Madeira Best of the West Day Tour
4.5
Madeira Best of the West Day Tour
By Lido Tours
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About
Exploring Madeira’s west coast from Funchal is tricky without a hire car or constant bus-hopping. This full-day tour steps up, with a seamless loop around the west and north coasts, with stops on route. Absorb the views from Cabo Girao, take a dip in the natural pools of Porto Moniz; and experience the Ribeira da Janela valley and Laurissilva forest. Central Funchal hotel pickup and drop-off makes your day complete.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 55 per group
Duration: 8h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: German, Portuguese, English, French, Spanish
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Highlights
- Discover the highlights of Madeira’s west coast in a day from Funchal
- Tick through villages and beauty spots with worrying about transport
- Stop at lookouts, visit Ribeira Brava, see the Laurissilva forest, and more
- Includes lunch stop (own cost) and handy central hotel pickup and drop-off
- Professional guide
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (Free for hotels in Funchal only)
What's not included- Lunch
- Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.
- Option 1Lido Tours - Madeira Tours and Walks, Monumental Experience Shopping, Estrada Monumental 284 Shop 18-19, 9000-100 Funchal, PortugalOur main office in the Lido area of Funchal
- Option 2Av. Arriaga 75, 9000-064 Funchal, PortugalIn front of "Marina Shopping" main entrance
- Option 3Avenida do Mar, 9000-079 Funchal, PortugalAt the bus stop near the cable-car station in the "Old Town" part of Funchal
Pickup details- We can arrange for pickups at other locations in the Funchal area as long as there's a known reference point and a place where our vehicle can safely stop for some minutes without blocking any roads or traffic. Our staff will contact you with the most accurate time for your pickup. Pickups outside the Funchal area are available (at extra cost). Please contact us for advice on the best pickup for you according to your location/accommodation.
Hotel pickup offeredDuring checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.Port pickup offeredDuring checkout you will be able to select from the list of included ports.- Cruise Terminal Funchal, Av. Sá Carneiro, 9000 Funchal, Portugal
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Infant seats available
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 23651P1- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
- Most travellers can participate
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 55 travellers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 23651P1
From
£32.06
per adult
Select date and travellers
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Similar experiences
Itinerary
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4Pass byRibeira da Janela
- 5
- 6
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- vincenth260 contributionsFun time!Great and dramatic sites we saw across the island from waterfalls, to village festivals to dramatic mountain views! We loved it!Written 7 December 2024
- Nomad2813920 contributionsGreat views with breathtaking scenery.The views were amazing and the driver /guide was lovely,it was a great half day trip with.So glad I chose to do this and would highly recommend itWritten 5 December 2024
- VivienCotswold0 contributionsLavada walkAlthough the information on my ticket said it was a hotel pick-up, I was sent a link to Google maps. It was very confusing as the app couldn't find the place and it was difficult to know what I was looking for. Maybe give people a landmark instead? Walk was lovely but with a bilingual group, it takes longer for explanations at each stop. This walk could easily be done as self guided as it would be difficult to get lost.Written 1 December 2024
- S2005JLjilla0 contributionsLovely Island, and a great walkIt was a lovely guided walk. A bit dangerous at times with the sheer drops, not suitable for anyone scared of heights that’s for sure.Written 1 December 2024
- VivienCotswold0 contributionsBest as unguidedVery nice easy walk. I went with a bilingual group so we stopped quite a bit for points of interest. Next time I would do it alone. It is an easy path to follow, you don't need a guide. I wanted to walk and not have a guided tour. If that is the case, do drop off and pickup or use local busesWritten 1 December 2024
- Robert-Redman0 contributionsVery good and hilarious tripBruno was knowledgeable and humorous. He gave lots of information about local life and the transition of the years. He was an amazing tour guide. Love the tour.Written 29 November 2024
- jennim10 contributionsNot for hikersI did the 25 fontes hike with Lido tours. The guide was very knowledgeable, but the group of 16 shuffled on at the pace of the slowest guest, including a lot of guests who were poorly prepared. This is a great trip if you haven't walked in a while but can managed a few stairs (although i would not recommend jeans and white trainers!) - but its super busy with loads of tour groups and extremely slow so I wouldn't recommend for keen hikers or those who enjoy escaping to nature!Written 29 November 2024
- Bader760 contributionsNice tourThe tour covers several nice attractions that fits all tastes. Driver was so knowledgeable and he gave good explanation for every attraction we visited. Make sure to book both east and west tours together to get discounted rate. Note: I made the booking through Pestana Casino Park Hotel Front disk.Written 26 November 2024
