The 15 Best Madeira Walking Tours

1.Funchal: Old Town Walking Tour

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

Meet at the Jesuits’ College for a two-hour walk through Funchal with Madeiran Heritage guides such as Annabelle, Elias, Hannah, and Elea. Visit the Farmers’ Market, old streets, churches, fort remains, a sweet factory, and a traditional wine lodge while supporting University of Madeira student programmes.

“Elias was an excellent guide. He made the walk enjoyable and interesting and we were really impressed by his knowledge. We were satisfied that we had seen a good part of the old town of Funchal.”

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2.Madeira: Enjoy a Guided Levada Walk in the Rabaçal Valley

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

Join a guided day trip from Funchal to Madeira’s Rabaçal Valley. Walk the Risco and Levada das 25 Fontes trails, see cascades dropping into a lagoon, and pass through an 800-meter water tunnel. Guides such as Sara and Ruby add useful plant, wildlife, and safety tips.

“it was a wonderful trip. the guide was amazingly knowledgeable and very interesting. it was a fabulous walk along the levadas, finishing with a walk through a tunnel which was exciting. a definite must for the experience.”

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3.Madeira Walks – Rabaçal and the 25 Fountains

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,204 reviews · 8 hours · from $50

Join a guided 8-hour hike from Funchal to Rabaçal and the 25 Fountains. Walk beside levadas, waterfalls, springs, and a small lake, then pass through an 800-meter tunnel. Guides such as Nuno, Marta, Anna, and Emanuel are praised for safety, local knowledge, and a friendly pace.

“Great day out- the guide took good care of us. He was pleasant and informative.”

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4.Funchal: East Madeira Island Guided Tour & Laurissilva Walk

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

Spend seven hours touring Madeira’s east with a multilingual guide such as Bruna, Guilherme, Diego, or William. See Pico do Arieiro, walk a short levada trail to a viewpoint, visit Santana and Porto da Cruz, taste sugarcane rum, and finish at Ponta de São Lourenço.

“Diego was a great guy sympathetic and knowledgeable. Thanks to him and to the beauty of Madeira the trip was just amazing”

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5.Madeira East Island Tour and Levada Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 800 reviews · 8 hours · from $64

Spend eight hours crossing Madeira’s eastern highlands and coast with a multilingual guide such as Lucy, Carlos, Tony, or Gama. Expect Pico do Arieiro, the Balcões levada, Santana cottages, a three-course shared-tour lunch, Porto da Cruz rum tasting, and big views near Faial, Machico, and São Lourenço.

“lovely tour of the Eastern side of the island. Miguel was a great guide.”

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6.Taste Funchal: food, wine and cultural tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 680 reviews · 4 hours · from $109

Walk Funchal’s old center with guides such as Ana, Anna, Elda, and Darleen, stopping for Madeira wine, poncha, market fruit, pastries, lunch, biscuits, and local dishes. Expect about four hours of food, history, and easy conversation in Portuguese, English, French, or German.

“It was a lovely day! Nice tourguide and nice food!”

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7.Small Group Walks Rabaçal 25 Fontes

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 548 reviews · 4 hours · from $53

Join Paulo or another official mountain guide for a four-hour small-group walk through Madeira’s Laurissilva forest to the 25 Fontes waterfall. Follow a levada, pass through a long tunnel, learn about local plants and history, and finish with optional poncha.

“My family and I took this tour today, and it was a truly special experience. The guide picked us up on time and drove us to the starting point of the hike. He shared many interesting facts about the vegetation and about Madeira in general. It was a very varied hike, made even better by our guide. We loved every single second of it. The view of the waterfall is breathtaking and absolutely worth the walk. The levada creates a very unique atmosphere. After the hike, we stopped at a small, charming bar to enjoy a poncha and have a nice chat. There we learned even more about local life…”

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8.Madeira: Food and Wine Walking Tour in Funchal

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

Walk through Funchal with a guide such as Matt, Roberto, Isabel, or Ana, stopping at eight local venues for Madeira wine, poncha, seafood, sweets, fruit, chocolate, and regional dishes. The relaxed 3.5-hour route suits first-time visitors who want food, history, and city orientation in one outing.

