PT
Santana
Traditional triangular thatched houses of the north
Traditional triangular thatched houses of the north
Santana’s famous casas de colmo — tiny A-framed cottages with steep thatched roofs and bright paintwork, the traditional homes of Madeiran farmers.
A preserved cluster near the town centre is set up for visitors.
Up close, the thatched houses charm with their storybook shape, colour and craftsmanship — a window into old rural Madeira.
Some house craft and produce stalls — a good spot for local honey cake.
Santana sits among lush, terraced farmland high above a rugged coast — some of the most fertile and beautiful country on the island.
The coastal viewpoints around town are lovely at golden hour.
Santana’s cooler, fertile hinterland is Madeira’s countryside larder, and the food is rustic and satisfying. Look for hearty sopa de trigo (wheat soup), fresh vegetables and fruit, the island’s wood-grilled espetada beef skewers with bolo do caco garlic bread, and grilled fish from the north-coast villages. The area is known for its honey cake (bolo de mel) and local produce, sold at roadside stalls and in the thatched-house craft village. Simple family restaurants in and around town serve generous, good-value Madeiran meals, best finished with a poncha or a glass of the island’s fortified wine.
Santana is on Madeira’s north coast, about 40km from Funchal — around 40 minutes by the fast VR1 road and tunnels, or longer by the older scenic routes. A rental car is the easiest way to visit and to combine it with the Pico Ruivo trailhead at Achada do Teixeira or the north-coast drives. Buses (Rodoeste and SAM lines) connect Funchal to Santana but are slow and infrequent, so check timetables. The town and the thatched-house site are small and easily explored on foot. Many visitors include Santana on an east/north guided tour of the island.
Santana is an inexpensive stop on Madeira’s north coast. Figures are per person per day in US dollars.
Try bolo de mel, Madeira’s spiced molasses cake.
The Pico Ruivo trailhead at Achada do Teixeira is a short drive from Santana.
Staying overnight in the north lets you avoid the day-trip traffic.
A day in Santana pairs its famous thatched houses with a mountain walk.
Visit the preserved triangular casas de colmo, browse the craft stalls and try local honey cake.
The houses are most photogenic in the morning light.
Drive to Achada do Teixeira for the walk to Pico Ruivo, Madeira’s highest peak.
The trail is paved but steep in places; allow about an hour each way.
Have a rustic Madeiran meal in a village restaurant before driving back to Funchal.
Try espetada, beef skewers cooked over an open fire.
The preserved triangular thatched houses are the reason to come — small, charming and very photogenic.
The trailhead for Madeira’s highest peak is close by — combine houses and a mountain hike.
Santana and the north are known for bolo de mel — buy some from a roadside stall.
The north is cooler, lusher and wetter than the south — a light layer and rain jacket help.
Quick answers to the questions travellers most often ask before visiting Santana.
Its casas de colmo — small triangular houses with steep thatched roofs and bright paintwork, the traditional farmhouses of Madeira. A preserved cluster in the town is one of the island’s most iconic and photographed sights.
Yes — the little thatched A-frame cottages are charming, unique to Madeira and highly photogenic, and the surrounding green north-coast countryside is beautiful. It makes a lovely half-day, especially combined with a nearby hike.
It is about 40km on the north coast — around 40 minutes by the fast VR1 road and tunnels. A rental car is easiest and lets you combine it with the Pico Ruivo trailhead; buses run but are slow and infrequent.
The trailhead for Pico Ruivo, Madeira’s highest peak, is close by at Achada do Teixeira, and the green north coast has beautiful drives and viewpoints. Santana pairs well with a mountain walk or a north-island tour.
Download the Portuguese offline pack and use camera mode for menus and signs.
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Book tours, day trips and skip-the-line tickets in and around Santana.
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From the capital Funchal to the peaks and levadas, the wild São Lourenço peninsula, the lava pools of Porto Moniz and the thatched houses of Santana — the essential Madeira.
Planning a wider trip? Our Madeira travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.