Afternoon Tea at Reid's Palace Funchal, Madeira

Afternoon tea at Reid’s Palace, Funchal is a Madeira institution.

I always think of afternoon tea as a very British concept, and yet a friend and I booked in for an afternoon of sweet treats whilst on holiday in Madeira.

About afternoon tea at Reid’s Palace, Funchal

Belmond Reid’s Palace in the capital of Funchal is one of the fanciest hotels in the island, famously boasting Winston Churchill among its past celebrity visitors, and even the entrance gently promises luxury.

Their afternoon tea is famous for being one of the best in Madeira and when combined with amazing service, it’s an experience that you don’t want to miss.

The location

After a couple of minutes of shameless gawping at the lush interiors, we were led outside for our afternoon tea at Reid’s Palace terrace which offers beautiful views of the hills across the island. The shade offers a respite from the hot summer sun so, along with the cool sea breeze, it’s a really pleasant place to sit.

There is also classical inside seating, but personally, it’s the view all the way for me.

The experience

With a beautiful view over Funchal harbour, it was with difficulty that we tore our eyes away from the landscape and onto the tea menu. Yes, a menu for just for tea.

The waiter explained to us in flawless English what the experience would consist of and we selected our drinks carefully: I’m not a tea lover so opted to try the summery raspberry fruit tea while Rachael went for something a more traditional Darjeeling Second Flush.

The food

afternoon tea belmond reids palace funchal

To begin, we were served a selection of sandwiches on beautifully soft bread: cheese, avocado and tomato, king prawn and smoked salmon and cream cheese.

Usually the sandwiches at afternoon tea feel like an afterthought but these tasty combinations really worked without being too messy.

Alongside our sandwiches, a mouthwatering selection of cakes waited for us but first, some warm scones were delivered to our table, releasing the most delicious scent along the terrace.

They were beautifully light and fluffy, not stodgy in the slightest, leaving us with just enough room to sample the cake selection.

Two hours later, we left feeling full but deliciously pampered and happy with the beautiful surroundings in which we had spent our afternoon.

How to book afternoon tea at Reid’s Palace

If you’re considering booking afternoon tea at Reid’s Palace in Madeira as a treat, I would highly recommend the visit. Even if you usually travel on a budget, it’s well worth splashing out to feel like royalty for an afternoon.

We were lucky enough to book afternoon tea at Reid’s Palace online for €33.50 per person, with an optional upgrade of champagne for an additional €18.50. However, in 2026, it now costs around €65! Worth it for a super special experience, but crazy to see the change in price over a decade.

Where to stay in Madeira

From multiple trips to Madeira with family, including my dad as a Madeira native, here are all my best recommendations for where to stay in Madeira.

If you’d like more detail on any of these picks, check out my entire post about where to stay in Madeira.

Laura x

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jennie says:

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Oh my gosh everything looks SO good, especially those scones! <3 xx

Jessica Charlotte says:

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I ALWAYS want to do afternoon tea. This looks like such a lovely thing to do with your best girlfriends. Very pretty place too. X

Leonie Parker says:

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Cannot beat afternoon tea x

Leonie ♥ IkonikBeauty

Emyii Rankin says:

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Oh wow, looks amazing =] I really need to go to afternoon tea

emyii90.blogspot.co.uk

L P says:

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RThe Ritz and Claridges in London take some beating. We are here in Funchal and have booked for this Sunday and very curious to see if it is better than home. Have eaten in the restaurants here and it has been very, very good.

Afternoon Tea at Reid’s Palace, Funchal

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