This is a wonderful full day itinerary to combine with your city break in Funchal and a few other activities in the center. While not as mountainous as the heart of Madeira, the eastern coast is easy to get to and has surreal landscapes and charming coastal towns. You can either rent a car for the day as we did or go with a group tour advertising “East tour of Madeira”, there are quite a few.
As you head out of Funchal going east, you immediately start climbing and quickly getting some sweet views from roadside viewpoints.
About 15 minutes into the ride, you arrive at the Cristo Rei observation deck. Standing proudly on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic ocean, the 14 meters high statue of Jesus Christ was built in 1927 and from here you can get some splendid views of the ocean.
Machico
Continuing on the coastal road north for another 20 minutes brings you to another interesting viewpoint – Miradouro de Machico. Before heading down to the town, it’s a great panoramic view of Madeira’s first settlement (oldest town) and its wide bay. It’s here that the Portuguese explorer who discovered Madeira, João Gonçalves Zarco, first came ashore in 1419.
Wander through the old quarter and grab a coffee in the leafy central square. Soak up the history and very chilled atmosphere despite it being the second largest city on the island.
Take a little stroll on the crescent beach for the views and cooling breeze. The majority of it is rocky but a separate section is filled with beautiful golden sand (imported from Morocco!), a popular swimming spot.
Ponta de São Lourenço
This is one of my favorite places on the entire island, if you have only time for one stop on your east tour – make it this one! I first caught a glimpse of the island’s easternmost peninsula from my flight right before landing and couldn’t wait to explore it.
The Ponta de São Lourenço hike takes you through an otherworldly volcanic landscape with breathtaking views over the north and south sides. It’s roughly 7km (less than 5 miles) of undulating, moderate terrain so you can expect to complete it in less than 3 hours. As one of the most popular trails on the island, you certainly won’t be alone but the vast peninsula will still deliver plenty of quiet stretches and nearly empty vistas.
The semi-arid landscape devoid of trees is such a contrast with the forested interior. You’ll marvel at the uninterrupted views of the ocean, jagged cliffs and rusty color palette.
Black basalt cliffs with red stripes and crashing waves make for a dramatic coastline.
Once you get to the short ridge walk you’re past the halfway mark and can enjoy a beautiful vantage point from here.
You’re also within sight of the oasis aka the bar! Impossible to miss, the lone building surrounded by a few palm trees is Cais do Sardinha (or Sardine House) , the only shaded spot on the peninsula and a great excuse for a quick rest and a bite.
The path then climbs up over a steep hill. Turn around to see how far you’ve come already!
The trail eventually ends at Miradouro Ponta do Furado and its sweeping panoramic vista.
As everywhere else in Madeira, the weather is likely to change several times during your walk, especially with the strong winds on the peninsula so be ready for anything! We started under the cover of clouds but by the time we turned around, the sun was shining and the light gave a brand new perspective on the way back, the colors much brighter.
Take time to admire the flora, some of which is unique to Madeira.
Even though you’re essentially retracing your steps, the views are no less spectacular as you face the island – what a sight.
Porto da Cruz
Leave Ponta de São Lourenço and head east along the northeast coast. You’ll immediately notice the difference with its southern, more developed counterpart. This stretch of the coast is definitely wilder, more rugged, with a raw beauty that’ll have you make frequent stops to capture the dramatic cliffs and black sand beaches.
Make your way down to the small village of Porto da Cruz for your well-deserved lunch break.
The buzziest place in this tiny village, snack bar A Pipa serves traditional food in a convivial atmosphere. From the rustic outdoor terrace to the warm, old stone walls of the interior room, it feels like you’re eating in a mountain chalet with all the comforting dishes (and plenty of poncha!) you could ever want.
Being so close to the water, it’s a great place to try limpets, another one of Madeira’s unique seafood delicacy. These clam-like mollusks are most often served grilled and seasoned with butter and garlic with a lemon on the side. They’re the perfect appetizer with a cold beer and a bolo do caco (local bread) to soak up all the delicious juices.
Grilled squid with garlic butter was also a hit.
Right behind the restaurant you’ll find one of Madeira’s few sugar mills still working, North Mills Distillery.
You can take a tour to see how they process the sugarcane to make aguardente (rum) and molasses, or you can just chill in their bar and gift shop to sample the production.
There’s a nice pedestrian walkway you can take from the distillery to walk around the short headland and pass by Porto da Cruz’s famous bathing complex. Although empty on this winter day, I can imagine the thrill of swimming here under the summer sun surrounded by this stunning scenery.
Santana
Your final stop of the day, Santana, is mostly known for its enchanting storybook houses known as palheiros. The triangular thatched buildings date from the 16th century, and while a few are still inhabited, most are now used as gift shops and tourist information center.
The most photographed in the center of the village is the perfect representation of a classic house from the area: two-story, white stucco exterior, brightly painted red door, red and blue window frames, and a thatched roof.
Walking around, you can find some of the still inhabited ones which stand out adorably among the more modern buildings around them.
Even the local market opted to mimic the traditional architecture.
And that’s a wrap on the eastern tour of Madeira! Even though it seems like we covered a lot, you’re still just a 40 minutes drive away from Funchal so you can tick off many sights in one day. Next, we’ll be heading west….
