Taste Funchal: food, wine & cultural tour

A great variety of food and drink were sampled, and our guide was extremely knowledgeable about everything related to Madeira. We even went an hour over & we didn't miss anything on the itinerary. We did it on the day we landed, and I highly recommend to get some great recommendations on what to do in Madeira.

We really enjoyed this walking food tour and would happily recommend it to anyone visiting Funchal. The small group size made it feel friendly and relaxed, and our guide spoke excellent English throughout. The food stops gave a great introduction to Madeira’s produce, with a nice balance of traditional dishes and more modern influences. One highlight was a delicious Thai-inspired soup made with local tuna. The pastel de nata was excellent, the Madeira wine tasting was good, and it was great to visit the colourful fresh fruit market and sample some of the local produce. Our guide had an impressive depth of knowledge about Madeira’s food, history and culture. The only area I think could be improved is the style of delivery. She dominated almost all of the conversation, meaning the rest of the group spent much of the tour sitting in silence while being talked at. I genuinely appreciated how knowledgeable she was, but the experience would have been even better with a little more interaction, encouraging conversation within the group rather than feeling like a lecture at points. I’d also love to see the itinerary expanded slightly to include a tasting at one of Madeira’s local producers, along with a stop for some of the excellent local ice cream. Overall 4/5 for us. It was a very enjoyable tour with just a little more interaction and one or two additional tasting stops, it would be exceptional.

This food tour was excellent. The guide (who's name escapes me) was very warm, welcoming, knowledgeable and patient. The tour was at a nice steady pace and included food, drinks, descriptions and a lot more. The tour wasn't fussy or rushed or pretentious. We really got a good sense of the places we went and Funchal. The guide also knew a lot more about Funchal and Madiera. It was good to interact either other members of the group. This is a great arrival tour or a few days in. We really enjoyed it.

This is a great introduction to the food and drink of Funchal. Our guide Carla was fantastic, giving us the history and culture behind each dish and taking us to some lovely out of the way spots I doubt I’d have found on my own. Make sure you arrive hungry!

Very nice tour with a guide that was very informative and nice. I can recommend this to anyone who is interested in the culture, history and food in Madeira.

We had a wonderful tour with Zelda. She was very knowledgeable and easy to talk to. We learnt a lot about Madeiran culture and of course the food. Thoroughly recommend this tour.

We had such a great experience with Ana Louisa. We almost chose not to book since it was a full 4 hours, but we're so happy we did. It was our first afternoon on Madeira and this tour was a wonderful way to be introduced to the food and the culture of the island. We would definitely recommend to anyone interested. FYI - my kids are 15 & 18yo and they both loved it.

We learned more about Madeira, it's history -- and especially the history of its food -- and enjoyed walking along some of the older streets in the city. We tasted tea, biscuits, fruit, chocolate, Madeira wine, and ended with a tasty selection of local dishes at Basalto, an excellent restaurant in a magnificent location. Our guide was extremely informative about all things Madeira and we learned a lot.

Darlene was our guide and did an outstanding job on providing a great experience on this tour. They had great in depth knowledge of Madeira and Funchal going into the past & present history of the country and city. The restaurants, cafes & bars visited along with tour were exceptional with a great range of local dishes, pastries and drinks on offer. Alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages was available at all locations were applicable. Allergies and dietary requirements were accommodated well which was greatly appreciated. It’s got a good mix of walking and seating during the food tasting with bathrooms available along the trip. Darlene also did a great job on doing the tour in two languages English & Portuguese which kept all members engaged. Overall would say this is a must do when you visit.

I was a little nervous about going on this tour on my own, as my wife usually joins me on these trips. Unfortunately, she was unwell and couldn't make it, but I really had nothing to worry about. Our group was small, with just five guests, which made the experience feel relaxed and personal. Lina was an outstanding guide—friendly, knowledgeable and incredibly passionate about Funchal. She led the tour effortlessly, and her enthusiasm really brought everything to life. Our group included both English and German speakers, and Lina switched seamlessly between the two languages throughout the tour. She made sure everyone felt included and explained everything clearly without ever missing a beat. The tour itself was fantastic. We explored Funchal while sampling a wonderful variety of local food and drink at several different venues, including traditional restaurants, a museum café and a bar in the market. Each stop came with fascinating stories, local history and interesting anecdotes that gave us a real insight into Madeira's culture and traditions. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Funchal. Whether you're travelling solo, as a couple or with friends, it's a fantastic way to discover the city through its food, history and people.