15 Walking Tours in Madeira Worth Booking

1.Old Town Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 3,233 reviews · 2 hours · from $19Our pick

Meet at the University of Madeira’s Jesuits’ College for a small-group walk through Funchal. You’ll see City Hall, the Farmers’ Market, Santa Maria Street, churches, fortifications and a traditional wine lodge, with guides such as Annabelle, Elias and Elea bringing the city’s past to life.

“Our guide was very well prepared and gave us a lot of useful information about Funchal. She is a volunteer from France and we were very impressed with her knowledge and the clarity with which she conveyed historical and current facts about the city. She was one of the best local guides we have ever had.”

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2.Enjoy a Guided Levada Walk in the Rabaçal Valley

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 2,197 reviews · 8 hours · from $50

Join guides such as Sara or Ruby for an eight-hour levada walk from Funchal to Rabaçal Valley. Expect waterfalls, endemic plants, steep steps, a wet 800-meter tunnel, hotel pickup, and a moderate hike best suited to walkers with sturdy shoes and good knees.

“An excellent trip if you want to explore the Risco and 25 Fonts levada trails with an experienced guide. The terrain is mixed - expect stepped downhill terrain (which can be slippery when raining), uphill stretches (moderate intensity) and flat stretches, including an 800m tunnel section. Wear sturdy shoes and pack a raincoat. Our guide Sara was friendly and passionate about sharing her knowledge with the group. We gained lots of valuable insights and Highly recommend.”

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3.East Madeira Island Guided Tour & Laurissilva Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,194 reviews · 7 hours · from $35

Spend seven hours touring East Madeira with guides such as Bruna, Guilherme, Diego, and Joana. You’ll see Pico do Arieiro, walk a short levada trail near Ribeiro Frio, visit Santana and Faial, taste sugarcane rum in Porto da Cruz, and finish at Ponta do Rosto.

“we had the best guide en driver, Bruna. So thank you for the amazing Day. we did see a lot off things. she told us a lot off the island. so again, many thanks.”

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4.Madeira East Island Tour and Levada Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 787 reviews · from $63

Travel Madeira’s east in a small, air-conditioned minibus with a local guide such as Lucy, Carlos, or Tony. Reach Pico do Arieiro at 1,818 meters, walk the Balcões levada, visit Santana and Porto da Cruz, enjoy lunch on the shared tour, and take in coastal views.

“I enjoyed this tour a lot! Toni was a wonderful guide, highly recommended!:)”

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5.Food and Wine Walking Tour in Funchal

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 469 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $111

Spend 3.5 hours walking central Funchal with an English-speaking guide such as Matt, Roberto, or Isabel. Visit eight venues for 11 food tastings and six drinks, including Madeira wine, poncha, bolo do caco, honey cake, market fruit, and local seafood.

“Our tour was informative and good idea to do on your first day to get to know Funchal. However we did have my son with us who had a nut allergy and on other Street food tours the food had been adapted to allow for this but this tour didn't.”

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6.Madeira Peaks Mountain Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 380 reviews · 8 hours · from $50

Travel by air-conditioned van from Funchal to Madeira’s high peaks, then hike from Pico do Arieiro toward Pico Ruivo and Achada do Teixeira. Guides such as Sara, Charlotte, and Rubi lead the demanding route, explain local plants and history, and adjust the plan when mountain weather turns poor.

“Awesome day Charlotte was very supportive, knowledgeable and was always cheerful Loved the walk , great company”

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7.Santana Jeep Safari and Balções Levada Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 219 reviews · from $71

Spend a full day touring eastern Madeira by jeep, from Pico do Areeiro and the Balcões Levada to Santana’s thatched homes, Porto da Cruz rum, and Ponta de São Lourenço. Guides including Victor, Miguel, David, and Severino are praised for lively local insight. Pickup is available in Funchal and Caniço.

“A great activity in Madeira! Ruben was very friendly and we enjoyed the insights he gave us about the island. Timely pickup from the accommodation and the ride was very enjoyable.”

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8.Levada Walk and Caldeirao Verde Waterfalls: Madeira

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 205 reviews · 7 hours · from $46

Follow a guide from Queimadas Forest Park along Madeira’s Caldeirão Verde levada for 4.5 hours. Expect Laurisilva forest, narrow paths, low tunnels, waterfalls, Santana views, and a picnic stop near the green lagoon. Alvaro, Afonso, and Philip are among the guides praised for humor and helpful advice.

