The islands of Portugal are a highlight in Europe. Often referred to as the Hawai’i of Europe, Madeira is great for everyone, regardless if you want to relax, enjoy nature and some charming cities or hike through the mountains. We spent 5 days in total in the area and can only recommend the islands.
Info: We are quite fast travelers, so if you want to enjoy each place more, plan more time accordingly
Accommodation and Getting around:
We stayed in a hotel that we booked on Booking.com, however, I recommend looking at the prices and also which location is best. If you want to experience the city of Funchal at night, staying there might be the best idea.
Madeira is a beautiful island in the Atlantic. It is reached by plane, and the airport is also in a quite central location. I do recommend renting a car to navigate the island, and there are many websites on which you can pre-book whatever car you want to drive. Be aware that, especially in Funchal, streets tend to be narrow, so I recommend renting a smaller car.
Day 1 – Arrival Day
On the first day, we arrived by plane, rented a car and drove to our accommodation. Afterward, we drove to Funchal and had dinner at Recharge. Then, we went on a small walk by the sea and watched the sunset.
Day 2 – Funchal
On the second day we decided to explore the city, of Funchal, so we drove to the city and parked in one of the parking garages in the middle of the city.
Breakfast at Brunch Club Madeira
We started the day with breakfast at the Brunch Club Madeira in the center of Funchal. I can only highly recommend this place since they have sweet and savory dishes, all of which are tasty.
Palácio de Sao Lourenco
We walked to the Palacio from the garage and took a stroll around. This is the city’s first fortress and was built between 1529 and 1540. It was really great to see the old architecture. For people who want to know more about the fortress, there is even a museum inside.
Mercado dos Lavrados
After a 10-min walk, you can find the Mercado dos Lavrados. This is a farmers’ market where fresh food such as fish and fruits, as well as flowers and souvenirs, are sold. This place is amazing to just take a stroll around.
Rua de Santa Maria to Forte de Sao Tiago
After visiting the market, we walked down the Rua de Santa Maria, which is a small street with a lot of astonishing street art. At the end of the street, you can find a yellow building, which is another fortress used to defend against attacks from pirates.
Funchal Cable Car and Jardim Monte Palace Madeira
From the fortress, you can walk along the ocean to the cable car, which leads directly to the botanical gardens of Madeira. We booked the tickets on site; however, check beforehand: if you are going in the busy season, there might be the necessity to reserve a spot. Reaching the top, the botanical gardens are totally worth a visit. They are well maintained and quite outstanding. Furthermore, you can enjoy a nice view from the top across Funchal and the ocean. After this visit, we visited the Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte, a church which is only a few steps away from the gardens. From this church, you can also see the Toboggan rides since they start from this point. We did not do this ride since it was quite expensive and the queue was too long.
Loja do Chá and dinner
After going down with the cable car, we decided to take a break and drink some tea in this lovely tea house in central Funchal, and afterward had dinner in a small bar.
Cabo Girao Skywalk
On our way home, we also had a short visit to the Skywalk near the coast, which a lovely couple recommended to us. Here you can enjoy a really nice view of the ocean while standing on a glass platform. For us, the weather started to be quite cloudy, so make sure to check the weather beforehand.
Day 3 – Sunrise at Pico do Ariero and Hike
Sunrise at Pico Ariero
One well-known thing to do in Madeira is to watch the sunrise at Pico do Ariero. Depending on your location on the island, it might be a 30-minute to 1h drive, so make sure to leave early enough. We left our accommodation at 4 am and then hiked about 15 minutes to a spot with fewer people. Make sure, however, to stay on marked paths.
Info: Make sure to bring enough clothes since the temperature is low in the morning.
Levada do Caldeirao Verde
Afterward, we drove to the starting point of the hiking trail “Levada do Caldeirao Verde” and hiked to a waterfall and back. The hike is about 13km for the whole trip and is quite easy, along water lines and also through caves.
Santana
We even had some more time to visit the town of Santana, where we took a small walk around some old traditional houses. Furthermore, you can also find supermarkets and restaurants here.
Cascata dos Anjos and dinner in Funchal
One of the most famous spots is this waterfall, which is right on a street next to the ocean. When we were there, we were able to go by car; however, make sure this is possible. Afterward, we went to a Pub in Funchal called “Funchal Taproom Craft Beer & Food for a nice evening.
Day 4 – Northern Madeira and Dolphin Watching
Seixal black beach
Our first stop in the morning was the black beach in Seixal. Be aware that this spot is quite popular and might get full pretty quickly, so it might be hard to find parking. We parked in the town and then went down the steps to see the beach. Another recommendation is the restaurant Avista Navios – they have an amazing breakfast with a view.
Riberia da Janela
Driving a little bit from Seixal, there is a viewpoint for Riberia da Janela, which is a rock formation in the ocean. It was really great to experience this, and I can only recommend this place.
Porto Moniz
Driving further on the northern coast – which itself is incredible – you will get to Porto Moniz, which are natural pools. This is great to relax a bit and also to enjoy the ocean for a swim.
Tip: There are also some other natural pools nearby, so if it is already full or you want to save some money, you can also go there
Faial
Known as the fairy forest, Faial was one of my favorite places on the island. Not only are there many big trees and cows, but the view at the top of the hill is also quite amazing.
Dolphin Watching
Last but not least, I can highly recommend going for a dolphin-watching tour in Madeira. On our tour, we saw two types of dolphins, which was amazing. The tour guide we booked with was Lobosonda, and we were really satisfied with the guide and everything.
Day 5 – Western Madeira
Miradouro do Teleferico das Achadas da Cruz
For our last day in Madeira, we decided to explore the West coast. One of the main attractions is the cable car at the Miradouro do Teleferico. This cable car is one of the steepest in the world, and at the bottom of it there is a small village full of cats – however, I was too scared to ride it.
Miradouro Farol da Ponta do Pargo
Another nice place to check out is the Miradouro Farol da Ponta do Pargo, which is a nice viewpoint with a lighthouse. It was great to see the endlessness of the Atlantic Ocean here and totally worth a visit.
Gato Legal Coffee Roastery
Last but not least, we also stopped by the Café Gato Legal Coffee Roastery. They have amazing coffee and really good snacks, so it’s perfect to refuel in the middle of the day or in the morning.