Madeira in Your PocketLocal Spots / Self Guided Tours
Self Guided Tours
Santa Maria de Colombo – Sail Into History
Take a self-guided walk back in time. Step aboard the Santa Maria de Colombo, explore the life of Christopher Columbus, and relive the age of discovery. Simple, historic, unforgettable.
This self-guided walk takes you on an unforgettable journey into the age of discovery — where history comes alive aboard the Santa Maria de Colombo, and the world of explorers unfolds before your eyes.
Google reviews
📍 • History of Christopher Columbus • The first Voyage • Navigation in the past • Arriving in America • Dolfins & Whales • (It takes around 1 hours)
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.
Santa Maria de Colombo – Sail Into History
i
Introduction: Santa Maria de Colombo
Loading…
The Men and the Voyage That Changed History Forever
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!
👋 Tickets can be purchased directly at the ship and cost €45.
The Tour "Santa Maria de Colombo – Sail Into History" is currently in development and will be available end of April — stay tuned, adventure is on its way! 🌄🚗
Only those in the know have the super-secret, ultra-mega-difficult password — the rest will just have to guess… and fail gloriously. 🔒😏
Let’s start the road trip on Madeira’s original coastal roads — built long before tunnels and highways, full of curves, cliffs, vintage island vibes, and dramatic views.
Fun Fact: Portugal was one of the poorest countries in the EU15 🇵🇹💶, and Madeira was the poorest region within Portugal 🏝️📉.
4th Stop: A Viewpoint Into Infinity And a Fishfarm
Loading…
Miradouro Trigo de Negreiros
Welcome to Viewpoint Trigo de Negreiros — a stunning spot overlooking the sunny village of Madalena do Mar and the Atlantic, where you can even spot Madeira’s impressive offshore fish farms.
Fun Fact: Some of Madeira’s offshore fish farms produce up to 900 tons of fish per year — that’s roughly the weight of 150 elephants! 🐘🌊
In the hills of Calheta, somewhere between the clouds and the coast, there’s a humble little spot that locals whisper about and travellers accidentally fall in love with.
Fun Fact: Poncha is a drink you’ll only truly find in Madeira — although lately a few copycats have started popping up in Lisbon. 😏🌴🍹
A Lighthous which has been guiding ships along Madeira’s rugged coastline since June 1922
Fun fact: If you drew a straight line across the Atlantic from here, you would eventually end up in South Carolina, USA 🇺🇸 — near the Cape Romain Lighthouse. 🗺️💡
We skip Jardim do Mar to have some more time to learn about Sugracane in Madeira
Fun Fact: 🏴☠️ Madeira was attacked several times by pirates because of the wealth created by its sugarcane trade. One famous raid even led to the name Nun’s Valley (Curral das Freiras) — when nuns fled there to hide from pirates. ⛰️
Calheta Beach: Madeira’s golden sand, calm waters, great pizza — and the perfect place to slow down for a while.
Useless Fun Fact: The world’s most expensive pizza is the “Louis XIII” pizza, costing about $12,000 — topped with lobster 🦞, caviar 🐟, and even 24-karat gold flakes ✨👑.
A peaceful fishing village where Madeira’s banana story comes to life.
🍌🌴 Fun Fact: Madalena do Mar is home to Madeira’s largest banana plantations, and every July the village celebrates the fruit with its own Banana Exhibit festival. 🎉
Let’s dive into the history of Madeira’s famous banana industry.
Sad Fun Fact: Madeira’s bananas may taste better than most, but because they’re smaller and less uniform than industrial bananas, they rarely make it onto the shelves of big European supermarkets. 🍌
Madeira’s “Point of the Sun” and the grand finale of the South-West Tour.
☀️ Fun Fact: The sunniest place in the world is Yuma, Arizona (USA), which enjoys about 4,000 hours of sunshine per year — that means the sun shines there around 90% of all daylight hours! 😎🌵
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 walk takes you on one of Madeira’s most unique journeys — straight into the age of discovery, where history, adventure, and life at sea come together. Step aboard the Santa Maria de Colombo and leave the modern world behind as you enter the world of explorers, sailors, and long ocean voyages.
On board, you’ll step into a different time. Discover how Christopher Columbus lived and traveled, explore the ship’s decks and details, and take your time imagining what it was like to cross unknown oceans with nothing but wind, wood, and courage.
And then comes the real magic. As you move through the ship, history starts to feel alive — not something you read about, but something you experience. The creaking wood, the narrow spaces, the open deck… it all tells the story of a journey that once changed the world.
A perfect blend of history, exploration, and imagination — all at your own pace.
All recommendations 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 hike can be challenging. That’s why we’ve included GPS coordinates to make it easier to reach.
🔍 Tap to zoom
No items found.
No items found.
santa-maria-de-colombo---sail-into-history
Santa Maria de Colombo – Sail Into History
• History of Christopher Columbus • The first Voyage • Navigation in the past • Arriving in America • Dolfins & Whales • (It takes around 1 hours)
