Madeira Island guide

Madeira, known as the Atlantic pearl is a beautiful island with lots to see and do! I have visited the island three times and decided to do this guide to help you plan your trip. Even tough its small size, Madeira has a lot to see and do. I advise you to take at least 5 full days to explore the island!

In order to make the most of your trip I advise you to rent a car. We rented a Volkswagen T-Roc Manual with okmobility

The gastronomy of Madeira is rich, with tasty fish (tuna fish, sword fish) and meat dishes and well as typical drinks: Madeira wine, Poncha and several liquors. Other typical drinks are “niquita” and “pé de cabra”.

What to eat in Madeira Island?

Experiences to have in Madeira Island:

walk a “levada” (for more information, visit
Learn more about Madeira biodiversity
Spend NYE

I was recently in the Atlantic pearl – Madeira Island and i must say that you don’t need to make a long trip to find a unique destination for your next travel! The reasons to visit Madeira are plenty and i to share some of them with you. Imagine the following set: you and your friends at 1810 m high with a breath-taking view, with the clouds resting in the top of the mountains.

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Day 1 – Funchal

Mercado dos lavradores

Santa Maria Street / Zona Velha do Funchal

Sé Funchal

Municipal garden of Funchal

Igreja escocesa

Fortress of Santiago

Viewpoint “Pico dos Barcelos”

Monte Palace Tropical Garden & Botanical garden

If you love Nature and the Outdoors, I recommend that you visit the Monte Palace Tropical garden or the Botanical garden. Although I have ben in Madeira three times I only visited Monte Palace garden and It was a very pleasant afternoon, walking around the garden with my sister.

Day 2 – Monte, carrinhos do Monte, teleferico

Day 2

visit Curral das Freiras

Viewpoint “Eira do Serrado”

Viewpoint “Pico Alto”

Parque Florestal das Queimadas

piscinas Porto Moniz

Day 3 – Pico do Areeiro, Câmara de Lobos, Cabo Girão, Ponta do Sol, Ribeira Brava

Pico do Arieiro is the third highest peak of Madeira island! Pico Ruivo is the highest peak with 1892 m, followed by Pico das Torres with 1851 meters high. You can reach it by car and is totally worth your visit! If you don’t believe me check out the stunning photographs above.

In the Winter the inhabitants of the island are surprised with snow (when i was were last month there was no snow =/).

Câmara de Lobos

Did you know? Churchill painted in Camâra de Lobos. There is a viewpoint with his name.

chavelhas barcos

Day 4- Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço, Caniçal and Santana

Another incredible place in Madeira island that every local told us that we should see! Driving there was a pleasant surprise too as you can see in the photographs below. A long walk was aheads us and the sun was saying a powerful hello.

ponta de São Lourenço é o ponto mais extremo mais a leste da ilha da Madeira.

Esta vereda tem 4 km (+4 km regresso) que demoram 2:30 h a percorrer e foi baptizada com o nome da caravela de João Gonçalves Zarco, um dos três descobridores da ilha da Madeira.

Chegámos lá na hora de almoço e fizemos um bocado do trilho, mas não até ao fim pois neste dia tínhamos planeado também ir até Santana, para ver as suas casas típicas.

O trilho faz-se bem, está em boas condições e surpreende-nos com paisagens de cortar a respiração, onde o oceano atlântico se cruz com formações rochosas curiosas.

Na linha do horizonte é possível ver as ilhas Desertas a Sul e a norte a ilha de Porto Santo e os seus ilhéus.

Aconselho a levar calçado confortável, água, comida e uma máquina fotográfica para registar o momento.

Ficam as fotos.

Caniçal

Caniçal is a fisherman’s village that has a whale museum.

Santana

Foram 4 dias espectaculares e a ilha surpreendeu-nos a cada recanto com paisagens lindíssimas e únicas!

Santana estava nos nossos planos e rumámos até lá no último dia da nossa viagem.

É neste concelho que se podem admirar as casinhas típicas de Santana, que têm uma forma triangular e são revestidas de colmo. A inclinação dos telhados das casas tem como objetivo escoar as águas da chuva, assegurando desta forma a impermeabilidade das mesmas.

Estas casas são constituídas por dois pisos, sendo o piso superior destinado à armazenagem de produtos agrícolas e o piso inferior servia para habitação (aqui encontra-se o quarto e a cozinha – poderão ver uma foto no final do post).