• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Take a walk off the beaten track, away from the tourist crowds, and see the real side of Funchal. On this private tour, go beyond the classic route and explore Rua de Santa Maria where you’ll experience a different Funchal, like a local with a local by your side!

Destination

Funchal, Portugal

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

2 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Español, Italiano, Português

Included

• Private Guide
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Entrance to attractions

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 3 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at at the entrance of bar Poncha de Pescador - Funchal to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Off the Beaten Track

   Done with the main highlights of Funchal? Check out Rua de Santa Maria. Explore a lesser-known part of the city that will give you a more authentic feel of Funchal. Check out "Levadas" by Tiago Oliveira, "Madeira" by Pedro Campos and more!

4. The Real Deal

   Let a local expert in the area you’ll visit show you their Funchal from a different perspective - away from the tourist traps. See street art, cultural hot spots, local vendors, hangout spots, and historical gems, and embrace the vibe!

5. Personalized Recommendations

   Want to explore more of the area after the tour? Your host is happy to recommend their favorite eateries and where to take a break while wandering in this vibrant area

6. Unique Plan

   Depending on your host, this tour will be experienced based on their knowledge, passion, and expertise. Pick a host that matches your interests and see their city through their eyes!

7. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Kristi🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sandra)

22 November 2024

We LOVED our tour with Sandra! She is very knowledgeable and shared great insider information with us. We would absolutely tour with her again! Great tour

Jeff🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Sandra)

7 May 2024

Helpful to newcomers for an overview of Funchal and old townBrief overview of old town

Martina 🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Rosario)

4 May 2024

Es war eine tolle Stadtführung mit Rosario, bei der wir auch eine andere Seite von Madeira kennengelernt haben. Wir haben auch viel Interessantes und Wissenswertes über Funchal und Madeira erfahren. Tolle Stadtführung

Johan🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Rosario)

27 April 2024

Rosario was great. Telling the historical stories about Madeira and Funchal and in the meanwhile showing all important buildings, statues, etc A charming lady takes you to lots of places and is never boring.What a great Funchal tour

Ian🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Rosario)

4 February 2024

Rosario gave us a good introduction to Funchal, even came to look for us when we were waiting by the wrong fountain, and helped us to navigate our way around Funchal including the best place to have a Poncha. She was charming and nothing was to much trouble.Walking tour of Funchal

Martin🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Rosario)

30 January 2024

We both greatly enjoyed our walk with Rosario. She was very friendly and good company. It’s always a good sign when something ends too soon. Just the right mix of information and walking. Thanks Rosario.Very Enjoyable Walk

Rachel🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Rosario)

22 October 2023

It was a pleasure meeting Rosario and having her walk us around Funchal with just the right amount of memorable information and a route that kept our attention across 3 generations. Rosario was able to answer all of our questions and was so kind in catering to the things we liked and brought maps! The tour was a super introduction to Funchal and really helped put our further plans to explore into perspective. Highly recommend!! Obrigada Rosario!! Welcoming, informative and fun

Julie

(About local Rosario)

18 October 2023

Our group of 4 active seniors had a great time on the walking tour of Funchal with Rosario. She showed us places we would never have found on our own, and she was very accommodating to anything we needed. She was knowledgeable, personable and flexible. Just what we wanted on our first trip to Madeira! A great afternoon!Great tour with Rosario!

Catherine🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Rosario)

7 April 2023

Rosoario was lovely and we were certainly introduced to the highlights which gave us a great experience in getting oriented to Funchal. She was also patient with our small attempts at gift buying for our grandchildren,. It was also a pleasure to visit Rosario's shop and meet her family. Thank you for making our first time in Funchal so enjoyable. Sincerely Catherine and Mike McCulloughLovely Rosario

Miranda

(About local Luana)

24 February 2025

Our tour with Luana was our first time using With Locals. Luana has great warmth and energy. The tour was was the perfect way to start our stay in Funchal. She even tried to find a specific pastry i requested. She also sent links to me after the tour for activities we mentioned an interest in doing. It was like having a friend show you their town. Great Experience!

