Santana, the thatched houses
A town on the north coast known for its small triangular houses with thatched roofs and colourful fronts.
Santana at a glance
A north-coast town known for its small triangular houses with thatched roofs and colourful fronts.
- Where
- Santana, on the north coast
- From Funchal by car
- about 45 min
- Time to allow
- 30 minutes, or half a day with the Theme Park
- By the town hall
- a group of the houses, used as the tourist office and shops for crafts, sweets and local produce
- Madeira Theme Park
- Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:00, closed on Mondays; a visit takes 2 to 4 hours
Go there with us
- East Madeira: Santana and Ponta de São Lourenço Private tour 8 h €2501–4
- Santana hills: Caldeirão Verde, Pico Ruivo from Achada do Teixeira, Levada do Rei Hiking transfer Your times drop-off and pickup €2151–4
Prices are for the whole car, not per person. Each page has the price for 5 or 6.
What you see
Santana is known for small triangular houses with thatched roofs and colourful fronts. The roof comes almost to the ground, so the house is a triangle: a door, two small windows and thatch above them.
The easiest place to see them is in the centre, next to the town hall, where there is a group of the houses, used as the tourist office and shops for crafts, sweets and local produce. It is free to walk round, and their garden has a view over Santana's fields.
The Madeira Theme Park, a few minutes away, has a village of these houses too, with craftspeople at work, inside a paid park about the island's history. Up the hill, the Queimadas forest park is the start of the Caldeirão Verde walk. Santana has been a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2011.
Before you go
- Half an hour is enough for the houses by the town hall. The theme park takes 2 to 4 hours.
- The theme park is closed on Mondays. It is open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:00, closed on Mondays; a visit takes 2 to 4 hours. Ticket prices are given on request.
- The north coast is often cloudier and wetter than Funchal, so bring a layer.
Santana with us
Our east Madeira day stops in Santana around midday, after Pico do Arieiro and Ribeiro Frio, with time for the houses and lunch here or in São Jorge. For the Caldeirão Verde walk above the town, see the hiking transfer.
Nearby, on the same day
All places-
Caldeirão Verde
A levada walk from Queimadas through laurel forest and four rock tunnels to a waterfall dropping into a pool.
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São Jorge
A north-coast parish with a large baroque church, the Calhau sea pools below and a lighthouse on the point.
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Porto da Cruz
A north-east coast village under the Penha d'Águia rock, with sea pools, surf beaches and a steam-driven rum mill.
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Ribeiro Frio and the Balcões walk
A forest hamlet with a trout hatchery, where the short, level PR11 levada walk leads to the Balcões viewpoint.
Santana questions
Can you go inside the Santana houses?
Some, yes. The group of houses next to the town hall is used as the tourist office and as shops for crafts, sweets and local produce, so you can walk in during opening hours.
How far is Santana from Funchal?
About 45 minutes by car, mostly on the expressway through the tunnels along the east coast.
Santana on the east day
Pico do Arieiro, the Balcões walk and the Santana houses in one day from your hotel. Send us a date and we reply within 60 minutes, 07:00–22:00, with the price for the car.
East Madeira: Santana and Ponta de São Lourenço €250 per car for 1 to 4 people, €290 for 5 or 6