Madeira Northeast 4x4 Safari: Santana Houses & Laurisilva Forest

The Road to Santana: What Those Triangular Houses Actually Look Like

You spend a full day in a 4x4 exploring Madeira's northeast, starting with hotel pickup and moving through São Vicente, the Laurisilva forest, and the village of Santana with its distinctive triangular houses. You stop at coastal viewpoints, visit a rum distillery in Porto da Cruz, and end at Boca das Voltas for panoramic views of the valleys and ocean. The tour includes a local guide, all taxes and insurance, and returns you to your hotel by evening.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Northeast Madeira villages and landscapes

• Visit São Vicente town
• Enjoy sea views at coastal village
• Explore Boa Ventura village
• See cliffs at Arco de São Jorge
• Pass through Cabanas and São Jorge villages
• Visit Santana traditional houses
• Learn about Santana cultural heritage
• Explore Santana surroundings
• Visit Faial village
• Discover Porto da Cruz village
• Tour local rum distillery
• Learn whaling history at coastal village
• View panorama at Boca das Voltas

The Experience

The 4x4 bounces over a pothole somewhere between São Vicente and Boa Ventura, and you realize the pavement has given way to something closer to a dirt track. That's when it hits you: this isn't a tour bus route. The vehicle climbs into the northeast of Madeira with the kind of grip and clearance that makes sense only once you see what lies ahead—lush valleys that drop away on both sides, villages perched on slopes that would make a regular car nervous, and eventually, the village of Santana with its famous A-frame houses painted in colors that seem too bright to be real until you're standing in front of them. The triangular roofs aren't just architectural; they're built that way because rain comes sideways here, and the design has worked for centuries.

The day starts with hotel pickup from Funchal or Caniço center, then heads north through São Vicente, where colonial streets open onto the Atlantic. From there, the route winds through Boa Ventura and Arco de São Jorge—a place where cliffs rise sharp and green above the water—before reaching the Laurisilva forest. This is the part that catches most people off guard: the forest is dense, ancient, and nothing like the manicured nature reserves you might expect. It's a UNESCO site because it's one of the last subtropical laurel forests left in Europe, and the guide will point out species that exist nowhere else. The air changes when you enter it. After the forest, the road opens up again toward Santana itself, where you can walk around those iconic houses, see how people actually live in them, and understand why the design matters.

The afternoon loops through smaller villages—Faial with its agricultural terraces, Porto da Cruz where a local rum distillery sits near fishing beaches, and Machico, a village with whaling history and views that stretch across the ocean. The last major stop is Boca das Voltas, a viewpoint where the panorama of valleys and coastline justifies every bump in the road. By the time you're heading back to Funchal, you've covered the northeast corner of the island in a way that only a 4x4 makes possible—not just seeing the places, but understanding why they're built where they are and how the landscape shapes the life there.

The whole day runs full-length, which means you're not rushing between stops. Your guide shares local knowledge about the island's architecture, geography, and history as you move through each village. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included if you're staying in Funchal or Caniço center, and the tour covers local taxes and insurance, so there's no surprise cost at the end.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from Funchal or Caniço center.
• local guide throughout the day.
• entry to the Laurisilva forest.
• visit to Santana village and its traditional houses.
• stop at a rum distillery in Porto da Cruz.
• access to viewpoints including Boca das Voltas.
• local taxes and insurance.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats available

Operated by Green Devil Safari

Is this one for you?Best for travelers who want to see the quieter northeast villages and landscapes that regular buses don't reach, and who don't mind spending a full day on mountain roads to get there. The 4x4 is what makes the remote stops possible, not a luxury upgrade.

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Top questions

What's the difference between this tour and a regular bus tour of Madeira?

A 4x4 can access mountain roads and villages that standard tour buses cannot reach, which is why the northeast route requires this vehicle type. You get into smaller settlements and higher viewpoints that aren't on the typical itinerary.

How long is the full day?

The tour runs full-day, covering multiple villages and stops from morning pickup through evening return to your hotel.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes, pickup and drop-off are included if you're staying in Funchal or Caniço center. Outside these areas, you'd need to arrange your own transport to the meeting point.

What's the Laurisilva forest?

It's a UNESCO-protected subtropical laurel forest, one of the last of its kind in Europe. The tour includes a visit where you'll see rare plant species and understand why the forest is significant to Madeira's ecosystem.

Is there a distillery visit included?

Yes, the tour includes a stop at a rum distillery in Porto da Cruz, where you'll learn about the production of the island's local rum.

Are children allowed on this tour?

Yes. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and specialized infant seats are available if needed.

Is this tour suitable if I'm not very fit?

The tour is listed as suitable for all physical fitness levels. Most of the day is spent in the vehicle or at viewpoints, though there is walking involved at each stop.