Nuns Valley tour from Funchal: Three viewpoints in 3 hours

Three mountain viewpoints in one morning, starting from your hotel

A 3-hour guided tour from Funchal explores Nuns Valley and two high viewpoints by minibus with hotel pickup and drop-off. The route starts at Pico dos Barcelos, a 355-meter observation point overlooking the city, then climbs to Eira do Serrado to see the horseshoe-shaped valley far below, and ends in the village of Curral das Freiras, founded by nuns who fled pirate attacks in 1566.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Pico dos Barcelos Viewpoint20m
2. Eira do Serrado35m
3. Valley of the Nuns25m

Explore Nuns Valley and viewpoints

• Start tour at Pico dos Barcelos viewpoint
• Stop at Eira do Serrado for views
• Visit Village of Nuns Valley (Curral das Freiras)

The experience

How do you see three of Madeira's most dramatic valleys without renting a car or piecing together separate transfers? This tour strings them together in a single morning, starting with hotel pickup in Funchal and moving through the mountains by air-conditioned minibus. The guide narrates in English, Spanish, Portuguese or French, you choose at checkout, and handles all the stops, so you step out at each viewpoint ready to look.

Pico dos Barcelos comes first: a 15-minute stop at an observation point 355 meters above Funchal, where the city spreads out below. From there the route climbs to Eira do Serrado, where you stand above Curral das Freiras, the horseshoe-shaped valley that gives the tour its name. The valley's dramatic three-sided walls were carved by a river over time, not by volcanic action as locals once believed. Terraced fields cling to the slopes below, growing wine, fruit and vegetables, and sweet chestnut trees fill the lower reaches. You get about 30 minutes to take in the scale of it.

The final stop is the village itself, Curral das Freiras, nestled in the valley's center on a small rise. The village dates to the 16th century, when nuns from the Santa Clara convent in Funchal fled here to escape pirate raids in 1566. The valley's isolation was the point. You spend roughly 30 minutes walking the village before the minibus returns you to your hotel. The whole outing takes 3 hours door to door.

What’s included

• Professional guide in your chosen language.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Funchal, Câmara de Lobos or Canico.
• air-conditioned minibus transport.
• all taxes, fees and handling charges.

Options for this experience

2 options

English09:00 and 14:00A three-hour English-language tour of the dramatic scenery of Nuns Valley, with pickup from hotels in Funchal and Canico included

Portuguese09:00 and 14:00Pickup is included

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

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday, Thursday and SundayDepartures at 09:00 and 14:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5)

GroupUp to 18

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats available

Operated by Madeira Island Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the morning departure if Funchal's other activities fill your afternoon, since this tour wraps by early afternoon and returns you to your hotel. The fixed 3-hour schedule and included transport mean you don't arrange anything beyond booking: useful if you're traveling without a rental car or prefer not to drive mountain roads.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5).

What is Nuns Valley and why is it called that?

Curral das Freiras, the village at the heart of the tour, was founded in the 16th century by nuns from Funchal's Santa Clara convent who fled here in 1566 to escape pirate attacks. The valley's isolation (surrounded by Madeira's highest peaks in a natural amphitheater) made it a safe refuge. The name stuck.

Can I see the valley from above before going down into it?

Yes. Eira do Serrado, the second stop, is a viewpoint that overlooks the entire horseshoe-shaped valley from above, so you see the scale and shape of it before descending into the village itself at the final stop.

How long do I spend at each location?

Pico dos Barcelos takes about 15 minutes; Eira do Serrado about 30 minutes; and the village of Curral das Freiras about 30 minutes. The rest of the 3 hours is travel time by minibus between the three stops and hotel pickup and drop-off.

Is hotel pickup included, and which areas does it cover?

Hotel pickup and drop-off are included for hotels, homes and apartments in Funchal, Câmara de Lobos and Canico. Pickup from the cruise port in Funchal is available depending on which option you select at checkout.