Madeira Travel Guide: Best Hikes, Food & Things to Do
- Kathleen Barr
- 6 minutes ago
- 11 min read
Madeira is a stunning and popular Portuguese island known for its diverse landscape, unique destinations, challenging hikes and cute coastal towns. The famous PR1, Stairway to Heaven hike is what originally drew us to this destination, but we quickly learned that this island has so much more to offer visitors. There are countless other incredible hikes, we hiked everyday and barely scratched the surface. When you drive around the island, you will be so pleasantly surprised by all of the different environments, one minute you’re in the mountains, the next you are in coastal beaches and cliffs, then desert, then tropical forest and flowers. It is really a truly remarkable place.
Our trip started on the incredible São Miguel Island in the Azores. You can read that travel blog here.
A Few Things to Know Before You Go:
Rent a Car
In Madeira you really need to rent a car. We saw so much in our 8 days here and we definitely couldn’t have done this without a car. We rented from Discover Cars, with a company called Prime Azores We got a small Mitsubishi Space Star, which seemed like such a small car at first but ended up being exactly what we needed as parking spaces were often scarce and small.
My biggest advice for parking is to be prepared to park anywhere, especially in Funchal. We found ourselves parallel parking on hills, cramming into tiny spaces, parking 10 minutes away from our destination. Our hotel had paid parking, which we couldn’t get till half way through our trip and it was so worth it, only 7 euros a day and to have the piece of mind of knowing we would have parking was so worth it. The driving here is very steep hills, and windy corners. It was certainly a culture shock at first but we quickly got the hang of it.
Stay in Funchal
We stayed at the Dorisol Buganvila Hotel in Funchal. This was a great hotel with all the amenities we needed. We had a small kitchenette with a stove and fridge which came in handy for making breakfast and lunches. The hotel had a good breakfast buffet for a reasonable price. They also had a lovely pool, rooftop patio and bar. The location was very convenient, close to good restaurants, bars and grocery stores. You could walk 30 minutes to the old town or get a quick and cheap Bolt ride.
Make Your Own Breakfast and Lunch
I would definitely recommend doing groceries and making lunches and breakfast for yourself. There are Pingo Doce grocery stores all over the island that are great grocery stores and very affordable. Something we would recommend for your trip is to bring a cooler bag. This will come in handy when packing lunches for your hikes and road trips.
Get a E Sim
We got E Sims from the Saily app for our trip. This worked great for data and texting but not for calls. Definitely download Whats App before you leave Canada.
Don’t put all your trust in the forecast
Madeira’s weather changes in an instant. Instead of relying only on apps, always double-check the island’s live webcams before heading out. Flexibility is key: sometimes you’ll need to adjust your plans and chase the best weather. Certain spots are even better in specific conditions, like the mystical Fanal Forest or Seixal Beach on a foggy, moody day. For hikes, a bit of cloud cover can save you from the heat, while sunny, clear skies are perfect for beach days.
Group destinations by region to save time and energy
Madeira may look small on the map, but the winding mountain roads can make even short distances take a lot longer than expected. Planning your days so you explore one part of the island at a time, like dedicating a day to the east (Santana, Pico do Arieiro) or the northwest (Porto Moniz, Seixal, Fanal Forest) will save you unnecessary driving, reduce fatigue, and give you more time to actually enjoy each spot instead of rushing from one side of the island to the other.
Check out our itinerary:
Day 1
We arrived on Madeira via SATA Azores Airlines. We got so lucky with our landing. Sometimes people get rerouted or have to fly around the island until it is clear!
We arrived mid afternoon, picked up our rental car, and drove to our hotel. The parking situation in Funchal is tough, our hotel parking was full so we ended up parking 10 minutes away and walking to the hotel.
We went for groceries at the local Pingo Doce and made a late lunch/early dinner in our room.
Then we packed up, and made the trek for the famous PR1 - Pico de Aireeo, also known as the Stairway to Heaven. This drive was over a hour long and pretty wild. At one point I had my pedal right to the floor up the steepest hill I have ever seen, and at points we weren’t sure if our little Mitsubishi would make it. The road was often windy, with rock on one side and open cliffs on the other. Once we got up top and parked, we paid for parking and headed out. Sunset was very quiet at PR1, apparently it is a lot busier at sunrise. We found parking no problem.