“One of the best hikes on Madeira for seeing the Laurisilva Forest!”

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9.Nuns Valley Easy Walk with Mountain Surroundings

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 165 reviews · from $26

Travel from Funchal in a small minibus for a 360-degree Pico dos Barcelos stop, mountain views at Eira do Serrado, and an easy path above Curral das Freiras. Guides such as Norbert and Benjamin provide commentary in English, German, or Portuguese. The tour includes pickup and limits the group to eight.

“A really great half day tour, Benjamin our driver was really good and gave us lots of information regarding our visit during the tour, also thought it was very good value for money”

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10.Madeira Island: Caldeirão Verde Levada Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 159 reviews · 7 hours · from $54

Walk 13km through Madeira’s UNESCO-listed Laurissilva Forest to Caldeirão Verde, passing four basalt tunnels and an emerald lagoon. A multilingual mountain guide leads the 4.5-hour route, with hotel pickup, transport, insurance, and time at the waterfall included. Bring sturdy shoes, food, water, and rain gear.

“It was really good and Marta explained everything carefully emphasising the importance of safety. Unfortunately as we were coming back to the minibus the rain came on very heavy and everyone got soaked. Also minibus seating was a bit cramped for six footers among us. But apart from that really enjoyable.”

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11.Serra de Água Valley Levada Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 154 reviews · 4 hours · from $38

Follow a mostly flat 5km levada through Serra de Água with a multilingual guide such as Ruby, Patricia, or Natalia. Expect forest, plantations, native plants, and views toward Encumeada, Ribeira Brava, Campanário, and the south coast, plus a cafe stop after the walk.

“We really enjoyed this light walk on a beautiful landscape. Our guide Natalia explained everything along the walk and we learned about some interesting plants on the island.”

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12.Rabaçal 25 Fountains Levada Walk & Cabo Girão

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 117 reviews · from $67

Join a small group of up to eight for a guided 25 Fountains levada hike, an 800-meter volcanic tunnel, off-road forest roads, and Cabo Girão’s glass viewpoint. Guides such as Julia, Gil, Ruben, Pedro, and Luis bring local stories and humor. Lunch and the €3 skywalk entry cost extra.

“We had a fantastic day with Julia as our guide. The levada walk to 25 fountains was excellent and Julia was knowledgeable and friendly. The off road experience was great fun and the viewing platform at Cabo Girão gave some amazing views. We were so impressed with the whole experience and would highly recommend Julia and the company! Thank you!”

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13.Fanal / Assobiadores – Levada Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 93 reviews · 8 hours · from $50

Spend eight hours walking from Paul da Serra to Fanal with a multilingual guide such as Sara. You’ll cross Madeira’s UNESCO-listed Laurissilva forest, pass views toward Ribeira da Janela and Chão da Ribeira, and need to carry your own food.

“Sara was great! I really enjoyed the walk. Unfortunately the weather was not on our side for the views but it was suitably misty to make the forest atmospheric! Sara taught us a lot about the flora we came across and had interesting anecdotes about her time as a guide.”

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14.Paradise Valley Levada Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 74 reviews · 4 hours · from $38

Join a multilingual guide for a relaxed 4-hour, roughly 5-kilometer walk along Madeira’s century-old Levada da Serra do Faial. Expect a flat path, forest, gardens, terraces, Camacha views, and a possible café stop. Pickup is available from selected hotels.

“It was nice and easy walk. The guide told a lot about Madeira. There was a stop at a small cafe where besides snacks we could buy fruits from a local farmer.”

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15.Câmara de Lobos/Sky Walk (Cabo Girão) : Private Tuk Tuk Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 72 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $64Top rated

Ride from central Funchal to Câmara de Lobos and Cabo Girão’s Sky Walk in a private tuk tuk. Your English or Portuguese-speaking guide may adjust the route for weather, stop for photos, and share local stories. Guides such as Carla, Virgilio, Fredy, Ines, and Andrea have earned praise for friendly, careful service.

“We had a great trip with Fredy. He picked us up just on time and took us on a great ride to see Cabo Girão and Câmara de Lobos. No rush and plenty of time for photos and we even stopped for Puncha in a small local place. Fredy was very kind, fun and knowledgeable- we couldn't have asked for a better guide! We will definitely recommend this trip if you want to try something fun without spending an entire day.”

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