establishment was expecting me, knew my name and made me very welcome. Not having a schedule meant I could spend time wandering around between courses. The food was all delicious and I think the whole experience was excellent value for money.

Wonderful choice of eateries and a great way to explore Funchal. The hosts were very interesting and welcoming. Would 100% recommend

Very enjoyable and self sufficient food tour . Neil came to meet us at the first restaurant and the places he has picked are all top notch . It easy really nice being able to go at our own pace and lollygag awhile of we felt like it . We bumped into neil a few days later on the street and he helped us with directing us back to our hotel !

We managed to spend 5 hours wandering around these lovely eateries, taking in the sights, sounds and beautiful aromas of Funchal ! The food and wine was amazing and oh the cheese :) :) . Great way to spend a long rainy afternoon

This was a great experience in every way - brilliantly organised and a treat to see more of Funchal while tasting amazing food and drink.

We particularly liked that this is a self-guided tour, so you can do it at your own pace. They were all typical of Madeira, some of which we wouldn't have known about if we hadn't done the tour. Our tour included 1 savoury meal and 4 sweet treats (chocolate, biscuits, cheese, and pastel de nata). Although they were all very nice, we expected more savoury options, especially since the only one was more like "tapas".

This foodie tour is an absolute must if you want to experience the essence of Madeira in just one afternoon. It offers a fantastic opportunity to taste a wide variety of local flavors, from traditional dishes to sweet island treats. Each tasting adds depth to the experience, giving you a true sense of the island’s riches. The food selection is impressive, showcasing authentic Madeiran specialties that reflect the region’s culinary traditions. Between stops, you’re also treated to delicious local sweets—perfect little moments that round out the tour and add a touch of indulgence. Overall, it’s a well-paced, engaging experience. Whether you’re a food lover or just curious about local culture, this tour is a great way to explore it all in a relaxed and enjoyable setting.

This foodie tour was one of the best ways to expérience the local foods. You ‘re not just tasting great food, you are also learning the stories and traditions. Highly recommended for anyone who loves discovering hidden gems and authentic flavours

A really good way to find some of the best hidden gems of Funchal food. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience, all the retailers were very friendly and the self guided aspect added a further dimension. Highly recommended, good value.

This foodie tour was a fantastic experience and a great way to discover the traditional foods and drinks of Madeira Island while connecting with the local culture. Having your own pace is great and the location of each spot makes it great to visit Funchal while visiting the different spots. The tour takes you to 5 different places, each with its own unique character, which keeps the experience varied and engaging throughout. The highlights were definitely Jaquet and Queijaria da Avó—everything was delicious, and the explanation from the owner at Queijaria was truly outstanding, full of passion and knowledge. A big thank you to the organizers for their attention to detail and for always making sure everything ran smoothly. It was a very well-organized tour from start to finish. Highly recommended for anyone looking to experience the authentic flavors of the island!

We had such a great experience on this foodie tour! It was the perfect way to taste and explore the traditional foods and drinks of Madeira Island at our on pace and time! The highlights were definitely Jaquet and Queijaria da Avó. The food was absolutely delicious, and the explanation given by the owner at Queijaria was fantastic—so passionate and informative, it really made the experience even more special. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone who loves getting in touch with the real, authentic flavors of the island. A must-do!

This is a really great way to spend a day in Funchal ! The first time we have done a self guided food & drink tour so we weren’t sure what to expect! It exceeded our expectations - Neil kept us fully informed and met us at our first venue with his lovely partner. We loved that we could choose where to visit next and could take our time at each venue. Excellent value for money.

Great experience and value! The guides were friendly and offered additional suggestions for things to do in Funchal. All of the merchants were happy to provide info on their items, and there wasn't any pressure to upsell. I gained a greater appreciation of the local cuisine and enjoyed the variety.

It's a new type of half- guided tour. I was very happy with the quality and informative organisation! (we had Neil as our guide). I'd like to join a similar city tour next time. The tour organiser provided us with locations and pre-booking for each spot; so we just show up with our ticket. We could be flexible about when and how we get there - can go with a companies or by yourself. I bought some cheese, wine and chocolate. It’s a creative tour business that benefits both guests and the local economy. wow. However, if guests aren't familiar with city exploration with Google Maps and don’t have stable internet connection during the tour, this tour might not be suitable.

Excellent. Very enlightening. Organiser very supportive. It was a great way to explore Funchal at your own pace.

Fantastic walking tour, really great tapas and food.