Time Travel on Columbus Replica Flag Ship in Madeira
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Madeira, Portugal
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Hop aboard the “Santa Maria de Colombo,” a copy of Christopher Columbus’ signature boat, for a sail around Madeira’s southern coast. A trip that’s sure to appeal to adults and kids alike, the experience puts a historic spin on a classic boat tour, and includes the chance to see dolphins and whales, too.
- Book online to secure your place on a popular Madeira cruise
- Look out for cetaceans on a route where dolphins are often seen
- Soak up unobstructed views of the coast and cliffs by Cabo Girão
- Stop to swim at a safe and scenic spot during the summer months
What's Included
- Alcoholic Beverages
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- J3WR+8H FunchalJ3WR+8HP Funchal, Portugal
Next to Funchal Pier, in Praça do Povo, Cais 08
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Baia de Camara de Lobos (Pass By)
1
Cabo Girao
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 100 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
When booking this trip, we were unconvinced it would be anything but a bit "touristy".
We couldn't have been more wrong.
We were out for a good three hours, including seeing a pod of whales on the way out. Okay, its never guaranteed to see wildlife of course, but what is well thought out is that all the boats and catamarans and the Santa Maria are all in contact with each other, and if there is something to see, the boat that has located the whales or the dolphins will let the others know. Each boat gives the wildlife space, and time is limited so as not to stress them.
We ventured along the coast where some went swimming in the sea and others were treated to a glass of Madeira wine and a piece of honey cake.
It was nice out on the sea. On land in early October it was around 25 degrees, but out on the sea there was a cooler breeze giving some respite to the heat and humidity.
Seeing Funchal from the sea gives a different perspective to the city and is well worth it.
However, doing so from the Santa Maria made it all somehow just that bit more special. Whenever we sailed past, people waved, took photos and were genuinely surprised at what they saw.
The crew were really good. Despite the lack of wind that day, they still dropped the mainsail, just for the experience.
So what began with us wondering if perhaps we should have booked a catamaran, ended up being one of the highlights of our fortnight. Plus, seeing the amount of people boarding the catamarans, we knew we'd made the right choice.
A few points to be aware of:
Yes, there is a bar.
Yes, there are toilets.
If you want to swim, you can change in the toilets. Bring your own towel.
You can bring your own food and drink.
Reviews
4.3
based on 245 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
The crew of the Santa Maria were very friendly and professional. The 3h trip was very pleasant with tremendous views, it normally goes along the coast to the west of Funchal but sea conditions dictated that we went East today. Just before the swimming stop, we saw a pod of Dolphins which was an added bonus. We would definitely recommend this as an enjoyable experience.
We had a relaxed journey, were able to see dolphins AND swim. The crew was pleasant, friendly and relaxed (no pirate show or anything of the sort as I’ve experienced elsewhere). Lovely to see Madeira from the water.
Thank you!
The boat is really special and it's a fantastic experience. Staff were very helpful. Shame we didnt see dolphins but went for a nice swim.
Such a special experience. So glad we chose to do this. The ship is beautiful and the crew welcoming and friendly. I loved every bit of it, from seeing whales to the Madeira wine and cake.
We sat at the back of the ship and felt we had a good vantage point.
Absolutely consider this trip if you are planning a trip to Funchal. You won't be disappointed!
The crew members where very nice and amazing experience, with the view and the swimming in the ocean. I would definitely recommend this to all tourists here!
Awesome experience looking for whales and dolphins on a replica ship. You then travel down the beautiful coast of Madeira to Cabo Girão where you can swim in the water and a slow cruise back to the city along the coast!
Having boarded the Santa Maria we left the harbour and started on our sea adventure. We were given a brochure to look at by one crew member that told us the story of the replica ships build, together with all the pictures at various stages of construction. The sea was quite choppy today and you got a good idea of how it would have felt onboard all those years ago. About halfway through the trip we stopped in a calmer area and are given a a glass of Madeira and cake before continuing back to port. We didn't see any dolphins today, which was little disappointing, however this didn't spoil the day. All in all very enjoyable and would recommend to anyone interested in going.
Read all the reviews thought it will be kore interesting.
Of coyrse the ship is nice and unique.
But from there on the ride feels too long without anything happening.
Maybe in summer combined with swimming woukd be better.
There's a certain amount of climbing stairs to various levels of the ship, but not required to do so. Ship is a true replica and very interesting. There's a small museum of artifacts from the period in the hold. The crew were very friendly and eager to talk about the area and the ship.
Great tour and helpful crew. Relaxing ride out and back from the ocean. Saw some dolphins while we were out!
When booking this trip, we were unconvinced it would be anything but a bit "touristy".
We couldn't have been more wrong.