The full PR1 hike from Pico de Aireeo to Pico de Ruivo was closed half way due to the wild fires, so we only did half the hike at this point and the rest on another day of the trip.
This was by far the most gorgeous sunset we had ever seen. You are high above the clouds and in the mountains. We found a spot, sat back with a drink, and enjoyed the insane views. We couldn’t have asked for a better first day of our trip.
Day 2
On our second day, we had breakfast at our hotel and headed out for the day. We started off with the PR15 Vereda da Ribeira da Janela hike. While it was a good workout, we wouldn’t recommend it. It was a long and difficult hike and while it was beautiful, not the best views that can be seen on Madeira.
Once we worked up a sweat, we headed to Porto Moniz for lunch and a soak in the natural pools. These are really cool natural pools carved into the cliffs. We went peak afternoon so it was pretty busy, so I would recommend going in the morning or late day. We paid there at the location and it was only 3 euro each.
After our dip in the natural pools, we headed to the famous black sand Seixal Beach. This beach is like nothing we had seen before and the photos really don’t do it justice! We recommend going on a more cloudy day, as the beach looks so moody and beautiful.
We headed back to Funchal and grabbed a delicious sushi dinner at Kanji Sushi.
Day 3
We started our day with the PR7 Levada do Moinho hike. This had to be one of our favourite hikes on the trip. You hike along one of their aqueduct systems through the cliffs, under waterfalls and through caves. It is recommended to bring a headlamp on this hike for the caves, but we found our phone flashlights fine.
We packed our lunch and had a picnic on the nearby Ponta da Sol beach. Then we drove to the famous Cascata dos Anjos, a waterfall that runs right over the road. You used to be able to drive through the waterfall but now the road is closed to cars. It was pretty crowded when we were there, but still something cool to see!
We went for our probably favourite dinner of the trip, in the beautiful Old Town. We got dressed up, walked through the old cobble stone streets, went to some of the local shops and boutiques and strolled through the Funchal Botanical Gardens. We ate at Informal, and had one of the best meals of our lives. The chef cooks right in front of you and all of the food looked amazing. We had ribs, tartar, seafood risotto, and an insane desert platter. The cocktails were also to die for.
After dinner we headed to Rei da Poncha, to try the island's specialty drink. We took our drinks to go and continued to wander the streets of Old Town.
Day 4 -
We started our day by tackling PR8 - Vereda da Ponta de Sao Loureco. An insane desert hike through the coastal cliffs. Now this side of the island doesn’t get a ton of clouds, so pack a lot of water and sunscreen because it is a hot one! We loved this hike so much, the landscape was so interesting and beautiful.
We went and grabbed brunch in a little beach town called Canical. After that, we headed to Santana to check out their famous houses and farmers market. Santana is such a gorgeous little village with breathtaking views.
We then headed to the lookout Miradouro do Boqueirao for cliff views of the Porto da Cruz surf beach. Then we drove up the coast a bit further for another lookout called Miradouro da Rocha do Navio. Both of these lookouts are so stunning and must-see on your trip.
We headed back to Old Town Funchal for another delicious dinner. We ate at Terra Food Concept and the food and drinks were incredible. We then went and had some drinks in the marina at famous chefs Julio Pereira’s pop up bar and live music venue. We actually met Pereira ourselves which was very cool.
Day 5
On Day 5 we headed to the North East side of the island to tackle the Porto Da Cruz cliff run hike. This is a popular trail for runners and hikers. This stunning hike wraps around steep cliff-sides, it was definitely a trip highlight.
After our hike we headed to Praia de Machico to swim and relax. The beach was pretty busy as it was a gorgeous day and a Sunday.
We finished off the afternoon at our hotel pool. Buganvilla had a gorgeous pool and facilities.
Since this was the half way point of our trip, we had a evening in the hotel to decompress and get ready for the week ahead. We cooked our own dinner, did our laundry and went to bed early because the next day would be an early one!
