Funchal Gastro Hike: Private Local Food & Levada Tour

Walk quiet Levada trails and eat where locals do

A five-hour private gastro hike in Funchal combines mountain walking on the island's Levada trails with meals at restaurants locals frequent, led by a certified guide born on Madeira. You choose between a 5.5-kilometer or 3.5-kilometer route depending on your pace, then taste poncha (the local spirit) and a traditional skewered beef dish cooked over coals at the end. Private transportation, all food and drinks, and coffee are included.

The experience

The hike follows one of Madeira's Levada trails (the irrigation channels that cut through the island's interior) in a section where tourism has not yet crowded the path. A certified guide who grew up here leads the walk and tells the story of the island as you go, pointing out the biodiversity and history that shape the landscape. You pick the distance that suits your day: either 5.5 kilometers or 3.5 kilometers, both accessible to most visitors regardless of fitness level.

Midway through or at the end, depending on the route, you stop at one of the most emblematic spots in Madeira's mountains to taste poncha and learn its history straight from someone who knows it. Then comes the meal: a regional kebab (beef skewered and cooked over coals, served with fries, salad and fried corn) prepared in the way locals eat it. The guide speaks English, Spanish or Portuguese, and private transportation is included, so you travel without arranging a separate vehicle.

The operator built this tour to put money directly into local communities rather than into large tourism operations, so the restaurants and the guide are part of that choice. Soda, alcoholic beverages, coffee and tea come with the package, and the whole experience is designed around eating and walking as a Madeiran does, not as a visitor passing through.

What’s included

• Private transportation from your location.
• a five-hour guided hike on the Levada trails with a certified local guide.
• choice of 5.5-kilometer or 3.5-kilometer route.
• traditional skewered beef cooked over coals with fries, salad and fried corn.
• poncha tasting at a mountain viewpoint.
• soda, alcoholic beverages, coffee and tea.

Options for this experience

2 options

Gastro hikeGuide in English, Spanish or Portuguese · 16:00Duration: 5 hours, Skewered, Kia Stonic 2021, pickup is included

WeekendGuide in English, Spanish or Portuguese · 11:00 and 16:00Duration: 5 hours, lunch or dinner, Kia Stonic 2021, includes pickup

You pick the guide language when booking.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 11:00 and 16:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (14 to 17 years) · Child (6 to 13 years) · Under 6: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcome

Operated by Hiking Island

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to walk quiet mountain trails and eat at the places locals choose, rather than tourist restaurants. The private format and local guide mean you move at your own pace and hear the island's real story, not a rehearsed version.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (14 to 17 years); Child (6 to 13 years). Under 6: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I choose how far I walk on the Levada trail?

Yes. The route is either 5.5 kilometers or 3.3 kilometers, and you decide which one suits your day when you book. Both are accessible to most fitness levels.

What is poncha and when do I taste it?

Poncha is a traditional Madeiran spirit, and you'll taste it at one of the island's most emblematic mountain spots partway through or at the end of the hike, depending on which route you choose. The guide explains its history while you're there.

Does the tour include food and drinks?

Yes. Lunch or dinner is a regional kebab (beef cooked over coals with fries, salad and fried corn) plus poncha, soda, other alcoholic beverages, and coffee or tea. Private transportation is also included.

Who leads the hike?

A certified guide born and raised on Madeira leads the walk. The guide speaks English, Spanish or Portuguese and shares the island's history and biodiversity as you go.

Is this hike suitable for someone who is not very fit?

The Levada trail is accessible to most people who visit Madeira, and you can choose the shorter 3.5-kilometer route if you prefer a gentler pace. The operator notes the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels.