Blandy's Wine Lodge
Blandy's Wine Lodge
4.5
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
About
Located in a historical building in the very center of Funchal, Blandy's Wine Lodge has been the heart of the family's wine business for 7 generations, ageing the finest Madeira wines in a traditional canteiro method. Each room in the Lodge has unique wine ageing potential due to the different temperatures and humidity conditions, resulting in the diverse profiles of wines aged inside the building. We invite you to join us on our tours, wine tastings and events! Learn more about Madeira wine, history of the Blandy Family, witness canteiro wine ageing and enjoy one of the many wine tasting options we offer.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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4.5
3,507 reviews
Excellent
1,627
Very good
1,350
Average
390
Poor
93
Terrible
47
AvidTraveler12
Winchester, UK1,763 contributions
Feb 2023
Located in the centre of Funchal is Blandy's Wine lodge. Blandy's are the biggest producer of Madeira (a fortified wine) on the island of Madeira which is the only place in the world that it is produced.
Blandy's was created in 1811 by John Blandy, it remains a family business with I believe the 7th generation Blandy running the business.
There is a variety of tours you can take, I strongly recommend that you book ahead of time online because the tours are normally fully booked. The tours take you through the history and production of "Madeira" wine" and is followed by a tasting. There is a shop where you can buy Madeira, the older the vintage the more expensive the bottle.
The tour guides & support staff we encountered were very friendly & only to happy to answer questions.
Blandy's was created in 1811 by John Blandy, it remains a family business with I believe the 7th generation Blandy running the business.
There is a variety of tours you can take, I strongly recommend that you book ahead of time online because the tours are normally fully booked. The tours take you through the history and production of "Madeira" wine" and is followed by a tasting. There is a shop where you can buy Madeira, the older the vintage the more expensive the bottle.
The tour guides & support staff we encountered were very friendly & only to happy to answer questions.
Written February 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Arden24
Market Harborough, UK489 contributions
Mar 2022
We booked the premium tour followed by the vintage tour. It is not advisable just to do the vintage tour as a stand alone as you won't know the wine making process which is covered in the premium tour. The building is very old with lots of stairs therefore this trip would not be suitable for people with mobility issues. Do feel free to take photos. Knowledgeable and friendly guide. As we did the 2 tours back to back we tasted 4 wines accompanied by plain crackers and a piece of 'fruit' cake.
Written March 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rambler
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK536 contributions
Apr 2022 • Couples
We’ve all heard of ‘Madeira Wine’ but may not have tasted it or understood why it is distinct from sherries and ports. If you want to satisfy that curiosity then Blandy’s your will do the trick.
It is situated right on the Main Street in Funchal’s old town and shopping area. It couldn’t be handier. When we visited, it didn’t seem possible to book online so we went to the ticket office a couple of hours before. Tours are at different price points and in various languages throughout the day. We took the cheapest in English and it was fine.
You get a guided tour through the old building explaining the process and a tasting of the two main varieties of wine at the end. It was enough for us and a great break in our exploration of the town. Recommended! (I only knocked a star off because I couldn’t pre-book)
It is situated right on the Main Street in Funchal’s old town and shopping area. It couldn’t be handier. When we visited, it didn’t seem possible to book online so we went to the ticket office a couple of hours before. Tours are at different price points and in various languages throughout the day. We took the cheapest in English and it was fine.
You get a guided tour through the old building explaining the process and a tasting of the two main varieties of wine at the end. It was enough for us and a great break in our exploration of the town. Recommended! (I only knocked a star off because I couldn’t pre-book)
Written April 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bwyd
Jersey, UK262 contributions
Oct 2021
We undertook both the "Premium" and "Vintage" tours on a back to back basis. We found the "Vintage Tour" much more interesting and would recommend it if you only have time for one tour.
It gave us a much better understanding of the processes they follow, with the added bonus of being able to inspect closely the family's collection of vintage wine.
On the "Premium Tour" we were left by the guide, near the end, to look around a small museum. Much of what was displayed in the museum was covered in the booklet they had already given us when booking and which we had read before the tour.
Finally I must say we were disappointed with the service we received when booking. We had a query on the booking process for two tours and rang them 2 or 3 times. We couldn't get through and therefore emailed them 2 or 3 times. On the final occasion copying in their marketing team in the hope that they would pass our email on. Blandy's never responded, which we thought was very poor.
It gave us a much better understanding of the processes they follow, with the added bonus of being able to inspect closely the family's collection of vintage wine.
On the "Premium Tour" we were left by the guide, near the end, to look around a small museum. Much of what was displayed in the museum was covered in the booklet they had already given us when booking and which we had read before the tour.
Finally I must say we were disappointed with the service we received when booking. We had a query on the booking process for two tours and rang them 2 or 3 times. We couldn't get through and therefore emailed them 2 or 3 times. On the final occasion copying in their marketing team in the hope that they would pass our email on. Blandy's never responded, which we thought was very poor.
Written October 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
soinic
Lux.1,491 contributions
Jan 2023 • Couples
Very nice, well kept and interesting building which you can access to taste different Madeira wines and to buy souvenirs in the shop (even without guided tour!).
So far, so good! But wouldn't recommend the visit for 12.50 (incl. 2 small sips of 2 different Madeira wines).
Mass processing as at one moment 3 different groups (English, French & German) were in the same spot!?
By the way, you see mainly tons of barrels... so best idea is to invest 12.50 Euro pp in "tasting" in stead of "visiting".
Female staff at ticket booth was unfriendly, our guide was knowledgable but the whole visit wasn't worth the money spent!
So far, so good! But wouldn't recommend the visit for 12.50 (incl. 2 small sips of 2 different Madeira wines).
Mass processing as at one moment 3 different groups (English, French & German) were in the same spot!?
By the way, you see mainly tons of barrels... so best idea is to invest 12.50 Euro pp in "tasting" in stead of "visiting".
Female staff at ticket booth was unfriendly, our guide was knowledgable but the whole visit wasn't worth the money spent!
Written January 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
geezergal55
hobe sound florida147 contributions
Jan 2023
Our tour guide, Patricia, did a wonderful job BUT unfortunately she could not compete with the tour behind us, following MUCH too closely with an obnoxious child who screamed & stomped around so loudly we could hardly hear poor Patricia.
She rushed us thru our tour just to get away from that badly behaved child. Not good PR for Blandy’s & certainly not the tour we expected. :(
I wrote to Blandy's about this, suggesting that if they choose to allow children to accompany their parents, they should have a disclaimer stating that children are expected to behave well for the sake of everyone in the tours & if not, parents will be asked to remove the ill behaved child.
Their reply:
"Thank you for your for letting us know what happened.
We truly hope that on your next visit you will have a better experience.
It's always been part of our policy that all of our visitors are welcome at Blandy's Wine Lodge."
There will be no next visit! If the experience for all guests is not respected, we will not return.
She rushed us thru our tour just to get away from that badly behaved child. Not good PR for Blandy’s & certainly not the tour we expected. :(
I wrote to Blandy's about this, suggesting that if they choose to allow children to accompany their parents, they should have a disclaimer stating that children are expected to behave well for the sake of everyone in the tours & if not, parents will be asked to remove the ill behaved child.
Their reply:
"Thank you for your for letting us know what happened.
We truly hope that on your next visit you will have a better experience.
It's always been part of our policy that all of our visitors are welcome at Blandy's Wine Lodge."
There will be no next visit! If the experience for all guests is not respected, we will not return.
Written February 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nancy_Pletinck
Brussels, Belgium3 contributions
Jul 2022 • Friends
Dear,
I wanted to leave a quick feedback on the guided tour we just did in Funchal. The guide Diana was fantastic and her explanation cristal clear! We were very happy about that.
At the end there was a tasting included which was really nice and it convinced me to buy a few bottles to take home. However I was doubting between one we tasted and one similar but a bit sweeter. So I tasted that other one at the counter, especially because the lady informed that if you buy a bottle you don’t need to pay the tasting.
All served, I was convinced after the tasting that I wanted to buy the one I tasted in the tour. However, I was completely surprised that I still needed to pay extra because I didn’t buy that specific wine I tasted? When I calmly replied that I didn’t expected that when buying a bottle, the girl at the counter simply said: ‘just pay’. I am a bit shocked as I didn’t expect this situation, and such a rude reaction…
I will think twice about this brand now to be honest … As I am a marketeer myself, I really wanted to address this kind of situation to you. As we were not the only ones that were not happy about that…
Maybe a clear message and sign would avoid these situations in the future
I wanted to leave a quick feedback on the guided tour we just did in Funchal. The guide Diana was fantastic and her explanation cristal clear! We were very happy about that.
At the end there was a tasting included which was really nice and it convinced me to buy a few bottles to take home. However I was doubting between one we tasted and one similar but a bit sweeter. So I tasted that other one at the counter, especially because the lady informed that if you buy a bottle you don’t need to pay the tasting.
All served, I was convinced after the tasting that I wanted to buy the one I tasted in the tour. However, I was completely surprised that I still needed to pay extra because I didn’t buy that specific wine I tasted? When I calmly replied that I didn’t expected that when buying a bottle, the girl at the counter simply said: ‘just pay’. I am a bit shocked as I didn’t expect this situation, and such a rude reaction…
I will think twice about this brand now to be honest … As I am a marketeer myself, I really wanted to address this kind of situation to you. As we were not the only ones that were not happy about that…
Maybe a clear message and sign would avoid these situations in the future
Written July 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David Mortimer
Aberdeen, UK112 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
We really enjoyed our tour at Blandy’s and our guide was very informative and enthusiastic about the wine and the brand itself.
Tour takes around 45 minutes and there are 2 tastings at the end. You can sample more wines for a small fee, a few euros however the older the wine the more expensive the tipple.
If you buy a wine up to 15 yrs of age you get 10% with you’re ticket (don’t bin it until after you have left!).
They also offer a service where you can collect your wine from the airport duty free which is helpful
Tour takes around 45 minutes and there are 2 tastings at the end. You can sample more wines for a small fee, a few euros however the older the wine the more expensive the tipple.
If you buy a wine up to 15 yrs of age you get 10% with you’re ticket (don’t bin it until after you have left!).
They also offer a service where you can collect your wine from the airport duty free which is helpful
Written March 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laura T
Middlesbrough, UK6,928 contributions
Apr 2022
Blandy’s Wine Lodge boasts the oldest wine cellars in Madeira, dating from 17-18th centuries. There’s an interesting collection of vintage wines, machinery and other objects relating to winemaking. Tours available daily except Sundays and allow you to visit the various areas of the Lodge, followed by a wine tasting.
I was planning on booking on one of the following tours, having seen these advertised on the website: Premier Tour is 45 Minutes at €11.00 or Vintage Tour is 60 Minutes at €22.90. But when we requested the next English speaking tour, we were charged only €15.75 for 2 tickets, so guess there's more tour options?
Our tour lasted about 45 minutes which was just the right amount of time really, as you take in a lot of information. The tour was fun/interesting yet informative, and then there was a great tasting at the end where we each got to sample 2 different Madeiras.
I read online that tours run Monday - Friday: 10:30, 14:30, 15:30, 16:30 (on request), Saturdays 10:30. But please double check this yourself on their website as our visit was several months ago now. We just turned up and requested the next English tour, which was running in 20 minutes, so we went outside and sat in the pretty little garden just outside and had a walk around in the sun for a few minutes.
There is a small central courtyard area near to where you have the tasting, and the toilets are here next to the Blandy's gift shop.
Very central located, in the heart of Funchal. Unfortunately you can't seem to book online or via telephone? so you have to pop in and hope for the best, or if walking past step inside and book your tour for another day. This is the only area of improvement I could suggest as online booking would have been our preference.
I was planning on booking on one of the following tours, having seen these advertised on the website: Premier Tour is 45 Minutes at €11.00 or Vintage Tour is 60 Minutes at €22.90. But when we requested the next English speaking tour, we were charged only €15.75 for 2 tickets, so guess there's more tour options?