We were out for a good three hours, including seeing a pod of whales on the way out. Okay, its never guaranteed to see wildlife of course, but what is well thought out is that all the boats and catamarans and the Santa Maria are all in contact with each other, and if there is something to see, the boat that has located the whales or the dolphins will let the others know. Each boat gives the wildlife space, and time is limited so as not to stress them.
We ventured along the coast where some went swimming in the sea and others were treated to a glass of Madeira wine and a piece of honey cake.
It was nice out on the sea. On land in early October it was around 25 degrees, but out on the sea there was a cooler breeze giving some respite to the heat and humidity.
Seeing Funchal from the sea gives a different perspective to the city and is well worth it.
However, doing so from the Santa Maria made it all somehow just that bit more special. Whenever we sailed past, people waved, took photos and were genuinely surprised at what they saw.
The crew were really good. Despite the lack of wind that day, they still dropped the mainsail, just for the experience.
So what began with us wondering if perhaps we should have booked a catamaran, ended up being one of the highlights of our fortnight. Plus, seeing the amount of people boarding the catamarans, we knew we'd made the right choice.
A few points to be aware of:
Yes, there is a bar.
Yes, there are toilets.
If you want to swim, you can change in the toilets. Bring your own towel.
You can bring your own food and drink.
Very relaxed. A nice trip including "hunt" for dolphins, we actually saw. Many of our fellow-passengers enjoyed a swim.
At first thought it was going to be difficult to board but the staff were wonderful and helpful with one of our party who has mobility problems. Ship great and the little pieces of info were really a nice touch as was the cake and wine. Seeing dolphins was the icing on the cake.
The main attraction is the ship itself. It looks like something out of a movie. And to travel in that ship, and watching dolphins or whales is a cherry on the cake. We did spot dolphins in packs, and it was a very calming and memorable experience. Definitely worth the try.
Great experience both for the young and older ones. Professional crew and a lot of information as well
Chance to deep yourself to history of discovery, feel as a sailor of Columbus boat, see whales along the boat, jump to the ocean's waves right from the boat, taste Madeira wine with honey cake, view amazing island from the ocean!!! So much to enjoy!!!
This is a great little trip aboard a replica of Columbus’ ship. We saw dolphins and had a great trip down the coast with great views. We cruised for part of the journey by sail. The crew broke out the grog (Madeira wine and cake). Good fun.
A very enjoyable trip. We saw a lot of dolphins and it was quite exciting when the sails were put up. The crew were helpful and pleasant and I enjoyed the Madeira wine and cake. The weather was good snd the sea was calm so this helped to make it a very pleasant experience.
Excellent boat trip. Really enjoyed it and we’re lucky enough to see a turtle. Would have been nice to learn more about the ship and it’s building other than just where it was built but still a great trip to do.
A quiet and peaceful trip, we left on time, sadly did not see any dolphins or whales but had a lovely restful cruise.
The view along the coast that we had previously been driven along. Further information about the original ship and its voyage would have added significantly to the experience
It was unbelievable experience, wr saw dolphins and it was really interesting to see Funchal from the oceane. Staff was great, friendly, we had opportunity to taste Madeira wine and Bolo de Mel. I reccommend this trip to all, who would like to experience something extraordinary
Had a really great time, did feel 3 hours was maybe too long though. It was a bonus seeing dolphins and orcas in their natural habitat
Great experience. Glad I cancelled my other boat trip. Was nice to sail on something different... with a bar too.
Very very boring. No info about the ship. No commentary at all. Not told about the bar in the galley or if it was open. Saw some dolphins and shown a picture of a dolphin. Given a small wine and a piece of cake. Some people clapped at the end but I think they were just happy to get off after 3 hours.
Had a great time. Got to see dolphins pretty close by and the views of Madeira Island were fantastic.
We got chatting to one of the crew, he was only 20 but so passionate about his Island and he told us a lot of history about it.
We got to taste Madeira wine and honey cake which was yummy.
Well worth doing. Had a great time.
A superb and most beautiful ship in every detail. I couldn't believe that she is a relatively new ship. The crew are very nice too. Don't make the mistake of leaving Madeira without a trip on this boat.
Really accommodating crew and absolutely astonishing ship! Totally worth it (even though we didn't get to see the the dolphins or whales, might have been not the season)
For a experience with description of "Look out for cetaceans on a route where dolphins are often seen", I never saw any effort of trying to find any animal. By the captain radio we can hear that other boats were seeing it, but no attempt to try to find it, and the captain even turned down the sound of the radio. Just a boat ride in a different king of boat and nothing more. I'll strong recommend my friends to do this on a catamaran boat instead of nau
Jumping from “Santa Maria” into the Atlantic Sea and swimming in the ocean in front of Cabo Girao was so great!
From $53.20
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Time Travel on Columbus Replica Flag Ship in Madeira
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