“Not only did we get to try some delicious food and drinks, but the portion sizes were good. I came away feeling full. Our guide, Roberto, was very knowledgeable about the island/city and shared his knowledge with a bit of humour! It was a good size group (10) so a great trip.”

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9.From Funchal: Madeira Peaks Mountain Walk

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

Travel by air-conditioned van from Funchal to Madeira’s high mountains, then hike toward Pico Ruivo with a multilingual guide. Expect steep steps, uneven paths, cable railings, native plants, ancient heather trees, and wide views above the clouds. Bring lunch, water, sturdy shoes, and warm layers.

“Great hike but previous experience definitely helps as it can be physically quite hard on some parts of the hike but the view is worth it!”

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10.Madeira: Santana Jeep Safari and Referta Levada Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 239 reviews · 8 hours · from $72

Spend eight hours exploring eastern Madeira by Jeep and on foot, from Pico do Arieiro at 1,818 metres to Santana, Porto da Cruz, and Ponta de São Lourenço. Expect a gentle levada walk, short hikes, off-road driving, local farming scenery, and guides such as Pedro, Miguel, Gil, and David.

“Excellent trip out exactly as advertised. Our guide John was entertaining and knowledgeable about the island. His driving was spot on and totally safe. L9ved the short off roa Highly recommended”

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11.Levada Walk and Caldeirao Verde Waterfalls: Madeira

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

Walk about 4.5 hours from Queimadas Forest Park along Madeira’s levadas to Caldeirão Verde waterfall. Guides such as Alvaro bring local nature knowledge and humor, while torches and walking sticks help on tunnels and narrow paths. Hotel-area pickup, transfers, and a 30-minute picnic stop are included.

“Even with the rainfall on the return, it was a great tour. Fun guide! He was curtious and compassionate to one of the girls who needed assistance. Glad to see! Loved the tour!”

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12.Madeira Island: Caldeirão Verde Levada Walk

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

Walk 13 kilometers from Queimadas through Madeira’s Laurissilva Forest to Caldeirão Verde, passing four basalt tunnels before reaching a waterfall and emerald lagoon. A guide such as Marta, Ruben, or Gabriele leads the moderate hike, with hotel pickup, transport, and insurance included.

“A great walk with a fantastic host and some beautiful sights. You don't get much time to stop and take photos as the levada is quite closed in so lots of time spent passing or letting others past rather than fully taking it in. However despite that I had a really great time and would recommend this walk.”

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13.Serra de Água Valley Levada Walk

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

Walk 5 km beside Madeira’s levada in Serra de Água with a multilingual guide such as Ruby, Patricia, or Natalia. Expect an easy, mostly flat route, native plants, mountain views, narrow sections, and a café stop. Hotel pickup is available from selected areas for about $38.

“We really enjoyed our 5km hike along the Levada in the Serre de Agua Valley with Ruby, who was a very friendly and knowledgeable guide. The views were spectacular as was the plant-life. Although we were high up, the hike was essentially flat and not too challenging. All capped-off with a relaxing coffee and pastel di nata.”

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14.Madeira: Rabaçal 25 Fountains Levada Walk & Cabo Girão

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

Spend eight hours with a small group of up to eight, hiking from Rabaçal through a volcanic tunnel to the 25 Fontes waterfalls, then ride off-road to Paul da Serra and Cabo Girão. Guides such as Julia, Ruben, Pedro, and Luis are known for warm service and strong local insight.

“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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15.Madeira: Paradise Valley Levada Walk

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

Join a multilingual guide from Funchal, Câmara de Lobos, or Caniço for an easy walk along the century-old Levada Da Serra do Faial. The route covers about 5 km through forest, gardens, terraces, and mountain villages, with a possible café stop for coffee and pastel de nata.

“Last Tuesday I did this easy and relaxed levada walk. I joined a small, friendly group with people from Germany, Finland, and Sweden. The guide was very kind, patient, and sweet”

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