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Self Guided Tours
Madeira’s East: The Untamed Side of Paradise
Take a self-guided tour through Madeira’s untamed east, where sunrise lights the peaks and green valleys flow into the sea. Discover ancient huts, dramatic peninsulas, and sky-high viewpoints while uncovering island stories — a mix of tradition, beauty, and calm adventure.
Take a self-guided tour through Madeira’s untamed east, where sunrise lights the peaks and green valleys flow into the sea. Discover ancient huts, dramatic peninsulas, and sky-high viewpoints while uncovering island stories — a mix of tradition, beauty, and calm adventure.
📍 • Pioc do Arieiro • Ribeiro Frio • Laurel Forest • Santana • Porto da Cruz • Pounto Sao Lorenco • Jesus Statue (It covers roughly 120 km and takes around 10 hours, including all the scenic stops along the way.)
Recommended: • Swimsuit • Light Jacket • Madeira Island Pass (for discounts) • Mobile data • Brakefast at Hotel or Rentalplace • Be at first Stop at 9:00 am (avoid croweds)
Difficulty
Banana Joe the All-Knowing
Distance & duration
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Access
Recommended: • Swimsuit • Light Jacket • Madeira Island Pass (for discounts) • Mobile data • Brakefast at Hotel or Rentalplace • Be at first Stop at 9:00 am (avoid croweds)
Just press play and let our guide Banana Joe walk you through this awesome tour. Tip: on mobile, you can enlarge the tour by clicking the yellow button in the upper right corner.
Madeira’s East - The Untamed Side of Paradise
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Introduction: Madeira’s East
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The Untamed Side of Paradise
Press Play to meet your guide for the day and discover what today’s epic tour has in store for you — go on, tap it… the adventure starts there!
👋 For this tour, you’ll need a car. Some sections of the road are very narrow and winding, so drive carefully and know your limits.
Driving under the actual landing strip of Madeira Airport feels completely surreal.
They built this extension because the old runway was too short — a flaw that tragically caused a terrible accident in 1977, claiming the lives of 133 passengers aboard.
The easternmost point of Madeira, where the island dramatically ends, but the views just keep getting better!
Just below, you’ll find the start of PR8 — one of the most famous hikes in Madeira. It got so popular that they now charge a walking tax. Fame isn’t cheap, I guess. 🌄😮
Perched at 670 meters above sea level (hello, lungfuls of fresh air!), this spot delivers a jaw-dropping panorama that makes you feel like you're floating between heaven and Instagram.
You can take a quick toilet break at the bar right below — just grab a coffee as “payment.” 😉☕ Fair deal, right?
Porto da Cruz is a super laid-back little spot that started with an iron cross, survived on rum, and now surfs its way into everyone’s heart (and Instagram feed). From holy beginnings to hang-ten vibes — this place has stories to tell!
🚗 Park your car in the designated spot, then stretch those legs — the path loops you right around to the next stop. Easy peasy, no GPS meltdown required! 😄🗺️
Finally… it’s time to uncover the juicy past of rum and poncha – the two troublemakers behind many Madeiran smiles (and a few wobbly walks). 🥃📖 Ready for a sip of history?
Head to the shop and let the rum tasting begin! From baby-faced bottles at €2 to smooth, aged legends at €8 – there’s a rum for every budget and mood. 🥃💸 Just don’t try them all at once… or do, we’re not judging. 😄
Quirky triangle houses with straw hats? Only in Santana, baby!
These houses weren’t even fixed to the ground. If you didn’t like your neighbor, you could just pick up your home and move it overnight. Ah… simpler times. 🏡💪😄
12th Stop: Ancient Laurel Forests & Traditional Trout Farming
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Ribeiro Frio
Ribeiro Frio sits deep in the heart of Madeira’s ancient laurel forest — home to legendary walking trails and some seriously chill trout just living their best mountain life. It’s part fairytale, part fish tale.
This is where the famous Balcões hike begins — a real crowd-pleaser! 👀🥾 Buuut we don’t recommend doing it now, because an even more spectacular hike is still coming up. Trust us… you’ll want to save your energy. 😉
Welcome, adventurers and brave souls, to the Miradouro do Ninho da Manta — aka the "Eagle's Nest" for those of us who like to pretend we're in a dramatic nature documentary!
Sadly, a recent severe fire means the famous Pico do Arieiro–Pico Ruivo hike is closed for now, until it’s safe again. 🔥🚫⛰️
14th Stop: Sorbet delivery — only for the rich, of course.
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Poço da Neve
High up on the winding road to Pico do Arieiro, far above Funchal’s sun‑drenched harbour, sits a curious stone dome that looks as if it has been transplanted from the Arctic.
The delivery guys brave enough to haul ice down the mountains? ❄️🧗♂️ They got paid handsomely 💰 — and rightly so. It was a seriously risky job with zero chill!
If you enjoyed this self-guided tour, a small tip helps us keep these website running smoothly. Thank you! 💛
🔒Secure checkout via ThriveCart.
📧Due to money-laundering rules, we kindly ask for your email address in the next step — and we’ll also use it to send you a little banana-thank-you-dance video.
This self-guided drive and walk takes you on an unforgettable journey through Madeira’s untamed east — a land of sky-high peaks, rolling green valleys, and dramatic ocean peninsulas. You’ll stand atop the island’s highest mountains, wander through the traditional Santana huts, and explore the windswept beauty of Ponta de São Lourenço, where the land ends and the Atlantic begins.
And of course — every great adventure comes with great flavor. Along the way, you can taste local treasures like Espetada, Bolo do Caco, sugarcane rum, fresh seafood, and other Madeiran classics served in cliffside cafés and cozy village restaurants.
It’s the perfect blend of scenery, tradition, and calm island charm — all yours to enjoy at your own pace.
All these extras are completely optional and instantly available when you show your Madeira Island Pass (digital or printed) at the recommanded stops. The best part? No need to book ahead! Just show up, join in, and enjoy everything at your own pace, all on the same day. 🍌
To start navigation on your phone, click 'View larger map' in the top left corner of the map.
Sometimes, finding the exact location of the tour can be challenging. That’s why we’ve included GPS coordinates to make it easier to reach.
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madeiras-east-the-untamed-side-of-paradise
Madeira’s East: The Untamed Side of Paradise
• Pioc do Arieiro • Ribeiro Frio • Laurel Forest • Santana • Porto da Cruz • Pounto Sao Lorenco • Jesus Statue (It covers roughly 120 km and takes around 10 hours, including all the scenic stops along the way.)
