Private Customised Island Tour Madeira 3, 4 or 6 Hours

Funchal and Câmara de Lobos

Most customised tours start in Funchal, the island's capital, and head west along the coast to Câmara de Lobos. This fishing village is known for its brightly painted boats pulled up on the stones, its small harbour and the view across the bay. The name means Sea Wolves, after the monk seals the first explorers found here, and today the village is among the easiest places to see working island life.

A private Madeira island tour gives you the freedom to stop where the light is right, and Câmara de Lobos is a popular choice for a first photo break. Your driver can also point out the viewpoint above the harbour, and suggest where to buy local snacks. Because the route is customised, you can decide whether to start with the coast or head straight to the high viewpoints.

Cabo Girão sea cliff and skywalk

Cabo Girão rises about 580 metres above the Atlantic and is often described as among the highest sea cliffs in Europe. A glass-floored viewing platform juts out from the cliff top, giving a direct look down to the terraced fields and the sea far below. On a clear day the view along the south coast, back to Funchal and out over the ocean, is among the best on the island.

How to get to Cabo Girão is simple with a private driver: it is a short drive west from Funchal and fits easily into a three-hour route. Is Cabo Girão worth visiting? Many guests say yes, especially in the morning when the air is clear. A light jacket is useful, as the wind is stronger at the edge.

Monte and the Eira do Serrado viewpoint

Monte, a village on the hill above Funchal, is known for its church, its tropical gardens and the views back over the city and the sea. The air is cooler and fresher than at the coast, and the old villas and terraces give it a calm, almost garden-town feel. Your driver can explain the history of the area and take you to the best photo spots.

Further into the mountains, the Eira do Serrado viewpoint looks down on the Curral das Freiras, the Nuns' Valley, a deep green crater ringed by peaks and reached by one winding road. It is a spectacular place to see how steep and dramatic Madeira's interior is. Entrance fees to gardens and any cable cars are not included, but the viewpoint itself is a simple roadside stop.

Pico do Arieiro and the high mountains

Pico do Arieiro reaches 1,818 metres and is the third highest peak on the island. The road climbs through forest and above the clouds, and the summit viewpoint looks across a sea of jagged ridges to Pico Ruivo, the highest point of Madeira. It is a favourite for sunrise, but the views remain impressive later in the day when the cloud lifts.

The best time to visit Pico do Arieiro is usually early in the day, before cloud builds around the peaks. The air is much cooler than at sea level, so bring a jacket even in summer. Your driver checks the weather on the day and can switch the plan to the coast if the summit is hidden, which is exactly the flexibility a customised tour is for.

Santana and the north-east coast

Santana in the north is known for its traditional triangular houses with thatched roofs, painted in red, white and blue, which have become a symbol of Madeira. Around the village, steep green slopes, small farms and dramatic coastline show a quieter side of the island, far from the busy south.

A private Santana day trip from Funchal takes a good part of a six-hour tour, so we recommend choosing between the north and the west if you have only one day. Your driver can combine Santana with stops at viewpoints on the way, such as Faial and Porto da Cruz, and with a coffee break in a village. This route suits guests who love scenery and do not mind a longer drive.

Porto Moniz, Seixal and the west

The north-west corner of the island is wilder and more rugged. Porto Moniz is famous for its natural pools formed by volcanic rock, where the Atlantic fills basins along the shoreline. Nearby Seixal has a small black-sand beach, and the road passes waterfalls and cliffs that fall into the sea. On the plateau of Paul da Serra, the landscape changes to open moorland.

Part of the island's ancient laurel forest, a UNESCO World Heritage site, can also be seen in the mountains. A west-coast route takes a full six hours, so it works best as the long option. Entrance fees to the pools are not included, and a driver-guide can advise whether a swim stop suits the weather and sea.