- lizs3600 contributionsGreat Tour Gide at Lido ToursNelio Fabian @ Lido tours was a great guide, ensuring that all participants were kept informed of the situation regarding the weather, due to inclement conditions that could prevent the walk proceeding along the cliff. His knowledge of the local fauna, flora and history, was not only factual but also interesting. Throughout the walk he always considered the welfare of his group by constantly checking the weather conditions ensuring that our health and safety was constantly paramount. Nelio always showed thoughtfulness and incredible wit which helped iron out any fears and uncertainty within the team.Written 25 November 2024
- 916judyk0 contributionsThis is not an EASY hikeAs a Health and Safety Professional I have some concerns that this is called an easy hike. We are experienced hikers and do walk long distance very well. My concern is that we did not expect very narrow paths ( less than 1 m wide) where there was a cement ditch on one side and a sheer drop off on the other…..no railings in most areas! We also were taken thru a cave that was extremely dark and the same narrow path had the ditch on one side and protruding rock face on the other. One of the gentleman on our tour sliced his arm on the rock face. ***We found the tour guide friendly and informative and did enjoy seeing the area but we were also glad we ended the tour without incident or injury. We used an easy tour to gauge the level of difficulty required for a more strenuous tour…we will not be trying another tour. The level of ability required was not properly communicated.Written 24 November 2024
- wilson4740 contributionsExcellent “taster” Levada walk if more limited for timeVery pleasant and informative 5km walk with some fantastic views. Essentially all on the flat. A few short sections where path narrows to a few feet where drops to side of several feet so good balance/proprioceptive skills needed. Tour guide and driver welcoming, friendly helpful. Good value for money. Overall tour took ~ 4 hrs from pick up to drop off. Actual walking took 2 hrs. Stopped for toilets/coffee for 20 minutes at a village on minibus journey back to Funchal. Highly recommended.Written 23 November 2024
- drhelenpoole0 contributionsGreat tour!Great tour, fabulous views, a really knowledgeable guide (Nuno) who was also a good driver. A whistle stop tour with lots to see. We'll definitely go back to explore some of the places a bit more. The weather was good which meant we had clear views throughout, a cloudy day would be a different experience.Written 21 November 2024
- 185julianned0 contributionsA breathtaking walk along the side of a islandWhat an amazing walk. Definitely not for anyone with a fear of heights, but the views are just breathtaking. The whole trip was smooth and straightforward. The guide was informative and supportive all the way. It was a bonus to have time for a drink by the sea in Porto Cruz at the end, we hadn’t seen this part of the island and it was just magical.Written 17 November 2024
- Keszamli0 contributionsProfessional, safe with positive vibeI had pleasure to participate in 4 walking tours with Lido. Firstly I love the possibility for online booking and information about free seats. All information I get before the tours were clear. Bus was always on time. All the guides were very caring and friendly. They told a lot of interesting facts about the island. I felt that they really respect nature and love this island. I can honestly recommend Lido Tours.Written 16 November 2024
- singhasam0 contributionsSpectacular viewsMY stomach was doing handstands as I leaned on the railings and looked down nearly 2,000ft to the village in the valley below. Houses were no bigger than a matchhead and the little wriggling line I could see was actually a mountain road. The half day tour to the Valley of the Nuns was not short of truly spectacular scenery and well worth the time but you have to be a bit organised. When you arrive below this viewpoint you are told how long you've got to reach and enjoy it. You don't have to be a triathlete but you do have to be walking fit since there are several hundred metres of steps to climb to get to the platform at the top from which mountain scenery is displayed all around you. Do the viewpoint first before exploring souvenir shops and other points of interest near the parking area. If you don't then you risk running out of time to reach the viewpoint before the minibus leaves to move on. The Valley of the Nuns gets its name from the nun who led the people of Funchal up to safety on her father's mountain land when pirates attacked the city below in the 16th century. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip and got some stunning photos while that vertical drop all the way down to the village far below will live with me for a long time.Written 14 November 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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4.5
442 reviews
Excellent
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Very good
67
Average
5
Poor
4
Terrible
7
Darcydachshund
Ludlow, UK131 contributions
Mar 2020
If you are staying in Funchal for more than a few days, you really should see something of the astonishing landscape of Madeira, which is amazingly mountainous and with stunning views. Taking one of these trips is the best way of doing so. It was very easy to book and all the arrangements went like clockwork. Our driver was very experienced and I was so glad that he was negotiating all those hairpin bends rather than me. He was also very informative with regard to the Madeiran flora and showed us lots of individual plants.
There is a 90 minute stop for lunch and though you are free to find your own, you can book a two- course lunch with wine and coffee at a particular restaurant for a very reasonable price through the driver. We took advantage of this as it made life simpler. Tip – if you are in a 16-seater vehicle, sit on the driver’s side for the best views.Altogether an excellent trip.