Larry

(About local Rosario)

5 January 2025

The three hour tour was informative and enjoyable. A great practical orientation and introduction to Funchal, Rosario was able convey interesting and pertinent facts about the area in a pleasant and non-showy manner. Definitely recommend. Terrific way to begin your visit

Mariya🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Volha)

31 December 2024

Volha adjusted the route of the tour to accommodate us travelling with a baby buggy (not working great on stairs, of which there are many in Funchal!) and showed some lesser known corners of the city. She is very relaxed and easy going, it was interesting to explore her adopted hometown together. Thanks to a chance encounter with a friend of hers we also found out about Oscar Niyemeyer's buildings in Funchal and visited them as well.A nice stroll through Funchal

Della🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Sandra)

26 November 2024

Sandra was informative, easy to talk to and the food tour was really interesting. I tried food I hadn't eaten before. I found it to be on the expensive side, for what it was, but Sandra provided a good experience.Wonderful guided tour of Funchal.

Della🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Volha)

23 November 2024

I had such a lovely evening with Volha, who is warm, friendly, interesting and she imparted lots of information about Funchal, and Madeira's history. It is lovely to see a place through the eyes of someone who knows and loves it. It felt like meeting a friend! Conversation was easy, and the overall experience was wonderful. We had a fabulous glass of wine and a delicious snack. Highly recommended.A wonderful evening in Funchal

Katrina🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Rosario)

15 November 2024

Rosario is an excellent companion with whom to explore Funchal which reveals itself to be a fascinating city with an interesting history. We get we got a really comprehensive overview and explored areas off the beaten track. We also stopped for coffee and a pastel de nata of course I would recommend Rosario most enthusiastically A lovely morning of history and culture

Rosemary🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Sherryl)

29 October 2024

We had SHERYLL as our guide on both tours and we thought she was very good . itour experience was one of pleasant learning and interaction and was relaxed and good. We had difficulty meeting up the first time - wasting time- we were all in the same place but not recognizing each other as leader and participants - we even stood on the same step! if only she had had a badge or a particular coloured jacket or some way so that we could have identified her! this kind of thing is very difficult in a busy and for us - new place- with a different language too and is stressful. That said, we enjoyed ourselves immensely and hope this comment will help future participants- once met up- the identification can disappear. also, e mails are easier than your portal- not everyone carries their passwords around and mobiles do not aleays cooperate, THis is no reflection on Sheryll, but rather for you to consider in your prep and organisation. #Many thanks - we love Madeira and were so glad to have pre booked for these exceptional experiences.Tasters and Hidden gems

rusty🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sandra)

14 October 2024

Sandra was a great start to our time in Funchal. She was knowledgeable and very patient with all our questions. She is a true local and it comes through during the tour. The 5 of us would recommend Sandra! Good start to our Funchal adventure

Beat🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Rosario)

6 October 2024

I thoroughly enjoyed this very pleasant 3-hours walking tour with Rosario. Setting things up with her was easy, and the tour itself was informative and covered both all the touristic highlights of Funchal, and also some trails off the main streets of the capital, where you could get an 'authentic' feel of life in the city. Rosario knows a lot about the history of the island, its people and politics and was easy to talk to in English. Highly recommended!Great 3-hour Funchal walking tour!

Terry🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Sandra)

30 September 2024

Sandra was very lovely however she needs to have a well rehearsed script and able to tell the history of Madeira and Funchal and point out interesting sites. We knew more about the island and city from websites than anything we learned with Sandra. She needs more training to be a tour guide even in her own town. Funchal Tour

Aleeta

(About local Volha)

29 September 2024

Volha was a very welcoming Funchal tour guide. She was very knowledgeable about the history of Funchal and was able to tailor the tour to our interests. She is very friendly and the whole group got along very well with her - like meeting a new friend! Thank you Volha for an amazing tour!Fantastic private tour

Elena🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Volha)

