Bar Hopping Tour and Poncha Workshop

The Bar Hopping Tour and Poncha Workshop is a three-hour evening drinks experience in the Zona Velha (Old Town) of Funchal, on the island of Madeira, Portugal. It is run by Wine Tours Madeira, a local operator reachable through winetoursmadeira.com. The group meets at the entrance of Blandy's Wine Lodge, Avenida Arriaga 28, 9000-064 Funchal, and the tour runs on Wednesdays from 4PM to 7PM. Participation is limited to guests aged 18 and over, and the guide leads the tour in English.

The focus is drink rather than food. The centrepiece is a hands-on poncha workshop. Poncha is Madeira's signature cocktail, traditionally made from aguardente de cana (sugar-cane spirit), honey and lemon juice, and prepared with a wooden tool known as a mexelote. Guests learn how the classic recipe is mixed, how variations using orange, passion fruit and other local juices are made, and then taste the results. The bar hopping part of the programme moves between bars in the Old Town, where the guide introduces other Madeiran drinks and explains local drinking customs and the history of the area. Savoury snacks are not the main feature, so the tour balances heavily toward drinks, and guests may wish to eat beforehand.

The price of €90 (about $103.50) per person includes the drink tastings, the poncha workshop and the English-speaking local guide. Food, transport to the meeting point and tips are not included unless stated by the operator. The pace is sociable and relaxed, with short walks between venues along cobbled streets. Non-drinkers or guests with dietary restrictions should contact the operator before booking, since the tour centres on alcoholic tastings. The late-afternoon timing makes it a natural start to an evening in Funchal, and the end time of 7PM leaves guests free to continue to dinner in the Old Town. The tour suits groups of friends and couples who want a practical introduction to the island's most famous drink and to the lively bar scene around Rua de Santa Maria.