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Journey through Madeira’s eastern landscapes with MB Tours’ Santana trip. From towering volcanic peaks to iconic straw houses, this day tour offers an immersive look at the island’s natural and cultural highlights.
Journey through Madeira’s eastern landscapes with MB Tours’ Santana trip. From towering volcanic peaks to iconic straw houses, this day tour offers an immersive look at the island’s natural and cultural highlights.
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Operated by MB Tours · Santana, Madeira
Venturing into Madeira’s eastern reaches with MB Tours’ Santana trip reveals a side of the island where dramatic landscapes and cultural heritage intersect. This full-day excursion launches from Funchal, Madeira’s vibrant capital, heading inland toward Pico do Arieiro. At 1818 meters, this summit is a commanding vantage point, offering wide-angle views of rugged ridges and clouds drifting beneath your feet — a striking introduction to the island’s volcanic origins.
From there, the journey descends into the verdant microclimate of Ribeiro Frio, where endemic plants thrive in carefully maintained gardens and trout-filled streams trace their way through the forest. This stop highlights Madeira’s unique botanical diversity, often unnoticed beyond tourist centers.
The route continues through São Roque do Faial, an agricultural hub where small farms and diverse crops illustrate centuries of human cultivation in concert with the island’s uneven terrain. This patchwork of fields and traditional villages provides authentic insight into local life.
Santana’s thatched houses stand out as Madeira’s cultural signature — triangular, steeply roofed shelters crafted from straw and wood that have withstood the island’s changing seasons for generations. Their bright facades and distinct shape make them a photographer’s favorite.
On the return, the tour skirts Porto da Cruz and Portela, with a pause at Pico do Facho to drink in sweeping views of Ponta de São Lourenço’s raw cliffs and ocean expanses. This route combines accessible highland scenery with coastal panoramas, making it an ideal introduction to Madeira’s geographic contrasts.
MB Tours’ local expertise ensures travelers move seamlessly between these highlights with informative commentary and comfortable transport, crafting a deeply rewarding experience that fuses nature, culture, and history. For anyone seeking a comprehensive snapshot of Madeira’s eastern landscapes and traditions, the Santana tour is an essential addition to the itinerary.
easy.
8 hours.
Suitable for most fitness levels given that walking portions are brief and accessibility is by coach.
No, lunch is not included. There will be a stop in Santana where you can purchase food at local restaurants.
The tour departs from your accommodation or hotel in the Funchal area.
No strenuous hikes are involved; walking at sites is light and manageable for most fitness levels.
Spring and fall are especially pleasant for comfortable weather and fewer crowds, but the tour runs year-round.
Absolutely. There are many scenic spots like Pico do Arieiro and Santana’s houses ideal for photography.
No, any entrance fees to local sites are not included in the tour price.
Santana's thatched houses date back centuries and reflect traditional Madeira architecture adapted to the island’s climate.
Efforts in Ribeiro Frio preserve endemic flora and maintain the natural habitats critical to Madeira’s biodiversity.
MB Tours is a Madeira-based tour operator that offers a comprehensive selection of guided day trips, levada walks, vereda hikes, coastal excursions, island ferry transfers and cultural evenings. The business lists a wide variety of experiences by name, including Levada - Prazeres - Ponta do Pargo, Levada - Rabaçal, Levada - Queimadas/Caldeirão Verde and Vereda - Pico do Arieiro - Pico Ruivo, which focus on the island’s signature irrigation-path treks and scenic walking routes. MB Tours also operates viewpoint and sightseeing excursions such as Pico dos Barcelos/Eira do Serrado/Cristo Rei and coastal journeys to Porto Moniz and the west coast, offering panoramic views of Funchal, Curral das Freiras and Atlantic lookouts. The operator provides scheduled ferry transfers to Porto Santo on the vessel Lobo Marinho (noted departure at 08:00 with arrival around 10:30 in the provided schedule) and manages round-trip day visits that connect with return services to Funchal. Transfer services include airport-to-accommodation options between Funchal Airport and destinations listed in their offerings, such as Santo da Serra, Machico, Ponta do Sol, Monte, Ribeira Brava, Porto Moniz and other locations. Cultural programming includes the Noite Típica evening with a traditional Espetada dinner, a folklore group performance and nighttime views over Funchal. All descriptions are based directly on the supplied trip names and summaries, giving travelers clear, factual choices between levada treks, viewpoint tours, coastal excursions, Porto Santo ferry options and practical transfer services across Madeira.
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