26 September 2024

I had an unforgettable experience exploring Funchal with Volha as a guide! Her deep knowledge of the city’s history, culture, and hidden gems made the tour not only informative but also truly enjoyable. Volha’s passion for Funchal shines through in every story she shares, and her warm personality made the whole experience feel like a walk with a friend. The tour was perfectly paced, covering all the major highlights while also taking us off the beaten path to discover some of Funchal’s best-kept secrets. Whether it was the historical landmarks, the charming local spots, or the breathtaking views, Volha made sure we saw the heart and soul of the city. I highly recommend this tour to anyone looking to connect with Funchal’s authentic side. Thank you, Volha, for an amazing day and for making Funchal come alive for us! Great expirience 🩷

D🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Volha)

21 September 2024

Es wahr eine enspante und gut organisierte Stadtführung wir können sie gut weiter empfählen . Danke Volha Tolle Führung durch Volha Void

Els

(About local Sherryl)

12 September 2024

Sherryl is a very sweet lady but for us, she is not “a local”… She indeed lives in Madeira but for us a local should be someone who knows all the tips and tricks from eating in Madeira… This is something we missed, instead of “here you can eat a pastel de nata, which is very popular dessert in Portugal” to “here you can buy the most delicious pastel de nata in Madeira”… so in the end we were happy that we did the tour but a bit disappointed in the tour itself…Not local enough

Donald🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sandra)

8 September 2024

Sandra is an excellent guide. We had a bit of a problem with our rental car on the way from Funchal airport to meet Sandra. She was flexible and communicated with us several time so that we could adapt our food tour. We found her to be very knowledgeable not only about the food of the area but about the history of Funchal as well. She is a delightful guide and person and I would highly recommend her. Wonderful time

Simone

(About local Luana)

24 August 2024

Luana è stata molto ospitale, ci ha spiegato nei dettagli la storia di Funchal, le tradizioni e le passioni degli abitanti di madeira. Appassionata dell'isola e di tutte le attrazioni che la contraddistinguono. Grazie per tutto e anche per i suggerimenti su dove gustare la Poncha e dove poter cenare.Alla scoperta di funchal!

Jennifer🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sherryl)

13 August 2024

Sherryl was a wonderful guide through the city of Funchal. She is very knowledgeable about the city and the foods we tried. She was easy to talk to and give great recommendations for our stay in Madeira!Great day in Fuchal

Tony🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Luana)

17 July 2024

Luana was great, approachable, friendly and excellent knowledge of Funchal. We really enjoyed the eating experiences, and a great introduction to traditional Madeiran food. Luana was able to recommend several restaurants. We ate at the Santa Maria Restaurant tonight and had a superb meal, which was excellent value. Thoroughly recommend a tour with LuanaEverything we wanted it to be

Marc🇱🇺 Luxembourg

(About local Luana)

10 June 2024

Not much to say except that the tour was exactly what we wanted and totally flexible and adapted to our needs. Luana, with her great personality and knowledge of the island, made this a very enjoyable tour and we highly recommend booking your tours with her."Thank you"

Marieke

(About local Luana)

2 June 2024

On our first day in Funchal we had a great food&foot tour with Luana. She made a program special for our family and took us to very nice and unique places to eat and drink. We needed and extra hour to enjoy everything. Luana is very enthousiast and familiar and she knows a lot about Funchal and Madeira. We give Luana a very high recommandation!Great tour with Luana

Rainer🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Rosario)

26 May 2024

We had a perfect tour with Rosario. She not only showed us the standard highlights of the city, but also something off the beaten path. She impressed us with a great knowledge of the history of Madeira. Her husband's sausage at the food truck was the perfect ending. Thanks for the Tour. Perfect Guide Rosario

Tom🇺🇸 United States

(About local Engerly )

1 May 2024

Engerly was engaging, knowledgeable, and accommodating. She kept the tour interesting with personal and historical anecdotes. We’ll book her again next time we’re in Madeira.Funchal was beautiful

Johan🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Volha)

25 April 2024

Volha is an entertaining young Italian wan living already for years in Madeira. She speaks good english so easy to follow. She did the 10 tasting in her own way and we loved her enthousiasm. Because we also booked a standard Funchal tour, we made it difficult for her to tell and show things we will not see in the other tour. But she managed. Searching for the right places to eat was a challenge altough it is the title of the tour 😁Volha is a really nice guide!