Our tour lasted about 45 minutes which was just the right amount of time really, as you take in a lot of information. The tour was fun/interesting yet informative, and then there was a great tasting at the end where we each got to sample 2 different Madeiras.
I read online that tours run Monday - Friday: 10:30, 14:30, 15:30, 16:30 (on request), Saturdays 10:30. But please double check this yourself on their website as our visit was several months ago now. We just turned up and requested the next English tour, which was running in 20 minutes, so we went outside and sat in the pretty little garden just outside and had a walk around in the sun for a few minutes.
There is a small central courtyard area near to where you have the tasting, and the toilets are here next to the Blandy's gift shop.
Very central located, in the heart of Funchal. Unfortunately you can't seem to book online or via telephone? so you have to pop in and hope for the best, or if walking past step inside and book your tour for another day. This is the only area of improvement I could suggest as online booking would have been our preference.
Written March 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jacki51
Cambridge, UK154 contributions
Jun 2022
We joined an English speaking tour one afternoon (Portuguese, German, French and Spanish tours are also available). The tour is approximately 45 minutes and ends with a tasting. The museum was particularly interesting and tells of John Blandy's arrival in Madeira from England in 1808 due to ill health where he works for a Madeira wine merchant. He returned briefly to England to marry then he and his wife established their own trading business in 1811 in Funchal exporting wine. The family has since had a finger in many pies expanding their empire in Madeira. It was certainly an interesting tour in a lovely old buildings.
Written July 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Quest34434611429
3 contributions
How long is the tours? How often does it run?
Wendy E
St. Neots, UK253 contributions
Approx 30 minutes 4-5 times a day
How can I write a review
rrrebequitaaa
Leeds, UK150 contributions
Search for the place you want to review and scroll down to where the reviews are. It should then give you the option to “write a review”. It used to be much clearer on the old website and app but since the updates it is not as obvious. Good luck!
Cosmicgill
Bolton, UK49 contributions
Do you have to book a tour of the Wine Lodge, how often do they run
Stephen P
Cardiff, UK454 contributions
4 tours per day and worth booking in advance to make sure aplaces are available
Are children permitted in the wine lodge and on the tours?
ruthiegee
Farnham Common, UK228 contributions
Hello Kathryn G, yes there were children on the tour we took.
Maggie R
Emery Down, UK36 contributions
Hello
My partner is 60 in November this year. Can I buy 1957 Madeira? It was still in barrels when we visited in February this year.
Maggie
Lenaag
United Kingdom35 contributions
I know some maceira wines are not available I was looking for 1948 and they had not for sell and they told me only collectors will have xx
Kelly C
Washington DC, DC21 contributions
Has anyone rented one of the apartments associated with Blandys? I'm having trouble locating written reviews of the apartments apart from the wine tours. Thanks!
Hoggan67
Dollar, UK144 contributions
Just spent 4 days in one of the apartments. They are great, very well furnished, lots of space, no noise from surrounding areas. You will see lots of reviews on booking, not on tripadvisor
mariadell1
1 contribution
Ho una bottiglia di vino piuttosto vecchia non so valutarne l'età né. Il valore. Dove posso inviare una foto per una valutazione? Grazie Maria
Blandy's Wine Lodge (Funchal) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about Blandy's Wine Lodge
- Blandy's Wine Lodge is open:
- Mon - Fri 10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
- Sat - Sat 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
- We recommend booking Blandy's Wine Lodge tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 1 Blandy's Wine Lodge tours on Tripadvisor
- Hotels near Blandy's Wine Lodge:
- (0.02 mi) The Wine Lodges
- (0.02 mi) Luxury apartment - The Wine Lodges - Malmsey
- (0.03 mi) Marina Club Studio
- (0.03 mi) HEART OLD TOWN CITY CENTER APARTMENT 5 STARS
- (0.10 mi) Hotel Madeira
- Restaurants near Blandy's Wine Lodge:
- (0.01 mi) Portaliano
- (0.01 mi) MLE, Lda
- (0.03 mi) Restaurante Dos Combatentes
- (0.04 mi) Green Olive Resturant
- (0.07 mi) O.Giro Churros&Paninis
Blandy's Wine Lodge Information
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