For many the West is their favourite part of the island and we can see why.
We know you can be tempted to do it alone if you rent a car, but hear us out: don’t. Take advantage of the best local guides that know all the nooks and crannies of Madeira Island and take a tour. They’ll tell you all about the nature, the culture, the history and the other stuff you’d never learn if you were by yourself. It’s quite the experience.
Come explore with us the very best Madeira West Coast tours and make your next trip to the island one you’ll never forget!
A West Coast Tour on a minibus
If you’re into relaxing but want to explore at the same time this one is the perfect group tour for you! With experienced guides and on a comfortable minibus, this west coast tour is perfection. Most stops are around 30 minutes, which is perfect to explore quite a few diferent locations along the west of the island.
Departing from Funchal and stopping close by in Câmara de Lobos, the village considered to be the original landing spot of the portuguese discoverer João Gonçalvez Zarco and whose name is a homage to the endangered seal once so abundant there, the Lobo Marinho.You can delight yourself on the picturesque fishing bay made famous by Churchill’s paintings.
Close by and a must-do experience is the visit to Cabo Girão,the highest cliff in Europe (589 meters), with a daring glass platform, that offers breathtaking views to the most daring… A quick hop in the highway will take you promptly to the coastal village of Ribeira Brava, in a deep valley surrounded by imposing mountains.
This is where we go inland, towards Encumeada, reaching the top of the valley with magnificent views of the north and south coast in the viewpoint of Boca da Corrida.
Photo: Digital Travel Couple
Soon after another stop to take your breath away and make you feel like you’re in the most immense nature, in Paul da Serra, the most extensive plateau in Madeira, known for its flora and beautiful landscapes. Expect to see lots of cows roaming freely everywhere, they might even come to greet you!
After Paul da Serra we start descending towards the main stop of the trip, the gorgeous seaside village of Porto Moniz in the Northwest of Madeira Island. Porto Moniz is famous for its natural Lava Pools, in fact not many of our visitors know that there are two different sets of natural lava pools in Porto Moniz. On the 2-hour stop here you can pick which one you want to visit and swim in if you wish. The pools are filled with seawater constantly flowing from the deep Atlantic Ocean surrounding this gorgeous place. This is also the perfect time for a lunch stop. There are many places you can choose to eat from, usually your guide will give you a few suggestions, you can delight yourself in the local cuisine, don’t miss the opportunity to eat some fresh grilled limpets with butter and lemon!
After lunch, and replenished, the next stop is the little village of Seixal, namely in the viewpoint of Véu da Noiva. This amazing waterfall gets its name from the similarity it has to a bride's veil. You can witness the abundant flow of water falling over what looks like a wall of green coming from the height of the mountain all the way down to the sea. A dramatic place indeed.
São Vicente is the last stop before turning back to Ribeira Brava and Funchal at the end of the day. This village, surrounded by two high cliffs on either side, and an open bay is popular amongst surfers. The sea is typically a bit revolt here, so only the bravest dare those waves.
To book this amazing tour check here.
West Coast Tour on a Jeep
If you’re wanting a bit more adventure and a smaller group experience, look no further. Get off the beaten track in an open top jeep! We have two different suggestions to explore the West Coast of Madeira Island: one is to the Northwest and the other is to the Southwest, but if you have the opportunity, do both!
Surrounded by natural wonders, you can learn about local traditions, culture, and history in the rugged Northwestern side of Madeira.
Starting in Funchal and going to Serra D’Água, the deep valley dividing the massif from the only plateau this island has, this tour takes you to the lush northwest, where waterfalls melt into the ocean and lava has been shaped into cerulean pools.
Go off-road and explore the old back roads surrounded by endemic forest, an experience to get your adrenaline pumping! You will also have an opportunity, if you wish, to go for a small 15-minute walk along a Levada and learn about this unique aqueduct system so pivotal to Madeira Island throughout its history. The views from atop of this plateau in the forest are breathtaking. Here in Fanal you will find crooked-looking giant trees, the native Ocotea foetens. These trees are old, some as old as the portuguese discovery of the island, counting more than 5 centuries.
Soon after going through the wilderness in Paul da Serra and Fanal we go down towards Seixal and Porto Moniz. In the small village of Seixal you find a true treasure: a little hidden bay protected by a small harbour, where a pristine black sand beach surrounded by blue ocean and green mountains will greet you. A place of unique beauty and where you find the first st of natural pools, the Poço das Lesmas. Don’t miss the opportunity to swim here or to take a picture under the arch at the entrance to the pool.
Right after Seixal your adventure will take to Porto Moniz, where again you can swim in the untamed north sea water protected by the lava pools. A perfect place to snorkel, sometimes you can see not just endemic fishes swimming along side you in the pool but also if you’re lucky, an octopus or two. Porto Moniz is the perfect place to taste some of our regional cuisine, especially if you like fish and Poncha!
You can book this adventurous jeep tour here.
If you prefer you can also go Southwest in the open-top jeep. Perfect for those of you who crave warm temperatures by the sea!
Through old roads we arive at the village Campanário in Ribeira Brava. Campanário offers some gorgeous views with its overlooking terraces and cliffs and the blue sea below. In this trip there’s also a stop in Paúl da Serra at 1500 meters to see rocks formed by volcanoes and flattened by erosion. See the landscape marked by centuries of footsteps that peasants took, carrying and leading their animals and their products from one side of the Island to the other. The next stop on this tour will be Fonte do Bispo & Prazeres, where you admire incredibly deep and majestic beauty. Explore valleys covered by a layer of a dense green mantle that leads to the warmth of the southwest part of Madeira. Pass by Paul do Mar, Jardim do Mar - local fishing villages and visit waterfalls and banana plants.
Sailling west
Last but not least, we suggest taking a sailboat tour around the coast as an alternative to all of this. This is particularly appealing if you're an adventurous person who loves the water and wants to relax and get to know the west side of the island from a completely different perspective.
It offers an entirely new perspective on Madeira Island. The south coast of Madeira, in particular, is renowned for having a wealth of marine life and gorgeous, deep blue Atlantic waters.
It is definitely worthwhile to take a boat ride down the coast and make it a day you won't soon forget for this reason alone!
You can take a seat in an extremely comfortable sailboat that can accommodate up to 20 people as it departs from Funchal for an interesting day trip. To ensure that you get the greatest experience possible, groups are kept small. No quick tourism here!
You'll have the chance to see the island first from the open sea on this fantastic trip, where we search for marine life like the numerous dolphins and whales that call this area home, before sailing even closer to the coast and heading west. Here you can observe the little nooks and crannies of the southwest coast of Madeira Island, from Câmara de Lobos and its gorgeous little picturesque bay, passing through the secluded Fajã dos Padres and Calhau da Lapa, both places mainly accessible by water (which makes them perfect for those who want to stay clear of crowds). In Fajã dos Padres, at the bottom of a very high cliff, lies a pebbled beach. Here you can see crystalline waters and even fruit trees producing mangoes, bananas, avocados and much more. A true garden of Eden! The boat will go all the way towards the Bay of Ponta do Sol, the most radiant and warm place on Madeira Island, where the waters are calm, and clean and invite you in for a balmy swim. You’ll have a generous lunch aboard the boat and you can have a few relaxing drinks too, a perfect activity to do with your family or your significant other.
You can spend the day swimming in pristine waters, relaxing and enjoying the nature around you. The view of the mountains from the sea is unique. Don’t miss it!
You can book this amazing trip here.