FUNCHAL · DAY HIKES
The trails worth the early start.
The 15 funchal hikes worth lacing up for. A short list of the trails hikers finish grinning about, with the distance, the price and who guides them.
Sunrise hike from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo on Madeira, with door-to-door transfer from Funchal or Caniço for $38.
Most Popular“Great walk, cold when you first start so wrap up! Stunning views and smooth drop off and pick up”
Self-guided hike from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo and down to Achada do Teixeira, with door-to-door transfer from Funchal.
“Our guide was enthusiastic and knowledgeable. He was friendly and efficient. We were picked up right on time. The transfer was clean and had aircon. Nothing was too much trouble. Part of the hike was closed due to forest fires, but we were provided with a good alternative and notified in plenty of time. Communication…”
Self-guided PR8 hike along Madeira’s Ponta São Lourenço, with easy ocean views, hotel pickup, and time to swim at the end.
“Excellent! Beautiful views, great experience! The rainbow show up and it was amazing! Very well organised trip. I highly recommend it to anyone who visits Madeira!”
PR9 Levada do Caldeirão Verde with easy pickup, small-group transfer, and a self-guided hike through tunnels and waterfalls.
“If you love hiking and nature then this activity is for you. We hiked for 5 hours and the waterfalls is amazing. It is worth the money. The transportation is also hassle free.”
Sunrise hike transfer from Funchal to Pico do Arieiro, self-guided PR1 timing, small shared van, and mountain warmth checks for Madeira.
“First off, our driver was awesome as was the transfer/pick up and drop off process. In terms of the hike, the stairway to heaven (part of PR1) was spectacular, even with pretty terrible weather (wind, rain, lots of cloud cover). Highly recommend visiting that part of the hike at sunrise. However, a significant portion of…”
Full-day hike from Funchal to Ponta de São Lourenço with volcanic rock cliffs, north and south views, and a swim.
“Hike with amazing landscapes 😍 It can get quite muddy and slippery, so good walking shoes are a must. This hike is a back and forth hike, but there’s a possibility to return by speedboat (€15-€25) if the sea allows it. Our guide Sarah and driver Nono were amazing, we had a really good chat…”
Laurisilva forest to 25 Fountains in Madeira’s Rabaçal Valley with pickup, an English-speaking guide, and an 800m tunnel.
“The hike is along a very crowded route but the nature is absolutely stunning and the guide made the most of it by telling us about the local trees and plants, fantastic!”
Sunrise hike from Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo with hotel pickup, a small group, and a pro mountain guide in Madeira.
“Big Thank you to David (our Guide) and Nico (our driver). Even if the half end of the excursion was raining so bad, we had a GREAT time! They picked us up on time at our address, we had time for a coffee on our way. They know the area and the weather so well,…”
Guided Levada hike from Funchal past waterfalls and lakes, with a crystal-clear swim option at Lagoa Dona Beha. 8 hours.
“Abgesehen davon, dass es Landschaftlich eine wunderschöne Tour war und auch das Wetter mitgespielt hat,, kann ich nur unseren Tourguide Sarah loben und empfehlen. Ganz toll, herzlich, auf Wünsche eingehend, rücksichtsvoll und sehr informativ und gut gelaunt. Immer wieder gerne mit Lido Tours. Alles klappt, man wird gut informiert vorab. Gibt Sicherheit”
Self-guided hike to 25 Fontes and Risco Levada from Rabaçal, with hotel pickup, map, and early quiet-time on Madeira trails.
“Adrianna gave us a good briefing for our hike. She was really friendly and gave us lots of information about life in Madeira, lots of local info, I learned a lot as well as had a good hike. The 6am start is worth it even just to avoid the crowds and the heat. Flashlight is…”
Porto da Cruz to Machico hiking tour with transfer on Madeira: a quiet coastal-to-forest trail, plus WhatsApp support and door-to-door rides.
“Beautiful hiking tour and a good transfer to the tour and back "home" with many informations about Madeira!”
A self-guided levada hike in Madeira’s Laurissilva forest with pickup-and-dropoff, tunnels, waterfalls, and a small-group shuttle.
“The drive to the start of the walk through tight narrow roads was an experience in itself, but our driver Vitor got us there safely. The views on the walk were stunning, as was the waterfall at the end. The walk was fairly easy, but some rough ground and narrow walkways with shear drops one…”
Sunrise at Pico do Arieiro, the Guindaste glass-platform photo stop, and a self-guided Larano hike from Funchal with convenient van pickup.
“So glad I didn’t rent a car and booked this tour instead. The inclines are no joke, but our driver made them look like child’s play. The sunrise was amazing, and the hike afterwards was great as well. The sea platform was underwhelming, especially because the glass floor is hard to see through. It’s important…”
Madeira’s Stairway to Heaven and Larano hike with picnic, wheat coffee, and poncha. Sea-and-cliff views, small group, 8 hours.
“Świetny przewodnik, super organizacja, pyszny lunch :-) na pewno skorzystamy z tego samego organizatora następnym razem.”
Private levada hike from Funchal with quiet woodland, poncha in the mountains, and grilled beef skewers plus lunch and drinks.
“Me and my wife have done a few lavarda walks of different levels in our past visits to Madeira but this has to be the best one yet. It's an easy walk, which suits my wife ability but it was just so quiet. There was no one else around as its off the beaten track…”
Day hikes worth the early start, region by region.
