Madeira West Coast: Private sidecar tour with guide

Summary

Vintage sidecar rides, sea cliffs, and village stops on Madeira’s wild west

You’ll ride in a vintage sidecar along Madeira’s wild west coast with a local guide who knows every twist of the road. Expect stops at Câmara de Lobos harbor, dizzying views from Cabo Girão’s glass platform, banana groves and sugar cane fields, plus time for poncha in Calheta — all those small moments you’ll remember long after you leave.

What’s the experience like?

I’ll be honest — I almost bailed when I saw the clouds rolling over Funchal that morning. But our guide João just grinned and handed me a helmet, saying the weather changes every twenty minutes on the west coast anyway. He was right. By the time we rattled through Câmara de Lobos in that sidecar (which is way more fun than it looks), the air smelled like grilled fish and diesel, and old men were already arguing over cards by the harbor. João waved at them — apparently everyone knows him here.

The road up to Cabo Girão was steeper than I expected. At one point, I thought we’d tip backwards but João just laughed and told us to lean forward “like bananas growing uphill.” The glass platform at the top is… well, it’s high. 580 meters doesn’t sound like much until you’re standing on it, toes tingling, looking straight down at tiny boats below. My partner tried to take a selfie but mostly caught my terrified face (I still laugh thinking about it). The wind up there tastes salty and sharp — not sure how else to put it.

We zigzagged through banana groves after that, dodging tractors and getting splashed by rain for about five minutes before sun broke out again. The valley of Serra D’água looked almost fake with all that green after the storm. João kept pointing out little things — sugar cane fields, a dog barking from someone’s roof, even a shortcut he took because “the main road is boring.” In Calheta we stopped for poncha at a bar where nobody spoke English but everyone smiled anyway. There’s an artificial golden sand beach there too — not what I pictured for Madeira but somehow it fits.

I didn’t expect to feel so much just riding in an old sidecar for half a day. Maybe it was João’s stories or maybe just seeing the island from so close to the ground — either way, I still think about that view from Cabo Girão sometimes when I’m stuck in traffic back home.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Madeira West Coast Highlights

• Explore Câmara de Lobos village
• Visit Cabo Girão sea cliff viewpoint
• View Western Island and Serra D'agua valley
• Drive old roads with banana and sugar cane views
• Visit Calheta golden sand beach and rum factory

Top questions

Is hotel pickup included in this Madeira West Coast sidecar tour?

Yes, pickup is included as part of your private tour experience.

How many people can ride in each sidecar?

The sidecar allows two passengers: one in the sidecar itself and another behind the driver on the motorbike.

Are helmets provided for this Madeira private tour?

Yes, helmets are provided for all participants along with disposable rain ponchos if needed.

What are some main stops on this Madeira coastal tour?

The main stops include Câmara de Lobos village, Cabo Girão sea cliff viewpoint, Serra D’água valley lookout, banana plantations, and Calheta beach with its rum factory.

Is this tour suitable for children or people with limited mobility?

The tour is wheelchair accessible and infants or small children can ride in a pram or stroller; infants must sit on an adult’s lap.

What’s included

Your day includes pickup by your local driver-guide, all taxes and fees covered, insurance throughout the journey, helmets (and rain ponchos if needed), plus plenty of stories and photo stops before returning back to your starting point.