Go North Tour

Full-Day Madeira Island Tour

Let’s Explore the Northside of Madeira

On the Go North tour, you will find the most remote places on the island. The unique landscapes will surprise you. We recommend you to book this tour with the visit to the Volcanic Caves to learn about the formation of our beautiful island.

We start the Go North Tour with an optional visit to the São Vicente’s Caves and Volcanism Centre. The whole visit takes a bit more than 1 hour. The caves were formed 890 thousand years ago by a volcanic eruption.
They were discovered by locals in 1885 but only opened to the public in 1996. Through a set of 8 volcanic tunnels, you will see crystal clear small lakes, volcanic stalactites, and interesting volcanic patterns. The underground route runs for over 1000 meters and the height of the caves varies from 5 to 6 meters. The temperature is always between 16oC / 17oC.

After the walk through the center of the Earth, you can also visit a small museum which offers a range of educational and entertaining audiovisual displays that recreate the geological evolution of the caves, the eruption of the volcano, and the formation of the Madeira Islands.

The second stop of our journey takes us to Ponta Delgada. This picturesque village of the North is located between the mountains and the sea. The village is famous for its seaside swimming pools that take advantage of the Atlantic Ocean. Another point of interest is the local church, also located by the sea. The ceiling and paintings are well worth seeing.

Continuing along the North coast we arrive at São Jorge. This little charming village was one of the first parishes of the North Coast of the Island to be populated. Here we stop for lunch for about 90 minutes, there are a few local restaurants to choose from. At Cabana’s viewpoint, you have a fantastic view over Arco de São Jorge and the Atlantic Ocean. On clear days you can even see Porto Santo Island.

Afterward, we arrive at Porto da Cruz, which is on the Northeast coast. The mountains surrounding the town cast an amphitheater facing the sea. The most iconic rock formation you see here is the Penha d’Águia, it rises from the earth at 590 meters high. In Porto da Cruz you may visit the Northern Milling Company which is the only steam-powered distillery in Europe.

This mill is one of the most striking examples of the importance of sugarcane trade in Madeira. The mill is dedicated exclusively to the production of sugarcane rum according to the original process. You can observe the machines and understand the mechanism through interactive devices. In the end, you may visit the Rum House where you can taste a variety of rums.

The next stop is the stunning viewpoint Pico do Facho. Here you will admire the panoramic views of Machico valley, Ponta de São Lourenço, and the airport. Historically, this was where huge bonfires were lit to alert the population of approaching enemy ships.

The final stop our journey is Santa Cruz village, which is the second oldest city of Madeira. You can take a pleasant stroll by the sea or through the Old Town where you will find small shops, cafés, and restaurants. You may also visit the São Salvador church, a gothic Manueline style temple. It is one of the churches, outside Funchal, with a large architectural interest.

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What to Bring?

We recommend you to take comfortable shoes, a sweater, a jacket, a cap and a bottle of water.

Nevertheless, despite our advice, it is our guests’ decision to bring appropriate garments to the tour.

Recommended Equipment