Cathy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Engerly )

24 April 2024

Engerly was very pleasant, and very knowledgable. We saw so much of Funchal. She took us to a nice local cafe for the a delicious treat. I would highly recommend her!Beautiful town and Island

Silvana 🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Volha)

4 April 2024

It was a lovely and interesting time with volha, like walking through her city with a friend and discovering little secrets and hidden beauties. The cable car ride gave us a great overview of the city. It was a pleasure to be with Volha. Absolutely recommendable! Many thanks and best regards from Silvana & Cameron Lovely walk through Funchal

Simon and Kerry🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Sandra)

8 January 2024

The two of us met Sandra as arranged; a very interesting, enjoyable, entertaining morning began immediately. As a true Madeiran, Sandra’s love of, and passion for, her home and community was very apparent, she kindly shared personal anecdotes and information which helped to contextualise what we we learned about (Sandra is a good teacher!). The atmosphere was very relaxed, it was lovely to see Sandra’s interaction with the community. Oh, and the food was great too! Don’t think about it, just do it!

Frank🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Sandra)

27 November 2023

We had a great time in Funchal with Sandra. She knows a lot of interesting things about the history of Madeira. She took us to nice coffee, restaurant and bar places. Next time we will book her again!Very experienced

Bob🇺🇸 United States

(About local Rosario)

25 November 2023

We very much enjoyed our tour with Rosario! So much information, so many fascinating facts. Funchal has so much history!! Thank you Rosario.Wonderful tour

Eva

(About local Sandra)

6 November 2023

Sandra was a knowledgeable, charming and accommodating guide. While the tour was not a traditional food tour, as Sandra made clear in pre-tour communications, it was a great way to learn about local history and life in Madeira while also getting to enjoy some traditional Madeira food and seeing sites.Lovely start to visit in Funchal

Ernst🇩🇪 Germany

(About local xxxxxx)

17 October 2023

Sehr gute Erfahrung mit João Pünktlich und sehr rücksichtsvoll zumal wir an dem Tag doch sehr unter den hohen Temperaturen gelitten hatten João hat uns alle sehenswerten Evken von Funchal gezeigt u gute Erklärungen dazu gegeben Es war ein tolles ErkebnisFunchal Tour

Ans

(About local xxxxxx)

6 September 2023

IT was lijke walking with a friend or Neighbour. Less of a tour. Allthouhh that Was very nice would have liked more imput about the City itself sympathico

Isabelle🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local xxxxxx)

26 July 2023

We just can recommend the walking tour with Joao. He showed us the old part of Funchal and was telling us a lot during the tour.Recommendable walking tour

michael🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local xxxxxx)

1 July 2023

What a great guy very knowledgeable about the history and culture of Madeira having been born and bought up here. Easy going and very pleasant it was an honour to spend a couple of hours walking and talking l would highly recommend going with Joao.Walk and Talk with Joao.

Robert 🇺🇸 United States

(About local Bernardino)

3 June 2023

He never showed up, We wrote him several times he did not reply.No show

Robert🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local xxxxxx)

14 May 2023

Joao knows Funchal very well, takes you to great sightings and let you taste all great foods on different locations. Absolutely a recommendation Great Funchal fod and city tour

Claudia🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Sandra)

7 May 2023

The lady was very enthusiastic, but the tour was not a Ten-tastings of Funchal. We expected a walk around town and on the way 10 stops for a snack/drink/dish. Instead we had a drink, a walk around town and then dinner where Sandra ordered 4 or 5 different dishes (all with a lot of chips). She was friendly but definitely not a foody organising a food tour.Accompanied dinner, not Ten tastings tour

Brian🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sandra)

2 April 2023

We throughly enjoyed our tour with Sandra. She enthusiatically greeted us, toting a myriad of local food delights for our personal enjoyment later. Our afternoon was filled with tastings and delightful conversation hosted by a an impressive woman who is extremely personable, warm, informative and open to sharing her personal insight into the Madeira/Funchal community. Embraced by local community members during our far too short encounter, it is evident that Sandra's friendship is treasured by many.Fun Food & New Found Friendship in Funchal