Madeira East: Pico do Arieiro, Santana Houses & Rum Tasting Tour

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.93 (264 reviews) 97% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationLikely to sell out

1/26

Duration7h

GroupUp to 8

LanguagesEN · PT

PickupAt your hotel

Pico do Arieiro sunrise air, Santana houses and a rum break

You’ll ride up to Pico do Arieiro for wild mountain air, wander through Santana’s rare triangle houses with a local guide, taste fresh-made rum in Porto da Cruz, and catch coastal views from Pico do Facho—all with hotel pickup from Funchal. Expect honest moments: wind in your face, laughter over lunch breaks, maybe even a wave from a local gardener.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore East Madeira highlights

Visit Pico do Arieiro peak
See Laurissilva Forest viewpoint
Stop at Santana triangular houses
Visit Rum Factory House and taste rum
Enjoy viewpoint with admission
Experience the Sky Walk viewpoint

The Experience

I didn’t expect the wind at Pico do Arieiro to feel so sharp on my cheeks—like waking up twice in one morning. We’d barely left Funchal when our guide Dino started telling stories about old Madeira, his voice mixing with the sound of tires on those twisty roads. At the top, clouds drifted below us, and I caught myself just standing there, hands in my pockets, not really talking. It smelled faintly of pine and something colder—hard to explain. Someone next to me tried to film it all but kept laughing because her hair was everywhere.

We stopped at Ribeiro Frio after that. The Laurissilva forest is thicker than I thought—like you could get lost if you wandered off. Dino pointed out some tiny birds (he called them firecrests), and I tried to spot them but mostly just listened to the leaves moving overhead. Lunch wasn’t included, but we had time in Santana where those triangle houses sit in little bursts of color against green hills. There aren’t many left now; most are just for show, but one old lady was tending her garden and waved at us like she’d seen a thousand groups before ours.

Later on, Porto da Cruz smelled sweet and heavy from the rum factory—molasses maybe? We tasted a sip (burned a bit going down) while Dino explained how they’ve made it for generations here. He laughed when someone asked if locals actually drink it or just sell it to tourists. The last stop was Pico do Facho above Machico; I leaned on the railing and watched the coastline curve away under late sun. It felt quieter than I expected—maybe everyone else was tired too. Still think about that view sometimes when things get noisy back home.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup from Funchal with a certified local guide leading every stop—from Pico do Arieiro’s summit air to tasting rum at Porto da Cruz—with free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure so you can book without worry.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Summer Anatomy