There is a 90 minute stop for lunch and though you are free to find your own, you can book a two- course lunch with wine and coffee at a particular restaurant for a very reasonable price through the driver. We took advantage of this as it made life simpler. Tip – if you are in a 16-seater vehicle, sit on the driver’s side for the best views.Altogether an excellent trip.
Written 9 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carla F
3 contributions
Feb 2020
Fantastic day spent touring the west side of the island with the wonderful Gama. History, stories galore. Best of all, he was constantly adapting our route to deal with bad weather. Instead of just taking us to the "next" stop high atop the island, he called ahead, confirmed visibility was not good, and proposed an alternate route where weather was much better and we could enjoy the island. Did this repeatedly throughout the day to give us the best possible experience. Muito obrigada, Gama
Written 25 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Skater4643
Caterham, UK15 contributions
Feb 2020
We booked with Lido Tours and can highly recommend them as they were punctual, informative and fun. The tour was 8 hours long and took us to many places in the west of the island and we were fortunate to have a sunny and clear day to travel through the mountains. Amazing scenery with breathtaking views. We lunched in Porto Moniz overlooking the lido before following the northern coastline and then dropping southward to Funchal. The roads are not for the fainthearted! Very narrow in places and they wound round the mountains and we were happy to have a great driver who safely navigated us around. A memorable day which we highly recommend.
Written 12 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RACHEL E
Tel Aviv, Israel97 contributions
Feb 2023
Stay away from this agency, poor service, even though
they promised to pick up from the hotel, they didn't do it The tour left half an hour late and they didn't even bother to apologize. There were 19 people in the van. It was not announced in advance that there would be a large group.
There was no internet in VAN.
Despite a prior request to sit at the front of the VAN because one of us suffers from travel sickness, dizziness and vomiting, the driver was not informed as promised, and there was only room at the end of the vehicle. The driver/guide whose name was Nuno didn't help either, he preferred that a young girl would sit next to him
There is no brochure or detailed explanation page about the itinerary and the places we will visit
It is not clear in advance if the entire trip is by car or if there are hiking trails, and if so, at what level of difficulty
The guide was not professional, for example he showed a map which those sitting at the end could not see. It would have been better if he handed out a map to each participant. Also, it would be better to prepare Bristols and write in large letters the names of places or plants or anything else that explains.
.In Porto Moniz he recommended us a restaurant called MAR A VISTA. Parked the car near the restaurant, said it was the best restaurant in the area, with excellent local food. This was the worst restaurant in all of Portugal. Bad food, terrible service. Stay away from the restaurant.
In addition, he did not take responsibility for his customers. There was a single person with us who I think was over 90 years old. Instead of him accompanying him or at least watching him from a distance , he of course preferred to sit and eat at the restaurant he recommended. That person got lost, and could not find the vehicle to return. All the passengers sat in the car tensely, for a long time until that person, to our delight, arrived
The guide tried to entertain with unfunny jokes
they promised to pick up from the hotel, they didn't do it The tour left half an hour late and they didn't even bother to apologize. There were 19 people in the van. It was not announced in advance that there would be a large group.
There was no internet in VAN.
Despite a prior request to sit at the front of the VAN because one of us suffers from travel sickness, dizziness and vomiting, the driver was not informed as promised, and there was only room at the end of the vehicle. The driver/guide whose name was Nuno didn't help either, he preferred that a young girl would sit next to him
There is no brochure or detailed explanation page about the itinerary and the places we will visit
It is not clear in advance if the entire trip is by car or if there are hiking trails, and if so, at what level of difficulty
The guide was not professional, for example he showed a map which those sitting at the end could not see. It would have been better if he handed out a map to each participant. Also, it would be better to prepare Bristols and write in large letters the names of places or plants or anything else that explains.
.In Porto Moniz he recommended us a restaurant called MAR A VISTA. Parked the car near the restaurant, said it was the best restaurant in the area, with excellent local food. This was the worst restaurant in all of Portugal. Bad food, terrible service. Stay away from the restaurant.
In addition, he did not take responsibility for his customers. There was a single person with us who I think was over 90 years old. Instead of him accompanying him or at least watching him from a distance , he of course preferred to sit and eat at the restaurant he recommended. That person got lost, and could not find the vehicle to return. All the passengers sat in the car tensely, for a long time until that person, to our delight, arrived
The guide tried to entertain with unfunny jokes
Written 24 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
steve1983
2 contributions
Oct 2022
We did two tours with Lido Travel both of which were exceptionally good value for money.. Firstly the West day tour of which was brilliant with a great knowledgable guide and plenty of interesting stops to take phiotos and walk around. The highlight oof this tour were the stunning Lava pools where we had about 2 hours to swim and grab lunch at one of the various cafes/restaurants in the area.
