7.5 hours North West
Porto Moniz & Fanal Forest Day Trip
Seixal's black sand, the Véu da Noiva waterfall, the Porto Moniz volcanic pools and Fanal forest — the full west coast in an open-roof 4x4.
from €69
Check availability
Day Trips
The island is small — around 57 km end to end — but the roads are slow and vertical. A realistic day trip covers one region, not three.
Where to go
- North west loop
Seixal, Porto Moniz, Fanal, back over Paúl da Serra.
- East
São Lourenço, Caniçal, Machico and the Ponta de São Lourenço trail.
- Curral das Freiras
The valley village, reachable in a morning from Funchal.
- Porto Santo
Nine kilometres of golden sand, 2h20 by ferry each way.
More places in this theme
Worth adding to the list
Câmara de Lobos
South Coast2–3 hoursFree
Santana
North Coast2 hours, or a full day with the walksFree
São Vicente
North Coast2 hoursFree
Machico
EastHalf a dayFree
Ribeira Brava
South Coast2 hoursFree
Jardim do Mar
West2 hoursFree
Achadas da Cruz Cable Car
West1.5 hours
Caniçal
East2 hoursFree
Santa Cruz
EastHalf a dayFree
Book it
Guided options
Full day Island-wide pickup
West Madeira 4x4 Jeep Safari
Porto Moniz lava pools, Seixal's black sand, the Fanal laurel forest and the Cabo Girão cliff skywalk, in a small open 4x4 with a local driver.
from €55
Check availability 6 hours Caniçal
Ponta de São Lourenço Guided Hike
The dry, wind-carved eastern peninsula — red cliffs, sea on both sides and nothing like the rest of the island, with a guide and transfers.
from €48
Check availabilityGuides on this subject
Itineraries
3 Days in Madeira: A Realistic Itinerary
A short trip done properly — one day in Funchal, one in the mountains, one on the coast.
6 min read
Practical
Madeira Without a Car
It is entirely possible — with buses, transfers and a few well-chosen tours.
6 min read