Day 6 -
We set our alarms bright and early (4am) to catch the sunrise at the PR1 Pico Ruivo. It takes about a hour drive from Funchal to the hike parking lot, then a hour hike to get to the peak, and sunrise was at 6am so we were up and at it. The hike was almost entirely in pitch black. This was a pretty wild experience, we knew there was steep cliff drops at our feet but couldn’t see a thing. We used our phone flashlights here, but a headlamp is a good idea to make sure your hands are free. Since this hike is so high, and you have to start so early. It can definitely be chilly. I would recommend layering up. The cold hike in the pitch black was so worth it. The sunrise was absolutely incredible.
We were disappointed that the Achada do Teixeira Mountain Cafe was closed after our hike, but we drove into Santana to grab a coffee and treat at Versus Cafe. We then made our way along the coast to the famous view point Miradouro De Sao Cristovao. There is also a good looking restaurant here, but we were pretty early so it wasn’t open.
The weather was perfectly moody on the North Coast, so we knew this was the perfect opportunity to head to the Fanal Forest. Tucked away in the northwestern mountains of Madeira, the Fanal Forest is home to ancient laurel trees and you can often fnd them wrapped in mist. Part of the Laurissilva Forest and a UNESCO site, it’s a place that immediately draws you in with its unique beauty. You definitely want to head here on a cloudy day to get the best moody experience, we drove by on a sunny hot day and it definitely was not the same vibe!
We were pooped after such an early morning so we headed back to the hotel to eat and hangout by the pool.
We headed to Old town for a delicious and to hit the town, first stopping at Parque De Santa Catarina for photos, then heading to Casino Da Madeira. We had a few drinks and played on the slot machines here before heading to watch some amazing live music at The Prince Albert Pub. We loved the vibe of this bar.
Day 7 -
To change things up from our daily hikes, we went on a Dolphin and Whale Watching Catamaran cruise with the company called Seaborn. We booked through Get Your Guide and paid $112 for the two of us. This was a awesome experience, even though we didn’t get to see any marine life. We still sailed along the coast, and got to swim in the ocean. The boat also has a bar on board which was a nice touch.
After we got off the boat, we had an amazing brunch at Prima Caju in Old Town. I found this place on Tik Tok and was so excited to try it. They had delicious gf and sourdough pancakes, waffles, bowls and so much more. Their coffee and fresh squeezed juices were also great.
We then headed out to the streets to go shopping in Old Town. We went to some incredible local boutiques, the mall and local gardens. Old Town is such a beautiful part of Funchal we absolutely loved it.
We had dinner at O Dragoeiro, which was a great restaurant close to our hotel. We got the chicken skewers and fish and loved it.
We then checked out our hotel rooftop which has a gorgeous lookout over the Bay of Funchal. After we headed across the street to Local Pub, for some Poncha and Guiness. This bar had such fun vibes. We then walked down the streets to end our trip at the Hole in One Bar. Another great bar with kind staff and good live music.
Day 8 -
On our last day in Madeira we headed to the Curral Das Freitas - Nun Valley lookout. A gorgeous little village located in the middle of a giant mountainous valley. They call it this because they hid their nuns here when pirates would come to Madeira. This location is a bit of a trek into the central mountains of the island, so many windy and steep cliff roads. But I would definitely recommend it if you have time.
We then drove to the Praia Da Calheta for some lunch and a little break from driving. This is a lovely sand beach with great swimming, and restaurants to choose from.
Then we headed to the Seixal Natural pools. It was only 5 euro for the two of us, and totally worth it. These are natural pools carved into the rock with cave formations all around. We relaxed here for the afternoon. I would definitely recommend bringing shoes to wear here. The ground was a bit slimy and slippery.
We spent our last night having dinner at the Gruta Cafe Restaurante in Funchal. This restaurant is carved into a natural cave and is so cool. The food and staff were also great.
At this point of our trip, we headed back to Sao Miguel to end off our trip in a bang. You can find that blog here.
Overall Madeira was a life changing and incredible experience. I have never been to a place quite like it. The landscape was so beautiful and diverse, the hiking was incredible. I am so grateful to have had such an amazing time with my best friends on this beautiful island.
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