GuardTrailsPortugal · July
The classic
The Classic Peaks & Iconic Levadas
The stops adventure tour operators put in their flagship trips here — even if it strays a little from your request.
Experience Madeira's famous volcanic ridges, lush laurissilva levadas, and dramatic coastal cliffs.
- days6
- bases3
- stages5
- nights5
- transfer days3
- stage to stage161 km
- at the wheel, day by day4 h 14
Who this itinerary is for
This itinerary suits a traveller looking for: a trip in July, days of walking, a day hike and a village stroll.
The area
the classic peaks and famous levadas of the north and east
The map
Loading the map…
The days at a glance
One line per day: where you sleep, what the day is, the road, and how its time is split.
| Day | Evening base | The day | Road | Time of the day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day1 | Evening base : Funchal | TransferFunchal Historic Center | Road 20 min | |
| Day2 | Evening base : Funchal | Day excursionPico do Arieiro | Road 50 min | |
| Day3 | Evening base : Machico | TransferPonta de São Lourenço Peninsula | Road 32 min | |
| Day4 | Evening base : Machico | Day on sitePonta de São Lourenço Peninsula | — | |
| Day5 | Evening base : Porto Moniz | TransferRabaçal 25 Fontes Levada | Road 1 h 19 | |
| Day6 | — | DepartureFunchal, departure | Road 1 h 13 |
- programme
- road
- free time
12.0 h usable every day
Good to know
What it leaves aside
Leaves out the quieter western villages and the deep interior valleys of Curral das Freiras.
Places it did not keep
Curral das Freiras · Ponta do Pargo
Getting there
Fly to Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (FNC), 20 min by road from the start.
Where you sleep
The area offers a variety of accommodations including hotels, guesthouses, and mountain lodges, and it is highly recommended to book well in advance during the peak tourist season.
Safety
Portugal: no warning from the UK authorities (FCDO). Advice of 2026-08-11 · Official advice
Check before booking and before taking out insurance: the advice may have changed since.
Why this version, the cost in detail and the sources are on the method page. Read the method →
When, and for how long
How long?
- You ask for
- 7days
- The area needs, at least
- 6days
- Days kept
- 6days
Travelling in July.
The climate — July
- Daily high, 1 day in 4 is hotter
- 27 °C
- Daily high, 1 day in 20 is hotter
- 29 °C
- Unfavourable day
- 0%
- Windy day
- 3%
Rain, wind and temperature are measured over the 8 h in the middle of the day, on a historical baseline of 40 observations (Open-Meteo). It is a measuring window, not the length of your day: each day of the programme counts 12 h of usable time.
The itinerary, day by day
5 stages over 6 days, in the order of the days. A stage appears on the day you first reach it: you sleep several nights at some, and a day trip leaves from your base and brings you back to it. Each day has its own page.
Every day of this trip has 12 h of usable time. Room to breathe — we have not padded these days to fill them: the free time left is part of the trip.
- Day 1Funchal Historic Center · night in Funchal3 h planned · 20 min on the roadSee the day →
Stage 2 · Santana
Pico do Arieiro
Day trip from Funchal · no night here · climate favourable
- Day 2EXCURSIONfrom Funchal → Pico do Arieiro9 h planned · 50 min on the roadSee the day →
Stage 3 · Machico
Ponta de São Lourenço Peninsula
We sleep at Casas Brisa Mar, 300 m away
2 nights · climate favourable
- Day 3Ponta de São Lourenço Peninsula · night in Machico9 h planned · 32 min on the roadSee the day →
- Day 4AT BASEPonta de São Lourenço Peninsula · night in Machico9 h plannedSee the day →
- Day 5Rabaçal 25 Fontes Levada · night in Porto Moniz8 h planned · 1 h 19 on the roadSee the day →
- Day 6DEPARTUREFunchal, departure · end of the trip2 h planned · 1 h 13 on the roadSee the day →
What it costs, roughly
€485 to €758 per person
€81 to €126 per day
Based on: 2 people.
The cost estimate and the availability of accommodation, transport and activities are as of 6 November 2026: prices and availability change over time.
Where the money goes, and how this figure is obtained →What the review flagged
Our automatic checks flag these points to verify before booking.
- Day 5: the programme review flags a point to check (bothersome).
The method
Why this version, what sets it apart from the others, the cost in detail, the interest of the places, the automatic review and the sources.
Read the method →