The second tour we booked was the mountain peaks tour howeverwhen we arrived at the start point our guide Charlotte ( also extremely knowledgable ) rightly advised that as the weather and visability was poor climbing would be unsafe. Rather than cancelling the day Charlotte offered to take us on an 11k Levada and cliff side walk which was utterly brilliant with stunning Scenery and breathtaking views . Thanks so much Charlotte and best wishes.
What made Lido tours go above and beyond is that my wife left her fleece at the cafe at the end of the walk on the otherside of the Island and they arranged to have it deliverd back to their office the next day. Truly amazing customer service and special thanks to Cat for organising this.
The second tour we booked was the mountain peaks tour howeverwhen we arrived at the start point our guide Charlotte ( also extremely knowledgable ) rightly advised that as the weather and visability was poor climbing would be unsafe. Rather than cancelling the day Charlotte offered to take us on an 11k Levada and cliff side walk which was utterly brilliant with stunning Scenery and breathtaking views . Thanks so much Charlotte and best wishes.
What made Lido tours go above and beyond is that my wife left her fleece at the cafe at the end of the walk on the otherside of the Island and they arranged to have it deliverd back to their office the next day. Truly amazing customer service and special thanks to Cat for organising this.
Written 26 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John S
5 contributions
Mar 2020
Do go on this tour! It's well planned with adequately timed stops and the scenery is really astonishing-well, actually it's quite stunning. The good humoured driver/guide provided the right balance of commentary without being overwhelming and although mini-buses are a bit of a challenge for over-6 footers it's the only way to get around the rural road network if you don't hire a car. The short term hassle with long legs was well worth it.
Written 10 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anne
8 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Just got back from best of the West day tour. Our ship was late docking but they waited for us. The guide was very informative and the driver was excellent negotiating the hair pin bends. Dramatic scenery and Porto Moniz was beautiful.
Written 3 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gina U
Bucharest, Romania22 contributions
Jan 2023
I chose this agency to visit the west coast of Madeira. The trip was beyond expectations and the bus driver, Nuno, who was also a tour guide, was sensational. Throughout the trip, he provided us with important information and explained in detail important things about the visited area. I recommend this agency, the services offered are qualitative and the prices are affordable. Obviously, I recommend you request to travel with Nuno.
Written 16 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brigitte W
Shaftesbury, UK3 contributions
Feb 2020
Our guide was amazing, he told us lots about Madeira and took us to various extra places for quick visits along the way. Every stop was fantastic and we even had the chance to go swimming! Our guide drove us to a lovely restaurant and he had called ahead with our orders so we were given a delicious 3-course meal as soon as we arrived. overall it was a great day out and suited to all people and abilities.
Written 23 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cfc1008
Kent, UK61 contributions
As first time visitors to Madrid without a car we decided to avail of the Best of the West Tour.
The booking process was smooth and pleasant and we were pleased to have been picked up from near our accommodation to the east of Funchal.
Our driver and guide for the day was gracious, pleasant and gave us a very good flavour of the route along the coast up into the mountains and then visiting the North Coast before returning to Funchal in time for something to eat before the Carnival Parade. We would really recommend this tour and company as a positive and well priced experience. Thank you.
The booking process was smooth and pleasant and we were pleased to have been picked up from near our accommodation to the east of Funchal.
Our driver and guide for the day was gracious, pleasant and gave us a very good flavour of the route along the coast up into the mountains and then visiting the North Coast before returning to Funchal in time for something to eat before the Carnival Parade. We would really recommend this tour and company as a positive and well priced experience. Thank you.
Written 24 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi
We're arriving in Madeira on Mon Jan 20 with P & O. Do you pick up from where we dock?
Also, do you offer free cancellation if the ship is unable to dock due to bad weather ?
Written 29 November 2024
We booked this tour through Viator, best to check through them , sorry can’t help but we were there on holidays.
Written 6 December 2024
masal
Koto, Japan
溶岩プールで泳ぐ時間はありますか? 90分は昼食タイムですよね。全行程8時間ですが、滞在時間は合計190分です。残りは移動時間ですか? さほど大きな島にも見えませんが…
Written 21 August 2023
The pools are hourly. If you go at 8pm the pool end at 9pm. Depending on how many people tour with you, 1hr and 30 min is good for dinner. The tour guide shows you furnas in town. At night it looks cool and spooky.
Written 22 August 2023
Can you pick us at Village cabo gerao, we are group of 8 people planning to stay there.
Written 27 June 2023
it was a mini bus not sure to be exact maybe send them a message to ask.
Written 4 August 2022
magda
Kavlinge, Sweden
Hello. Is it possible to pick Up me and My husband att hotel Orca Praia tomorrow 4dec?
Written 3 December 2021
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